BEREA, Ohio -- The 2014 Baldwin Wallace University women's lacrosse team will compete in its second season,  including the first-ever Ohio Athletic Conference campaign, and hopes to capture its first OAC title this spring. 

BW opens the season on Saturday, March 1 at 1 p.m. against NAIA Lourdes University, who will play their inaugural game againt the Yellow Jackets, in the first game of a women's and men's doubleheader at The George Finnie Stadium.  The BW men will face Alfred State (N.Y.) University at 4 p.m. 

Second-year head coach Kim Russell will return 11 letterwinners, including eight starters, from last season's squad that finished 4-6 overall in its inaugural season. She also has a bevy of newcomers who have the talent and ability to help this spring.

Leading the way offensively are junior Victoria Budzyn (East Aurora, N.Y.) and senior Colleen Bodkin (East Aurora, N.Y). Budzyn paced the team with 23 goals and 23 points last season.  Bodkin was tied for econd with nine goals, registered one assist and had 10 points. She also led the team with 46 ground balls. 

Senior Ellen Fedick (Rochester, N.Y./Our Lady of Mercy) leads the midfielders.  Fedick was one of seven players to start all 10 games, and was fourth on the team with eight goals, registered a team-high three assists and finished second with 11 points. She also led the team with a .839 shots-on-goal percentage and was second in ground balls with 38. 

Coach Russell also will look to seniors Becky Russell (Glenshaw, Pa./Shaler Area), Katy Johnson (Coshocton), Carmen Rush (Lakewood /Bay) and Bridget Walsh (Elyria /Elyria Catholic) for leadership.  Becky Russell scored one goal and had one assist for two points.  Johnson collected four ground balls and caused six turnovers. Rush led the defense with 14 ground balls and five forced turnovers.  Walsh faced 241 shots, made 68 saves for a .395 save percentage, collected 19 ground balls and caused four turnovers.

Rounding out the returnees are junior Nikki Bowman (Ashland/Hillsdale) and sophomores Tia Esbenshade (Wooster), Emily Tallmadge (Fairview, Pa.) and Alicia Dawson (Wooster).  Bowman scored two goals and had one assist for three points. Esbenshade scored three goals and had two assists for five points. Despite only playing in three games, Tallmadge finished tied for second on the team with nine goals and had a team-high .474 shot percentage and .789 shots-on-goal percentage. Dawson scored one goal and had one assist for two points.

Coach Russell welcomes two new upperclassmen to the team, junior Cara Wood (Shaker Heights/ Laurel) and sophomore basketball player Sam Hamar (Galion).  Wood will contribute immediately to the midfield rotation and add depth and strength while Hamar will look to gain experience.

In addition, look for freshmen Jenna Turner (Carmel, Ind.), Emily Pechaitis (Avon Lake), Cassie Rinkus (Cleveland/Beaumont), Maddie Russell (Lakewood/Rocky River), Sierra Thomas (Medina), Katie Kocher (Rocky River), Kelsey Johnson (Carmel, Ind./Park Tudor) and Gabrielle Nondorf (Indianapolis, Ind./Bishop Chatard) to make an immediate impact on the field.

After its match with Lourdes, the Yellow Jackets will play two more games before Spring Break against NCAA Division II Ursuline University on March 5 at home and a road contest at Ohio Wesleyan University on March 8.  BW will head south and play two games on its Spring Break trip. The Yellow Jackets first travel to West Palm Beach, Florida to face Curry (Mass.) College on Wednesday, March 12 at 7:30 p.m.   BW closes out its trip with a game at Columbia (S.C.) College on Friday, March 14 at 6 p.m.  The OAC opener is April 12 when BW hosts Wilmington College at Finnie Stadium at 1 p.m.

FOR MORE BW SPORTS INFORMATION, please contact Sports Information Director Kevin Ruple by telephone at 440-826-2327 and e-mail at kruple@bw.edu or Assistant SID Jeff Miller by phone at 440-826-2780 and email at jefmille@bw.edu. Fans can access the latest BW athletics information at www.bwyellowjackets.com and we invite you to join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bwyellowjackets and Twitter at http://twitter.com/bwathletics.