Bordley, O?Malley and McBrearty Selected as Finalists for LaxPower.com Fan Awards

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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Three Cavaliers have been nominated for LaxPower.com’s Senior of the Year Fan Awards, while head coach Julie Myers is among three finalists for the Coach of the Year award. Goalkeeper Kendall McBrearty, attacker Megan O’Malley and defender Claire Bordley join Myers as four of 21 nominees for the second annual Fan Awards.

LaxPower.com has designed the awards to acknowledge excellence and achievement in the world of Division I men’s and women’s lacrosse. Three seniors are nominated for each position, as well as three freshmen for Rookie of the Year and three coaches for the Coach of the Year award.

Fans can review the ballot and vote online for the players and coaches they feel are most deserving of the awards. Visit www.laxpower.com/vote to select your choices for the Fan Awards. Voting is open now and runs through Saturday, May 10.

The Senior of the Year award is designed to recognize the best senior player at each position.

McBrearty joins Stanford’s Laura Shane and Penn’s Sarah Waxman as the top three nominees for the goalie of the year. McBrearty, the two-time MVP of the ACC Tournament, has led the ACC in GAA and save percentage all season, in addition to being ranked third and sixth nationally in the categories, respectively. She was an All-ACC selection this season and was voted the team’s MVP.

O’Malley, Virginia’s top offensive midfielder, is up for the Senior Attacker of the Year award, in addition to Vanderbilt’s Margie Curran and Penn’s Rachel Manson. O’Malley scored the game-winning goal in Virginia’s 10-9 win over Duke in the semifinals of the ACC Tournament, en route to a third-straight ACC Championship for the Cavaliers. She was also named to the 2008 ACC All-Tournament Team.

Bordley is the anchor of Virginia’s defense. The senior was named All-ACC and to the ACC’s All-Tournament Team after helping shut down Duke and Maryland’s attack in the second half of the semifinals and finals of the conference tournament. Bordley is the Cavaliers’ top match-up defender and has helped lead Virginia to a third-place national ranking in scoring defense. Jessica Champion from Yale and Northwestern’s Christy Finch are the other two nominees for the award.

Myers has had a milestone year. She led Virginia to its 400th career victory, as it became just the third program in Division I women’s lacrosse history to reach the mark. In addition, in guiding the team to its first undefeated regular season at home since 1996, Myers collected her 100th win in Charlottesville in just 124 tries. Back-to-back, come-from-behind 10-9 victories over Duke and Maryland, respectively, in the ACC Tournament saw Myers become just the fourth coach to reach the 200-win plateau. She is currently among the top-three winningest coaches in Division I, and is joined by Karin Brower of Penn and Boston University’s Liz Robertshaw as LaxPower.com’s nominees for Coach of the Year.

For more information on the awards, visit http://www.laxpower.com/laxnews/news.php’story=11001