Contact: Taiah Gallisath, Associate Director of Athletics Communication, 630-637-5302
 
IWLCA Academic Honor Roll
IWLCA Academic Honors Squad
 
July 24, 2025 – For the second straight year, the North Central College women's lacrosse team matched a program record eight selections to the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Academic Honor Roll and was recognized as an Academic Honor Squad for the 14th time in program history.
 
North Central is one of 383 schools across Division I, II, III, and NAIA to be named an IWLCA Academic Honor Squad for maintaining a team grade-point average of 3.2 or higher for the 2024-2025 academic year. Four College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin schools were deemed Academic Honor Squads as Augustana College, Carroll University, and Illinois Wesleyan University join North Central on the list.
 
 
The Cardinals saw eight student-athletes on the IWLCA's Academic Honor Roll as Lucy Culig, Hanna Dahlk, Ellie Gosselin, Tori Leonard, Abby MacKenzie, Annelise Oster, Zoe Palm, and Taylor Smith were recognized. In total, 1,284 student-athletes from 201 institutions achieved Academic Honor Roll. North Central led the CCIW with eight student-athletes on the Honor Roll as the league totaled 22 representatives.
 
To be eligible for the individual honor roll, student-athletes must be a junior, senior, or graduate student and have earned a cumulative academic GPA of 3.50 or greater. 
 
Culig, Gosselin, Leonard, MacKenzie, Oster, and Smith each earn the honor for the second time, while Dahlk and Palm are first-time recipients.
 
A global studies and Chinese double major, Leonard started in all 16 games for North Central. She ranked second on the team with 32 ground balls this season and caused 13 turnovers for the opposition, adding to her career caused turnovers total of 77, good for sixth in program history. A Second Team All-College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) honoree, Leonard was also named a College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District selection.
 
MacKenzie, a biology major, started in all 16 games and was the team leader in draw controls (113) and ground balls (48) and put away the second-most goals on the team with 52. An All-CCIW First Team selection, MacKenzie led the league in draw controls and ranks in the program's top 10 in five different categories. She was North Central's CCIW Jack Swartz Academic Award recipient for the spring as well as a CSC Academic All-District honoree.
 
Culig, an accounting major, started in all 16 games and posted the third-most draw controls this season with 18. Additionally, she contributed 19 goals, seven assists, 21 ground balls, and three caused turnovers. Her 111 career draw controls rank ninth in program history. Culig was named an All-CCIW Second Team selection and earned CSC Academic All-District honors this season.
 
Oster, also an accounting major, started in all 16 games and led the team with 62 goals, good for second in single-season goals in program history. Her 3.88 goals per game ranked second in the CCIW this season. A First Team All-CCIW selection and CSC Academic All-District honoree, Oster totaled four assists, 20 ground balls, and three caused turnovers. She wrapped up her senior season ranked 10th in program history for career goals (104).
 
Smith, an accounting and entrepreneurship dual-major, started in all 16 games this season, contributing three goals and three assists. She scooped up 29 ground balls, forced 15 miscues, and had 10 draw controls. Working towards a master of business administration (MBA) degree, Gosselin appeared in 14 games and scored four goals and assisted on two.
 
Palm, a journalism major, started in all 16 games for the Cardinals, totaling the third-most goals on the team with 25 while also contributing four assists, eight ground balls, three caused turnovers, and 30 draw controls. Dahlk, an exercise science major, appeared in 12 games where she totaled six ground balls and three caused turnovers.
 
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