Season Review: 2024 Michigan Women's Lacrosse
6/18/2024 9:00:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse
• Captains: Annabelle Burke, Maddie Burns, Ava Class, Josie Gooch
• Record: 16-4, 4-2 Big Ten Conference (T2nd)
• Big Ten Tournament: Quarterfinals
• NCAA Tournament: Regional Quarterfinals
The University of Michigan women's lacrosse team had its best season in program history as it made a first-ever trip to the NCAA quarterfinals and finished the season ranked No. 5 nationally. The Wolverines led the nation in scoring defense for the entirety of the 2024 campaign and defeated seven ranked opponent, U-M also had three IWLCA All-Americans for the first time.
Team Highlights
• Michigan made its first-ever appearance in the NCAA quarterfinals after dispatching Mercer 17-6 in the first round, then defeating No. 4 Notre Dame 15-14 on a last-second shot from Jill Smith.
• The Wolverines led the nation in scoring defense for the entirety of the 2024 season, ending the year allowing just 7.55 goals per game.
• For the first time in program history, U-M was ranked inside the top five nationally -- reaching as high as No. 2.
• Michigan earned seven wins over ranked opponents, including key victories over then-No. 4 Denver to open the home season and No. 4 Notre Dame in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
• The Wolverines scored 248 goals in 2024, which ranks second all-time in program history, while their 101 assists set a new program record.
• U-M also set a new program standard with 263 draw-control wins and finished the season ranked 18th nationally with a .575 win percentage.
Individual Highlights
• Junior goalkeeper Erin O'Grady earned the starting role in the cage in 2024 for the first time in her career and quickly etched her name in the Michigan record books. She was named U-M's first-ever IWLCA Goalie of the Year and Big Ten Goalie of the Year, while earning National Defensive Player of the Week honors and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors on three occasions. The junior goalie also was an IWLCA, Inside Lacrosse and USA Lacrosse Magazine first team All-America honoree and an all-region selection. This season, O'Grady led the nation in goals-against average (7.34) and ranked second in save percentage (.549). She made 150 saves this season and became just the fifth goalie in U-M history to record 100 saves in a single season.
• Senior Maddie Burns anchored the nation's top defense and started all 20 games this season. The Philadelphia, Pa., native has a team-best 29 caused turnovers and 41 ground balls, while ranking fourth on the team with 20 draw controls. Burns broke the U-M career ground-ball record with her 101st pickup against Northwestern on April 21 as she closed out her career with 111 ground balls. She was the Big Ten Defender of the Year, an IWLCA first team All-American and also earned Inside Lacrosse All-America honors as well as first team all-region honors.
• Junior Jill Smith -- U-M's career goals leader -- led the Wolverines with 71 points (57 goals, 14 assists). The Farmington Hills, Mich., native became the U-M career goals leader after scoring five goals against Johns Hopkins and carries a career total of 137 goals in just under three seasons of work. This season, Smith had 11 contests with three points or more and 10 hat tricks to her name. She recorded a Michigan-best nine points at Marquette with her seven goals and two assists, also while producing five games with six points this season. Smith ranked second on the team with 66 draw controls, with 13 games that included three draw wins or more. The attacker earned IWLCA second team All-America honors as well as first team All-Big Ten honors and was an Inside Lacrosse second team All-American and an all-region selection.
• Junior Kaylee Dyer started all 20 games for Michigan this season. The Elkins Park, Pa., native's 69 points (50 goals, 19 assists) ranked second for U-M. She netted three goals or more in 10 games this past season, including an eight-point outing at Rutgers (six goals, two assists). She became just the seventh Wolverine in Michigan history to eclipse 100 career points (123) after three complete seasons.
• Senior Lily Montemarano dominated the draw control this season for the Wolverines, starting all 20 games and winning 114 draw controls to set a Michigan single-season record. The Bethesda, Md., native also set the Michigan single-game draw control record with 15 wins against Eastern Michigan. Montemarano added 13 points with eight goals and five assists this season.
Honors and Awards
Maddie
Burns
Erin
O'Grady
Jill
Smith
IWLCA
Goalie of the Year: Erin O'Grady
All-America (First Team): Maddie Burns, Erin O'Grady
All-America (Second Team): Jill Smith
West/Midwest All-Region (First Team): Maddie Burns, Erin O'Grady, Jill Smith
West/Midwest All-Region (Second Team): Grace Callahan. Kaylee Dyer
Inside Lacrosse
All-America (First Team): Maddie Burns, Erin O'Grady
All-America (Second Team): Jill Smith
All-America (Honorable Mention): Kaylee Dyer, Lily Montemarano
USA Lacrosse Magazine
All-America (First Team): Maddie Burns, Erin O'Grady
All-America (Third Team): Jill Smith
All-America (Honorable Mention): Grace Callahan, Kaylee Dyer
Big Ten Conference
Defender of the Year: Maddie Burns
Goalkeeper of the Year: Erin O'Grady
All-Big Ten (First Team): Maddie Burns, Kaylee Dyer, Erin O'Grady, Jill Smith
All-Big Ten (Second Team): Grace Callahan, Jordyn Harrison, Lily Montemarano
Sportsmanship Award: Shaylah Marciano
Academic All-Big Ten
Annabelle Burke, Sr., Business Administration BBA
Maddie Burns, Sr., Business Administration BBA
Grace Callahan, So., LSA Undeclared
Ava Class, Sr., Communication and Media BA
Taylor Cullen, So., Business Administration BBA
Caroline Davis, Sr., Environment BA
Kaylee Dyer, Jr., Sport Management BA
Jane Fetterolf, Jr., Sport Management BA
Josie Gooch, Sr., Business Administration BBA
Jordyn Harrison, So., LSA Undeclared
Kassidy Isaacson, So., LSA Undeclared
Meryl Johnson, Sr., Communication and Media BA
Shaylah Marciano, Sr., Business Administration BBA
Katharine Merrifield, Jr., Business Administration BBA
Megan Minturn, So., LSA Undeclared
Lily Montemarano, Sr., Psychology BA
Claire Nelson, So., LSA Undeclared
Calli Norris, So., LSA Undeclared
Erin O'Grady, Jr., Sport Management BA
Haley Polk, Jr., Communication and Media BA
Maya Rutherford, Jr., Computer Science BS
Maya Santa-Maria, Sr., Communication and Media BA
Julia Schwabe, Jr., Movement Science BS
Peyton Shreves, So., LSA Undeclared
Jill Smith, Jr., Sport Management BA
Ceci Stein, So., Business Administration BBA
Rylee Tinney, So., LSA Undeclared
