Marousek, Murzynski Earn IWLCA All-West Region Honors

Photo Illustration - Photos by Erin Pence
Photo Illustration - Photos by Erin Pence

Springfield, Ohio — After leading the Wittenberg University women's lacrosse team to a school record-tying 12 wins and the first undefeated North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) regular season in program history, Alie Marousek, class of 2014 from Pittsburgh, Pa., and Francine Murzynski, class of 2014 from Mentor, Ohio, have earned Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) All-West Region honors.

Marousek earned first-team All-West Region, while Murzynski was selected to the second team. It was the first all-region award for both student-athletes.

Marousek and Murzynski were two of the key players in Wittenberg's breakout 2012 season. Marousek, the 2012 NCAC Newcomer of the Year and first-team all-conference selection, led the Tigers with 38 goals, 27 assists and 65 total points, and she ranked among the team leaders with 36 ground balls and 23 draw controls. Her assist total ranked third in the NCAC and tied for third in program history.

Murzynski built on a strong freshman season in the Red & White to rank third on the team with 40 total points, including 26 goals and 14 assists. Also a first-team All-NCAC honoree, Murzynski ranked second on the team in ground balls with 48 and caused turnovers with 19, and she set a school record with 80 draw controls, which ranked third in the NCAC and 45th in all of NCAA Division III.

Marousek and Murzynski led the Tigers to records of 12-5 overall and 6-0 in the NCAC, good for a first place in the regular season standings and the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament. Wittenberg saw its season end in its first-ever NCAC Tournament championship game following a tense 11-9 loss to Denison.

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