Senior Spotlight | Women’s Lacrosse

4/15/2020 12:00:00 PM

Alina Del Toro | Attack | Woodbury, MN | Marketing

Del Toro began her redshirt senior season on a tear. She scored her first career hat trick in the season opener at Boston University on February 14, netting the three goals on just three shots. She reached another milestone in Niagara’s home win over Saint Francis (PA) on March 1 when she collected her first career assist.

Despite the season being cut short after seven games, the Minnesota native set multiple single-season career highs, including goals, points, shots on goal, ground balls, and caused turnovers.

Del Toro is also a two-time MAAC All-Academic honoree.

Alina is a fighter - battle-tested throughout her career - she found tremendous success this season on the field. She took advantage of every opportunity that was presented to her and her hard work paid dividends this year.

Head Coach Wendy Stone

Aubrey DeVeau | Goaltender | Manlius, NY | Gerontology

DeVeau appeared in 28 games over four seasons for the Purple Eagles, including four showings in 2020.

Half of DeVeau’s career games came as a sophomore in 2018. Through 14 games and over 474 minutes, the native of Manlius recorded a 13.67 goals-against average, a .432 save percentage, and a record of 2-5.

Since her college debut against St. Bonaventure on Feb. 20, 2017, DeVeau has logged more than 698 minutes of action, with 26 ground balls, 118 saves, a career goals-against average of 14.43, a save percentage of .413, and two wins.

DeVeau will leave Niagara University as a two-time MAAC All-Academic honoree who ranks 10th in program history for career saves and tied for 10th in career wins.

The minutes Aubrey spent between the pipes on the field are in no way a reflection of the impact that she had on our team, nor the legacy she will leave our program with. Her investment in the development of her fellow goalies and teammates, and her energy on the sidelines as a leader has not waivered throughout her career. She has left an indelible imprint on our program. -

Head Coach Wendy Stone

Anna Donnelly | Defense | Lancaster, NY | Political Science

Donnelly’s best statistical game of her senior year came in a home win over Saint Francis (PA) on March 1. The defender picked up three ground balls and caused one turnover to help the Purple Eagles move to 2-0 at home.

In seven games during the 2020 season, Donnelly set a new personal best for ground balls (4). Since her first game in the Purple and White on March 4, 2017, Donnelly has made 23 total appearances.

Donnelly was twice named to the MAAC All-Academic team. Additionally, she has served as the team's SAAC representative for the last three years, spent time leading Niagara University's Take Back the Night initiative, and volunteered for the Red Flag Campaign.

Anna brought her work ethic, her determination, her sense of humor, and her desire to be the best each and every day. She set a great example for her teammates while challenging her teammates to be better both in the classroom and on the field. She has developed into a very dependable defender over the course of her career. She embraced each and every role that she has been asked to play both on and off the field.

Head Coach Wendy Stone

Audrey Fithall | Midfield | Melbourne, Australia | Psychology

Fithall was named one of the team’s three captains in the fall leading up to the 2020 season.

Having played in 54 games over her first three seasons, Fithall notched 21 goals, 10 assists, and 38 shots on goal in those contests. Defensively, she also picked up 36 ground balls, 28 draw controls, and 15 caused turnovers.

Her most impactful season on the scoresheet came as a freshman, when she posted career-highs with 16 points (13 G, 3 A), 16 ground balls, 13 draw controls, and eight caused turnovers. Her impressive season earned her a spot on the MAAC All-Rookie Team in 2017. Additionally, Fithall has made two MAAC All-Academic Teams during her time at Niagara.

Audrey’s knee injury this fall could have diminished the impact she had on the team this year, but instead it only enhanced it. She developed into an incredible leader in spite of it. Not only did she set a great example for her teammates in her perseverance and work off the field, but her energy, engagement, and enthusiasm during practice and games always made our team better.

