University of Albany Women's Lacrosse's Nikki Branchini on IWLCA All-America Team; First UAlbany Player to Earn Division I Honor

Baltimore, Md. - University at Albany's Nikki Branchini has been selected to the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) All-America third team, as announced on Monday, May 31. Branchini is the first UAlbany player to receive All-America recognition in the program's Division I history. The IWLCA will honor the National All-Americans at the IWLCA All-American banquet on June 12, 2010 at the Crowne Plaza Valley Forge in King of Prussia, Pa.

In addition, Branchini was chosen the womenslacrosse.com Division I Defender of the Year and named to website's All-America first team.

Branchini, a junior from Guilderland, N.Y., was voted the 2010 America East Conference Player of the Year after leading the Great Danes to the conference's regular-season title and a school-record 13-win campaign. Am IWLCA first-team All-North region selection, she is among the NCAA Division I leaders in draw controls (second, 4.93 pg), ground balls (sixth, 3.27 pg) and caused turnovers (ninth, 2.07 pg).

The defensive midfielder added 10 goals and three assists and had a .476 shot percentage. She established the school's single-season record with 74 draw controls and totaled 31 caused turnovers, the seventh-best mark in program annals. Branchini earned first-team all-conference honors for the third consecutive year.

UAlbany established a school record for most wins in a season with a 13-3 record, breaking a mark that had stood since 1998. The Great Danes achieved their first national ranking in the IWLCA coaches' poll (No. 19) and deBeer/Inside Lacrosse media poll (No. 17).


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information