CLEMSON, S.C. – USA Lacrosse announced on Thursday afternoon that defender Summer Agostino and midfielder Natalie Shurtleff earned USA Lacrosse All-America honors, with both being named to the third team. This is the first time any Clemson player has earned the accolade in program history.
Agostino leads Clemson with the best defensive season by a Tiger to date. The senior has broken single-season records for the caused turnovers with 53 this season and ground balls with 50. Both marks lead the ACC and are top-seven nationally. Agostino is one of two players in a Power Four conference with over 50 caused turnovers and over 50 ground balls. She has piled up accolades so far this season. The senior was twice named the ACC Defensive Player of the Week, the only player to do so this season, thanks to her efforts in taking down then-No. 6/5 Syracuse, where she also earned the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) National Defensive Player of the Week. Agostino earned her second ACC Defensive Player of the Week award after causing a career-high and ACC season-high seven turnovers against the Pittsburgh Panthers, a mark that is also tied for the third-most in a single-game in Division I this season, while also picking up four ground balls. She was additionally named to the Tewaaraton Watch List, selected to the Inside Lacrosse Midseason All-America Third Team and named a member of the All-ACC Second Team.
Shurtleff, an ACC All-Freshman Team selectee last year, has been a force on offense, defense and draws. The sophomore has surpassed her freshman totals in goals and points, tied her freshman total for assists and already has 97 points in her career, the most all-time in a Clemson uniform. Her 55 points this season and 35 goals are ranked fourth on the team, while her shot rate of 52.2% is tied for the team-high with a minimum of 10 shots attempted. Alongside her offensive talents, she has also been great defensively. Shurtleff has contributed 32 ground balls and caused 11 turnovers to one of the best defenses in the country and the top one in the ACC in terms of ground balls and caused turnovers. Additionally, in the draw circle, the Marylander has won the draw control 32 times. She is one of three players on the team with at least 20 ground balls, 30 draw controls and 10 caused turnovers and the only one to do so with over 15 goals. Shurtleff has been named to the Tewaaraton Watch List, selected to the Inside Lacrosse Midseason All-America Third Team, earned a spot on the ACC All-Tournament Team and was chosen to be a part of the All-ACC First Team, the first player in Clemson history to do so.
Clemson Lacrosse is set to compete in the program’s first NCAA Tournament game against the No. 16/15 Navy Midshipmen on Friday, May 9th at 5 p.m. Fans can read the preview for the game here and can grab tickets here.
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