Head Coach Wendy Stone

Alexandra Leo | Attack | Baldwinsville, NY | Criminal Justice

Leo’s senior season saw her post two goals and three assists in seven games. She has been a fixture in the starting lineup since the beginning of her junior season, providing steady leadership and a calming presence on the attacking end of the field.

Leo appeared in her first collegiate game on Feb. 20, 2017, when Niagara hosted St. Bonaventure. She scored late in the contest en route to an 18-5 shellacking of the Bonnies.

The most noteworthy goal of Leo's career was the game-winner against Quinnipiac on April 6, 2019. Down by as many as nine goals, the Purple Eagles rallied to tie the game at 14-14 before Leo scored with 1:19 remaining in regulation to cap off the comeback win.

In 41 career games, she has racked up 14 goals and 11 assists to go along with 20 ground balls and six caused turnovers.

Leo has earned a spot on the MAAC All-Academic team twice.

Alex was a conduit on the offensive end of the field for us. She was a playmaker whose impact didn’t always show up on the scoresheet—doing the little things, making the extra pass, winning ground balls, and making smart decisions with the ball. Throughout her career, Alex battled to overcome injuries and worked hard to make herself into the player that she is today.

Head Coach Wendy Stone

Lauren Paul | Defense | Baldwinsville, NY | Accounting

Named one of the team’s three captains prior to the 2020 campaign, Paul anchored a veteran defensive unit during her senior season. Through seven games, she finished with 14 ground balls, most of all field players and second overall on the roster. She also forced a team-best nine turnovers in the process.

Since her first career game on Feb. 20, 2017 against St. Bonaventure, Paul has accumulated 118 ground balls, won 26 draw controls, and caused 79 turnovers. She scored her first collegiate goal against the Bonnies in 2018, and registered her first career assist against Canisius later in the same season. Offensively, she has three points (2 G, 1 A) to her name as a Purple Eagle.

After being named to the MAAC All-Rookie Team in 2017, she was once again given conference postseason honors with a spot on the MAAC All-Conference Second team as a junior in 2019. She was also placed on the MAAC All-Academic Team twice.

Paul departs after leaving her mark on the program’s record book. She recorded two of the top 10 best individual seasons in terms of ground balls (t-4, 43, 2019; t-10, 38, 2018) and three of the top 10 best individual seasons in terms of caused turnovers (4, 25, 2019; 5, 23, 2019; t-6, 22, 2017). For her career, she ranks second all-time for caused turnovers, and fifth all-time for ground balls.

Lauren’s defensive record speaks for itself, and she set the tone for us this year both on and off the field. Throughout her career, she drew the opponent’s top player and few, if any, won that battle against her; but it was her leadership this year that stood out more than the caused turnovers, ground balls won, or shots run out.

Head Coach Wendy Stone

Shea Swartwout | Attack | Cortland, NY | Sport Management

Another of Niagara’s captains for 2020, Swartwout was a force for the Purple Eagles in their abbreviated season. She led the team in nearly every major offensive category, including goals (18), points (21), and shots on goal (38). She also won six draws, picked up three ground balls, and caused two turnovers.

Swartwout’s breakout performance of the spring was a six-point spectacle in the home opener against Merrimack on February 21. She scored half of the team’s goals and also supplied an assist en route to a 10-8 victory. On the year, Swartwout scored in each of the team’s seven games, with two five-goal outings and one four-goal display.

Swartwout’s best statistical season came as a junior. In the team’s 17 games, she accounted for 21 goals and 12 assists, and put 48 shots on net.

Since first donning the Purple and White against St. Bonaventure on Feb. 20, 2017, Swartwout has collected 70 goals and 17 assists in just 58 career games. On the back end, she also has 37 ground balls, eight draw controls, and 11 caused turnovers.

Swartwout is a two-time MAAC All-Academic honoree.

Shea has a great lacrosse mind; her offensive IQ allowed her to not only make plays but to lead our offense this spring. She played with a determined mentality and at times carried our team offensively. Shea developed into a force on the field and her leadership on the offensive end was a large part of our success this shortened-season.

Head Coach Wendy Stone

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