Boston College’s dynamic trio of Sam Apuzzo, Dempsey Arsenault and Kenzie Kent were the top three picks in the 2019 Women’s Professional Lacrosse League (WPLL) Spring Draft.
Apuzzo, the 2018 Tewaaraton winner and a nominee again his year, went No. 1 overall to the Fight where she will be teamed up with previous Tewaaraton Award winners Taylor Cummings (2014-2016) and Zoe Stukenberg (2017) and join an attack group that features two of the most prolific scorers in the history of the sport — Kayla Treanor and Kylie Ohlmiller.
“Sam is the best player in college lacrosse, she is going to automatically make our team that much better,” said Fight head coach Shannon Smith. “She is a lethal goal scorer, she is tremendous on the draw, and she makes things happen with or without the ball in her stick.”
Arsenault, a first team All-American midfielder, went No. 2 to the Brave and Kent, the 2017 NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player and a star in ice hockey as well, went No. 3 to the 2018 WPLL champion Command.
Rounding out the first-round selections were a pair of Canadian players with Northwestern’s Selena Lasota being drafted by the Fire and Maryland’s Erica Evans going to the Pride.
The complete 2019 WPLL Draft Results:
1) San Apuzzo, BC, Attack, FIGHT
2) Dempsey Arsenault, BC, Midfield, BRAVE
3) Kenzie Kent, BC, Attack, COMMAND
4) Selena Lasota, Northwestern, Attack, FIRE
5) Erica Evans, Maryland, Midfield, PRIDE
6) Jen Giles, Maryland, Midfield, PRIDE
7) Maggie Jackson, Virginia, Midfield, FIRE
8) Olivia Jenner, Duke, Attack, COMMAND
9) Emily Garrity Parros, UNC, Midfield, BRAVE
10) Lindsey Ronbeck, Florida, Attack, FIGHT
11) Elizabeth George, Princeton, Midfield, FIGHT
12) Kayla Brisolari, Penn State, Midfield, BRAVE
13) Miranda Stinson, Colorado, Attack, COMMAND
14) Taylor VanThof, Loyola, Midfield, FIRE
15) Sydney Pirreca, Florida, Midfield, PRIDE
16) Elizabeth Miller, BC, Defense, PRIDE
17) Francesca Whitehurst, Georgetown, Midfield, FIRE
18) Julia Braig, Maryland, Defense, COMMAND
19) Caroline Sdanowich, JMU, Defense, BRAVE
20) Lindsey Ehrhardt, Loyola, Defense, FIGHT
21) Megan Taylor, Maryland, Goalie, FIGHT
22) Carolyn Jamison, UMBC, Midfield, BRAVE
23) Izzy Nixon, Yale, Attack, COMMAND
24) Charlotte Sofield, UNC, Defense, FIRE
25) Caroline Steele, Maryland, Attack, PRIDE
In addition, seven players were selected as WPLL Pool Players. While not currently on a full-time roster, WPLL Pool Players have the opportunity to take part in WPLL Pro Days, work at WPLL clinics, and be called up to play in WPLL games should a team need players to fill their travel roster. The WPLL Pool Player additions are: Avery Shoemaker (UVA, attack), Hanna Haven (JMU, attack), Hannah Powers (Loyola, attack), Hannah Proctor (Notre Dame, defense), Kara Klages (UNC, midfield), Liz Hogan (USA/Syracuse, goalie) and Haley Hicklen (Florida, goalie).
The 2019 WPLL Season kicks off on June 2, with a doubleheader -- Pride vs. Fight and Command vs. Fire – at Gillette Stadium. Action continues with stops in Richmond, Va. (June 14 and 15), Baltimore (June 22), Philadelphia (July 6), and Long Island (July 20). All 2019 WPLL games will be streamed through ESPN3 and/or shown on ESPNU.