Bears women’s lacrosse named IWLCA Academic Honor Squad, five Bears named to Honor Roll
Potsdam Sports Information Department
POTSDAM, N.Y.—The SUNY Potsdam women's lacrosse team has been named an Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Academic Honor Squad for the 2023-24 academic year. It's the third straight season and ninth time in 13 years the program has earned the honor. Graduate student Anita Reitano (Averill Park N.Y./Averill Park), senior Kalli Hewitt (Saratoga Springs, N.Y./Saratoga Springs) and juniors Annemarie Geiger (Plattsburgh, N.Y./Plattsburgh), Mallory Marks (Brownville, N.Y./General Brown) and junior Tessa Pierce (Saratoga Springs, N.Y./Saratoga Springs) each claimed spots in the IWLCA Honor Roll.
The program was one of 325 Division I, II, III and NAIA teams to be recognized after posting a cumulative grade point average of 3.2 or better. Potsdam was also one of four SUNYAC teams to claim the award along with Cortland, New Paltz and Plattsburgh.
1,125 student-athletes were named to the honor roll from 201 schools, including the five Bears. To be eligible for the honor, athletes must be a junior, senior or graduate student and have earned a cumulative GPA of 3.50 or greater.
Reitano claims the honor for the second year in a row. The attack is the lacrosse program's all-time leading scorer with 234 points. She ranks second in goals (144) and assists (90) and first in man-up goals (17) and free-position goals (40). In addition to scoring, Reitano has 45 ground balls, 23 caused turnovers and 13 draw controls in 62 games. She started all 14 contests this season and led the Bears with 33 goals and 23 assists for 56 points. Reitano was third team All-SUNYAC in 2022, when she set the Bears single-season scoring record with 76 points.
Hewitt is also a member of the honor roll for the second straight season. The Bears' captain started all 14 games this year. She collected 12 ground balls and caused six turnovers. In three seasons, she started 38 of her 44 contests and totaled 23 ground balls and 12 caused turnovers.
Geiger saw action in 12 games this season. In her three campaigns, the attack played in 34 games and started three.
Marks played in every game this spring, starting all but one contest. The attack was third in scoring with 18 goals and four assists for 22 points. She was also third in draw controls (27) and fourth in ground balls (19) and caused turnovers (11). Marks has started 41 times in 45 career games, registered 65 points on 56 goals and nine assists. She collected 153 draw controls and 64 ground balls and caused 26 turnovers. She was third team all-conference a year ago and ranks fourth in program history in draw controls.
Pierce started started all 14 games this season. The defender recorded 20 points on 18 goals and two assists and led the team in caused turnovers with 28. She was second on the team in draw controls (55) and ground balls (35). In her three years in Potsdam, she has 40 goals, four assists, 87 ground balls, 128 draw controls and 62 caused turnovers. She ranks fourth all-time in caused turnovers and sixth in draw controls.
The Bears open the 2025 season with new head coach Lindsey Pound on Saturday, March 1, at Alfred University.
