Northwestern, the fourth-ranked team in the nation, is poised for another championship run, thanks in large part to the five players who earned all-ALC distinction Wednesday.
Seniors Erin Fitzgerald, Gabriella Flibotte and Taylor Thornton garnered first-team honors while senior Ali Cassera and junior Alyssa Leonard were named to the second-team all-ALC squad.
Fitzgerald led the Wildcats' offense this year with 55 goals, including 11 games with three or more goals. The attacker also recorded a career-high six goals in a 16-3 victory over Harvard on March 16. This is the second straight year that Fitzgerald earned first-team honors.
Flibotte earned all-ALC honors for the first time in her career. The midfielder caused 36 turnovers this season, the third-best single season total in NU history. She also picked up 46 ground balls, the most on the team, and added an offensive spark with eight goals and an assist.
Thornton earned her fourth straight all-ALC distinction, including three first-team honors. The midfielder posted stellar stats in both offensive and defensive categories this season, scoring 22 goals to go with 35 ground balls and 19 caused turnovers. She will begin the postseason ranked third in team history in both of those categories. Thornton has never missed a start for the Cats.
Along with Flibotte, Cassera earned her first all-ALC distinction, thanks to 21 goals, which matches a career-high, and 19 ground balls. The midfielder excelled in the team's 13-12 comeback victory over Syracuse on March 30, a game in which Cassera scored five goals.
Leonard also received her first all-ALC honors this season. The attacker continued her dominance of draw controls, breaking the all-time NU record and falling only eight short of the single-season record with 102. She also added an offensive game, notching 26 goals and 11 assists.
NU (15-2, 4-1 ALC) earned the No. 2 seed in this weekend's ALC Tournament and will in the semi-finals on Friday against the winner of the Penn State-Vanderbilt match-up.