6 SESP Women National Champs in Lacrosse When Northwestern took its first national title in 64 years, six SESP students were at the center of the celebration. All-tournament player Ashley Koester and five other SESP women are members of the women’s lacrosse team that defeated the University of Virginia on May 22 to win the NCAA championship. The Wildcats ended their perfect 21-0 season with the 13-10 win over defending champion Virginia. The SESP students on the team include four students with concentrations in human development and social policy and two students in secondary education: Ashley Koester (#7), Hilary Alley (#9), Emily Lovett (#14), Abby Alley (#19), Sarah Walsh (#20) and Lindsay North (#25). Ashley Koester, a senior from Richmond, Indiana, is a secondary education major. In the 2005 NCAA tournament, Koester was named all-tournament player. A defensive starter, she received the 2004-05 Big Ten Sportsmanship Award in lacrosse. Her previous honors include 2004 IWLCA Second-Team Regional All-America (Mid-Atlantic) and Second-Team All-American Lacrosse Conference. For three years in a row, she has been named to the Academic All-Big Ten. "I couldn't be happier to bring the trophy back to Northwestern," says Koester. "I'm so proud of all of my teammates. It's been a wild ride, and I've loved every moment of it." Hilary Alley, a freshman from Lake Forest, Illinois, and the sister of senior Abby Alley, is another secondary education major. On the Northwestern team she is a midfield player. In high school she was a sophomore starter on Lake Forest’s state championship team and was selected for the All-America and all-state squads. Abby Alley, a senior from Lake Forest, Illinois, is completing a SESP concentration in human development and psychological services. She plays midfield of the Northwestern women’s lacrosse team. Last year she was named to the Academic All-Big Ten and the American Lacrosse Conference Honor Roll. After being named most valuable player on her high school lacrosse team for three years and playing two years of field hockey at Northwestern, she joined the lacrosse team in 2003. Emily Lovett, a sophomore from Barrington, is pursuing a SESP concentration in human development and psychological services. In lacrosse, she plays midfield and defense. Last year, appearing in 17 of Northwestern’s 18 games, she was named to the National All-Rookie team and finished fifth with 25 ground balls. Sarah Walsh, a senior from Annapolis, Maryland, is about to graduate from SESP with a concentration in human development and psychological services. She is an attack player on the Northwestern team. Last year she was named to the Academic All-Big Ten and the American Lacrosse Conference Honor Roll. "I think that this is an incredibly exciting experience for the entire team and the school," says Walsh. We have worked hard to get to this place and are grateful and proud to have won." Lindsay North, a freshman from McLean, Virginia, is currently majoring in human development and psychological services at SESP. She plays midfield and defense for Northwestern’s lacrosse team. At McLean High School she was named to the all-region first team in 2004 and was honored as all-district for three years. To get to the finals of the NCAA lacrosse tournament, the Northwestern women defeated Dartmouth in the semifinals on May 20 and Princeton in the quarterfinals on May 15. Coach Kelly Amonte Hiller’s Wildcats became the first team west of the Eastern time zone to win a national championship of any kind in lacrosse. by Marilyn Sherman Updated May 26, 2005  E-mail this story
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