Kaut earns Attacker of the Year as four Bulldogs take home America East honors
BOSTON - Four members of the Bryant University women's lacrosse team earned eight total America East end of season honors as announced by the organization on Thursday morning.
Kenna Kaut was named the Attacker of the Year as well as to the First Team and the All-Academic Team. Peyton Woodward was selected to the Second Team and the All-Academic Team. Kaelynn O'Brien was named to the Second Team and the All-Rookie Team. Jessica Wilhelm also took home All-Rookie Team honors.
Kaut headlines the group with her three end of year honors. The senior was consistently ranked top -10 nationally in goals (65), goals per game (4.33), free position goals (17), and free position percentage (.680) this year including reaching as high as first in the nation in goals per game, third in goals, third in free position goals per game, and second in free position goals. Kaut led the America East in goals and goals per game while being second in points per game. Additionally, Kaut led the Bulldogs in points, with 73, and draw controls, 68. Kaut's performances throughout the season earned her three America East Offensive Player of the Week titles, to bring her career total to seven.The Pennslyvanian reached many milestones this season including breaking the program single game record for goals with her 10 tallies against LIU, becoming the first player in Bryant's DI program history and second all-time to reach 200+ career points and 100+ career draw controls, and breaking the school's DI program record in single season goals. Kaut will end her Black and Gold career with her name in the top 10 of 20 different program record categories. Off the field, Kaut has put in the work in the classroom, earning a 3.51 GPA in Actuarial Math to earn All-Academic Honors. She also has been named to the Dean's List on multiple occasions and the America East Academic Honor Roll.
The Attacker of the Year honor Kaut's second player of the year award of her career. She previously won the NEC Offensive Player of the Year during her sophomore campaign. Kaut was one of two players this year to be unanimously selected for a major award this season.
Woodward had a standout season to cap off her Bulldog career. The senior started all 15 games for the Black and Gold and 22 goals as well as an America East leading 35 assists for 57 points on the campaign. Not only did Woodward lead the conference in assists and assists per game, but she was ranked in the top-25 nationally in both categories throughout the season. The attacker recorded five multi-goal and 10 multi-assist games on the season, including a six goal and two assists performance against Vermont which earned her America East Offensive Player of the Week honors. In the classroom, Woodward has earned a 3.77 GPA as a Biology major in her four years to take home All-Academic honors. She also has been named to the President's List, the Dean's List on multiple occasions, and the America East Commissioner's Honor Roll.
O'Brien hit the ground running to start her college career. The freshman started every game for Bryant as a part of the defensive unit. O'Brien registered 36 ground balls, 26 draw controls, and 25 caused turnovers this season. O'Brien's caused turnovers per game of 1.67 earned her top spot in the category in the America East while ground balls per game of 2.40 was good for second in the conference.
Wilhelm, like O'Brien, became a key part of the Bulldogs' defense in her freshman year. She started 13 games for the Black and Gold in which she racked up 20 ground balls, 23 draw controls, and 19 caused turnovers. Wilhelm's caused turnovers was second best on the team and earned her a 1.46 caused turnovers per game, which was fourth best in the America East. The Minnesota native had at least one ground ball in all but the first two games of the season, including a season high four ground balls against Stonehill. Wilhelm also caused at least two turnovers in six of the ten games in which she registered a caused turnover.