WILLIAMSBURG, Va. (Aug. 1, 2011) - Former William and Mary lacrosse All-American Grace Golden has been selected to the 2011-12 U.S. Women's National Senior Team.

The 36-player roster was chosen following a three-day tryout that featured more than 80 of the nation's top women's lacrosse players. The team will lay the foundation for the 2013 squad that will compete in the 2013 Federation of International Lacrosse (FIL) World Cup in Oshawa, Ontario.

This team will come together for several events this year, which includes the Stars & Stripes Weekend in October, the Champion Challenge in January and conduct numerous national team player clinics throughout the year at various places around the country.

"We're really excited about the team we put together," head coach Ricky Fried said. "The athleticism of each player individually and of the group of 36 collectively is just remarkable. We're really looking forward to getting the squad together in October to begin putting the pieces together and laying the foundation for the 2013 FIL World Cup."

"This was the hottest tryout we've had, and the players did not let that stand in their way," National Teams Program Director Nathaniel Badder said. "They battled all weekend. The level of play on the field was just outstanding. It's comforting to see so many returning players come back and exciting to see so many new players join the group. It will be a lot of fun to see them come together and play as one team in the year ahead."

One of the greatest players in W&M history, Golden recently concluded her collegiate career with an outstanding senior season this spring. Honored as an All-American by three organizations in 2011, the Manhasset, N.Y., native was also selected as a Tewaaraton Award nominee, which is given to the nation's top collegiate player. Additionally, the first-team all-region honoree was chosen as the 2011 Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Year and became just the third player in league history to earn first-team all-conference distinction four times.

As a senior, Golden led the conference in goals per game (3.2), points per game (3.9), draw controls per game (3.1), caused turnovers per game (2.7) and game-winning goals (5), while she also ranked among the top 10 in ground balls per game. Additionally, her caused turnovers average ranked second nationally, while her goals average ranked 14th.

En route to achieving the lofty rankings, Golden broke the program's single-season caused turnovers record (45) and equaled the draw controls single-season mark of 52 established by classmate Molly Wannen last spring. Golden finished the regular season with 12 hat tricks and was honored as the CAA Player of the Week twice (2/28, 4/18). One of her best efforts came in the win against Richmond when she equaled a single-game school record with eight goals (on nine shots) with an assist.   

Golden owns W&M's school record for career draw controls (153), while she ranks second in career points (231) and goals (187). Additionally, she ranks among the program's all-time top 10 in assists, ground balls and caused turnovers.

Following her collegiate career, Golden earned the Aimee Willard Award after an outstanding performance at the 2011 Women's Division National Tournament in Stony Brook, N.Y. The event served as the first round of tryouts for the 2011-12 U.S. women's national team, while the honor is presented to the event's top collegiate player.

2011-12 U.S. Women's National Senior Team
Sarah Albrecht - Braintree, Mass., Northwestern '06
Amy Altig - Severna Park, Md., James Madison '05
Casey Ancarrow - Jarrettsville, Md., James Madison '13
Kelly Berger - Columbia, Md., James Madison '07
Sarah Bullard - Needham, Mass., Duke '11
Kara Cannizzaro - Cazenovia, N.Y., North Carolina '13
Ally Carey - Bel Air, Md., Vanderbilt '12
Kristen Carr - Baltimore, Md., North Carolina '10
Corey Donohoe - Jarrettsville, Md., North Carolina '11
Katrina Dowd - Yorktown Heights, N.Y., Northwestern '10
Danielle Estraco - Massapequa, N.Y., Boston University '13
Amber Falcone - Westminster, Md., North Carolina '09
Molly Ford - Reisterstown, Md., Georgetown '10
Grace Golden - Manhasset, N.Y., William & Mary '11
Katie Hertsch - Westminster, Md., Hofstra '11
Megan Huether - Lutherville, Md., Duke '06
Kristin Igoe - Framingham, Mass., Boston College '11
Ashby Kaestner - Trappe, Md., Georgetown '10
Erica LaGrow - Skaneateles, N.Y., North Carolina '08
Kendall McBrearty - Alexandria, Va., Virginia '08
Caitlyn McFadden - Phoenix, Md., Maryland '10
Holly McGarvie - Medford, N.J., Princeton '09
Lindsey Munday - Mountain Lakes, N.J., Northwestern '06
Gina Oliver - Pottstown, Pa., Ohio State '05
Brittany Poist - Hampstead, Md., Maryland '11
Katie Rowan - Delmar, N.Y., Syracuse '09
Jennifer Russell - Andover, Mass., North Carolina '10
Katie Schwarzmann - Sykesville, Md., Maryland '13
Lauren Schwarzmann - Sykesville, Md., Johns Hopkins '08
Shannon Smith - West Babylon, N.Y., Northwestern '12
Danielle Spencer - Rochester, N.Y., Northwestern '10
Taylor Thornton - Dallas, Texas, Northwestern '12
Michelle Tumolo - Mullica Hill, N.J., Syracuse '13
Acacia Walker - Sherwood Forest, Md., Maryland '05
Devon Wills - Denver, Colo., Dartmouth '06
Laura Zimmerman - Syracuse, N.Y., North Carolina '12