Galloway, N.J. – The Stockton University women's lacrosse team and two of its student-athletes qualified for academic recognition from the
Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA). The Ospreys earned distinction as an IWLCA Academic Honor Squad by registering a team grade point average of 3.2 or higher for the 2022-23 academic year.
Stockton was one of 163 NCAA Division III teams to achieve IWLCA Academic Honor Squad status. The Ospreys went 12-5 under first-year head coach
Denise Roessler for the program's highest win total since 2016. Stockton earned the No. 3 seed for the NJAC Tournament with a 3-2 conference record.
Senior
Kerstin Axe (Milmont Park, Pa./Ridley) and junior
Drew Coxson (Chatham/Chatham), a pair of starters on defense, qualified for the
IWLCA Academic Honor Roll. Axe earned a spot for the second straight year while Coxson qualified in her first year of eligibility.
The Osprey teammates were among 963 student-athletes from Division III institutions who met the criteria, which are that student-athletes must be a junior, senior or graduate student with a cumulative GPA of 3.50 or higher to qualify.
Axe was voted NJAC Honorable Mention after starting all 17 games on defense for the Ospreys and totaling 29 ground balls, 14 caused turnovers and 14 draw controls. The senior compiled an impressive list of academic honors, highlighted by her selection to the College Sports Communicators NCAA Division III Academic All-America Women's At-Large Third Team.
Axe, who graduated in May with a perfect 4.0 grade point average as a Marine Science major, also was a College Sports Communicators Academic All-District and NJAC All-Academic Second Team honoree.
Coxson finished second on the team in caused turnovers (34) and ground balls (41) while starting all 17 games. The junior ranked second in the NJAC in caused turnovers (2.00/game) and sixth in ground balls (2.41/game).
Coxson set a new school record with six caused turnovers in a game against Ramapo on April 8 and tied the second highest season total for caused turnovers in the program's 10-year history.
Coxson was rewarded with NJAC First Team and All-ECAC Team accolades for her play as well as earning NJAC All-Academic Honorable Mention status. Axe and Coxson sparked Stockton to a 9.35 goals against average that was third in the NJAC.
