EDISON, N.J. – The Niagara University women's lacrosse team landed six Purple Eagles on All-MAAC teams, with two Purple Eagles receiving major awards, announced by the league on Thursday.

Rachel Crane was named MAAC Rookie of the Year and Michelle Messenger was tabbed as MAAC Goalkeeper of the Year. Three Purple Eagles – Shea Swartwout, Lauren Paul, and Michelle Messenger – were named to the All-MAAC First Team which ties a program record set in 2002 and 2003. Rachel Crane and TaNia Cunningham were selected to the All-MAAC Second Team, while Crane also joined Lexi Braniecki on the MAAC Rookie Team.
 

Michelle Messenger is the second Purple Eagle to be named MAAC Goalkeeper of the Year following Kara Grooms who won the award twice (2000 and 2001). Messenger, who was leading the NCAA in save percentage when the 2020 season was canceled, finished the 2021 regular season third in the nation in save percentage (.545) while also leading the MAAC in goals-against average (9.81) and ground balls per game (3.4). The 2021 Preseason All-MAAC selection, made 110 saves in 10 appearances which are second-most in the league and had seven games of 10-plus saves. Her 11 saves per game are third in the MAAC. She was named MAAC Defensive Player of the Week on April 21 after helping the Purple Eagles to a three-game sweep of Canisius.
 

Rachel Crane is the program's second-ever rookie of the year (Megan McNerney – 2000). The Rochester, N.Y. native is second on the team with 25 goals which are the second-most by a freshman in program history. She finished the regular season with 31 points which are second on the team and with six assists which are third. Crane added 15 ground balls, 11 draw controls, and nine caused turnovers. Crane, who scored eight free position goals, leads the MAAC in free-position percentage (.667). Crane had a career-high game against Iona on March 27 in her fifth career game with six goals on seven shots and two assists for eight points, which are the most points by a Purple Eagle this season.
 

Lauren Paul has been named to the All-MAAC First Team for the first time in her illustrious career. Paul, who will go down as one of the best defenders in program history, anchors the defense that ranks first in the MAAC in ground balls per game and save percentage, second in caused turnovers per game and clearing percentage, and third in scoring defense. Paul leads all Niagara field players in ground balls with 27 and her 2.7 ground balls per game average are fifth in the league. Paul ranks second on the career-caused turnovers list and third on the career ground balls list at Niagara. She is 19^th among active NCAA student-athletes in career-caused turnovers and ground balls.
 

Shea Swartwout's career season landed her a spot on the All-MAAC First Team for her first all-league honor.  She leads the Purple Eagles in goals with a career-high 34, in assists with 11, and points with a career-high 45. In the MAAC, Swartwout is second in goals per game (3.4), third in goals and points per game, fourth in points, and eighth in assists. She is averaging a league-best 1.0 free position goals per game. The Cortland, N.Y. native got off to a torrid start to the season, scoring 17 goals through four games which are the second most goals through four games in program history. She was named MAAC Offensive Player of the Week on March 22 after scoring 10 goals in two games, including a career-high six goals on March 19. Swartwout moved into 10^th place on the career goals list and surpassed the 100-goal mark for her career on March 21; she is currently sixth on the list. In the comeback win over Marist where Niagara scored the game's final six goals, Swartwout netted the game-winner with 16 seconds remaining to cap a career-high seven-point day with a game-high five goals and a team-high two assists.
 

TaNia Cunningham has made an immediate impact on defense in her first season as a Purple Eagle after transferring from Loyola (MD). Cunningham, who started in eight of the 10 games she played in, shares team-high honors in caused turnovers with 12 and is seventh in the MAAC with 1.2 caused turnovers per game. She is third on the team in draw controls with 17 and has 15 ground balls.
 

A three-time MAAC Rookie of the Week recipient, Lexi Braniecki finished the regular season with 22 goals and 27 points which both were third-most on the team. In her first collegiate debut, she scored a hat-trick at Fairfield on March 17 on her way to her first rookie weekly award. She won her second weekly award on April 7 after a two-goal performance at Monmouth on April 3 and was named rookie of the week on April 28 after finishing second on the team with eight goals and 10 points in three games. She posted a career-high five points with three goals and two assists in the win over Quinnipiac on April 24.

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2021 MAAC Women's Lacrosse All-MAAC First Team
Position	Name	School
Attack	Nicole Ceraso*	Monmouth
Attack	Kaitlyn Dowsett*	Siena
Attack	Meaghan Graham	Fairfield
Attack	Shea Swartwout	Niagara
Attack	Samantha Mehalick	Marist
Midfielder	Kelly Horning	Fairfield
Midfielder	Mary Soures	Siena
Midfielder	Kerry Gerety	Siena
Defense	Maggie Reynolds	Fairfield
Defense	Lauren Paul	Niagara
Defense	Romy Villemure	Marist
Defense	Riley Lucarelli	Canisius
Defense	Emily Pomeroy	Siena
Goalkeeper	Michelle Messenger	Niagara

  

2021 MAAC Women's Lacrosse All-MAAC Second Team
Position	Name	School
Attack	Allison Turturro	Monmouth
Attack	Megan Szawlowski	Quinnipiac
Attack	Caroline Bleck	Monmouth
Attack	Grace Lipponer	Manhattan
Midfielder	Sophia Iaccino	Quinnipiac
Midfielder	Rachel Crane	Niagara
Midfielder	Rachel Mills	Monmouth
Defense	Shannon Feeley	Monmouth
Defense	TaNia Cunningham	Niagara
Defense	Caroline Mangan	Fairfield
Defense	Megan Hart	Monmouth
Defense	Julia Steneck	Quinnipiac
Defense	Emily Fiorillo	Siena
Goalkeeper	Delaney Galvin	Marist

 

2021 MAAC Women's Lacrosse All-Rookie Team
Name	School
Riley Davis*	Canisius
Maddie Noel*	Quinnipiac
Lexi Braniecki	Niagara
Rachel Crane	Niagara
Laura Bonomo	Siena
Shannon Feeley	Monmouth
Brooke Lennon	Fairfield
Julia Steneck	Quinnipiac
Bella D'Gracia	Marist
Carli Mangum	Monmouth
Kalie Moore	Quinnipiac
Rylee Harrell	Fairfield
Phoebe Proctor	Fairfield
Jillian Reiner	Manhattan