Rongo Headlines American Awards, Eight Dukes Named All-Conference

IRVING, Texas – James Madison lacrosse took home one major award and saw eight players named to the All-American Conference Teams, as the league announced its season-ending awards on Wednesday.

Olivia Rongo received Defensive Player of the Year honors and earned a spot on the All-Conference first team alongside sophomores Olivia Matthews, Payton Root, Harlowe Healey, and Reese Cuviello, while Ava Bleckley, Chloe Bleckley, and Josie Pell received second team recognitions.

A. Bleckley grabs the third All-Conference selection of her career, as C. Bleckley, Cuviello, Matthews, and Root receive their second, and Rongo, Pell, and Healey all earn their first recognitions.

Rongo had a landmark season, breaking the program's single-season record for caused turnovers and ranking in the top five nationally in both caused turnovers per game and ground balls per game. The senior started in all 17 of the Dukes games, causing 53 turnovers and gathering 50 ground balls. The Westhampton, N.Y. native registered 11 games with three or more caused turnovers, receiving offensive player of the week honors on three occasions.

Starting in all 16 games played, Matthews netted 35 goals and 11 assists, gathering 15 ground balls and 31 draw controls on the season. The sophomore averaged 3.2 goals per game during conference play, ranking her second in the league. The two-time American Conference Attack Player of the Week is tied for first on the team with six hat tricks this season.

Making six starts over 17 games played, Root grabbed 28 goals and tallied 47 assists for 75 total points, both figures that lead the team and the conference. The three-time American Conference Attack Player of the Week's 2.76 assists per game place her at the top of the American and rank her 11th in the nation.

Healey proved to be the Dukes' go-to option in the draw circle this season, tallying 142 draw controls and becoming the fifth player in program history to record over 100+ draw controls in a single season. The Beverly Farms, Mass. native averaged 8.35 draw controls per contest, leading the conference.

Cuviello rounds out the Dukes' first team selections. The defender forced 33 turnovers and tallied 46 ground balls, both numbers that are good for third in the American. The sophomore turned in three games this season in which she logged over three caused turnovers and ground balls. In addition to her defensive impact, the Fairfax, Va. native also registered 28 draw controls on the season.

A. Bleckley earns a spot on the All-American Conference Second Team after causing 29 turnovers and gathering 22 ground balls through 15 starts. The junior's 1.93 caused turnovers per game place her fifth in the conference.

C. Bleckley returns to the second team after scoring 13 goals and five assists for 18 total points. The midfielder also turned in 13 ground balls and six caused turnovers through 17 games played and six starts.

Pell receives the first All-Conference selection of her career after scoring seven goals and two assists, also adding 24 ground balls and three caused turnovers. The senior captain was a mainstay in the Dukes' lineup, starting in all 17 of James Madison's games this season.

The Dukes will kick off postseason play on Thursday, April 30, when they take on No. 3 ECU in the semifinals of the American Conference Women's Lacrosse Championship at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tenn. First draw is scheduled for 8:15 p.m. ET and will be streamed on ESPN+.

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