Aug. 19, 2005

UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. - After capturing the Atlantic 10 Conference Championship and making an appearance in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history, head coach Sue Murphy is getting her team ready for 2006. Murphy, who is entering her fifth season with the Spiders, announced the names of six newcomers who will join the defending A-10 Champions in 2006.

"I am very thrilled with this incoming class," Murphy said. "They are all very athletic and capable of impacting the program's success immediately."

Mandy Friend, a native of Canandaigua, N.Y., will join her sister, Ashley, currently a junior on the Spider lacrosse squad, in 2006. The graduate of Canandiagua Academy was a three-time First Team All-Finger Lakes selections as well as two-time First Team All-American. In 2005 she was selected to the Senior All-Star Team at the US Lacrosse National Tournament.

- Three-time First Team All-Finger Lakes
- Team Captain Junior and Senior Year of Varsity Lacrosse Team
- Two-time First Team All-American
- Two-time Team MVP
- Two-time Team Most Valuable Offense
- Selected to 2005 Senior All-Star Team at the US Lacrosse National Tournament
- Two-time Member of NYS Regional Lacrosse Team

Lexie Marrocco, a native of Duxbury, Mass., was a 2005 All-American following her senior season at Duxbury High School. Marrocco has been selected as a three-time Pilgrim League All-Star, and has been part of the Boston Globe's All-Scholastic squad three times.

- Three-time Boston Globe All-Scholastic
- All-time Leader in Goals and Points at Duxbury
- 2005 All-American
- Three-time Pilgrim League All-Star
- Two-time Lower New England All-Star
- Lead Duxbury to First League Crown
- Captain of Varsity Lacrosse and Field Hockey Teams
- Three-time Bay State Gold Medalist

Jackie Blucher, a native of Towson, Md., has been a team captain the last two seasons at St. Paul's School for Girl's. Blucher was a two-time First Team Baltimore County selection, and a First Team All-Metro honoree in 2005. Following the 2005 season she was honored as a First Team Towson Times team member.

- Team Captain Junior and Senior Year of Varsity Lacrosse Team
- Two-time First Team Baltimore County
- 2005 First Team All-Metro
- 2004 Second Team All-Metro
- 2005 IAAM "A" Conference All Star
- 2005 First Team Towson Times
- Stacey Ellen Hooper Award Recipient for Sportsmanship and Spirit

Katy Smullen, a native of Cypress, Texas, has been a two-time First Team All-American as well as a two-time All-State selection out of Cypress Fairbanks High School. Smullen captained the lacrosse squad at Cypress Fairbanks as a junior and senior and helped the team to the state titles in 2003 and 2004.

- Two-time 1st Team All-American
- Two-time All-State
- Captain Junior and Senior Year of Varsity Lacrosse Team
- Led Cypress Fairbanks to State Titles in 2003 and 2004

Sarah Townsend, a native of Ocean City, Md., was a two-time First Team All-Conference selections and the 2005 MVP at Worcester Preparatory School. Townsend has also been successful in the classroom as evidenced by her two Academic All-American selections.

- 2005 MVP Varsity Lacrosse Team
- 2004 Most Improved Player
- Two-time Academic All-American
- Two-time First Team All-Conference
- Two-time 1st Team All Mason Dixon
- Two-time Daily Times All Star

Morgan Hutchinson, a Richmond, Va., native, has been selected as Team MVP three times at The Steward School. She has also captained the Lacrosse and Field Hockey squads at Steward School four years, and was a three-time Team MVP on the basketball court.

- Three-time Lacrosse Team MVP
- Three-time Basketball Team MVP
- Member of the All-LIS Teams
- Four-year Team Captain for Lacrosse and Field Hockey
- Three-year Team Captain for Basketball