SUNY Cortland freshman midfielder Maria Di Fato (Camillus/West Genesee) has been selected as the 2010 State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Women's Lacrosse Rookie of the Year.

Di Fato is also one of seven Cortland players named to the All-SUNYAC team. Sophomore attacker Lindsay Abbott (South Onondaga/Onondaga Central), senior midfielde Jess Fritz (Baldwinsville/C.W. Baker), freshman defender Meg Rowe (Baldwinsville/C.W. Baker) and Di Fato were first team selections. Sophomore attacker Kelly Radigan (Fayetteville/Fayetteville-Manlius), junior defender Melissa Kane (Syracuse/Cicero-North Syracuse) and freshman goalie Ally Levy (Reisterstown, MD/Seton Keough) were named to the all-league second team.

Di Fato ranks third on Cortland's squad this spring with 39 goals, 17 assists and 56 total points. She is the team leader with 62 caused turnovers and 64 ground balls, and her 3.4 caused turnovers per game ranks second nationally in Division III.

Abbott is the Red Dragons' leader with 46 goals and 31 assists for 77 total points. She is also tops on the team with 90 draw controls, and ranks 11th nationally with five draw controls per game. During the season, Abbott became just the 10th sophomore in school history to reach the career 100-goal mark.

Fritz has 35 goals and 17 assists for 52 points through 18 games. She is second on the team with 52 ground balls and 30 caused turnovers. Fritz is only the ninth player in school history to surpass the career 200-point mark.

Rowe and Kane are part of a defensive unit that has allowed 7.4 goals per game this season. Rowe has 25 caused turnovers, 17 draw controls and 26 ground balls, while Kane has registered one assist, 10 caused turnovers, 16 draw controls and 16 ground balls.

Levy is ranked sixth nationally in Division III with a 7.25 goals against average. She has a 16-2 record and a .477 save percentage.

Radigan ranks second at Cortland with 45 goals and 23 assists for 68 points despite playing in just 16 of 18 games. She has scored a team-best five game-winning goals and has caused 12 turnovers.

Cortland (16-2) won its 12th straight SUNYAC tournament title and was also 8-0 in the league during the regular season. The Red Dragons open NCAA Div. III tournament play on Wednesday, May 12, at 4 p.m. when they host Norwich University of Vermont in a first-round contest.