Alexa Caldwell '07 named All-American in lacrosse
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
Alexa Caldwell '07 had quite a surprise on a recent Sunday morning. The newspaper reported that the junior midfielder had been named an All-American lacrosse player, but neither she nor her parents had heard the news.
"I had no idea I had received this honor until Mac McCallum ['06] pointed out the article to me in The News Journal when he came to visit us a week after graduation. My whole family had gone through the paper...Somehow we had all missed the small article," Alexa said. "Mac was very pleased with himself to be the one that found it."
 Midfielder Alexa Caldwell '07 fends off an opponent. Photo courtesy of Don Blake.
Even so, the news should not have surprised Alexa, who has been a key member of the girls' lacrosse team since she walked on the field three years ago. As a sophomore, she received honorable mention All-American. This year, she was one of only two All-Americans in Delaware, and the only non-senior player to be chosen.
Selection as an All-American lacrosse player requires several accomplishments outside of the immediate field of lacrosse. All-Americans must have two varsity letters, have received a varsity letter in a second sport, and they must play for a current league champion or a runner-up team. (St. Andrew's girls' lacrosse won the state championship in 2002-2005.) In addition, she must have been selected for the 1st team All-State in the current or previous season, and she must have previously received recognition from the U.S. National Girls' Lacrosse Team.
According to the U.S. National team, "The U.S. lacrosse All-American player exhibits superior skills and techniques as well as possesses exceptional game sense and knowledge for the game of lacrosse. This player should also embody good sportsmanship."
Alexa exemplifies these qualities as a player at all times. "Without a doubt, she is the hardest working player on and off the field," said girls' lacrosse coach Heidi Pearce '00.
"She is a tenacious player with incredible speed and endurance and is always trying to push herself and the team to a higher level. She has been working over the past year on her stick skills, which has enabled her to add a new element to her game," said Heidi.
This summer Alexa will attend four lacrosse camps while training for soccer in the fall. With the 2006 season barely behind her, she is already anticipating next year's victories. She describes the past season with great pride, as she looks forward to her last season playing with St. Andrew's:
"This past season, our girls' lacrosse team improved a ton. We began the season with only three returning varsity starters and only five players returning from last year's varsity team. In contrast, a school like Tower Hill had 16 returning varsity players.
"It was amazing what [Heidi Pearce] did with our young and inexperienced team. It is a credit to her coaching how far we got in the state tournament. All of the underformers stepped up. We had a new freshman goalie [Mackenzie Lilly] who improved throughout the season and did a great job. After losing to [state champions] Tower Hill twice by 10 goals, in the semifinal game we only lost by two. After halftime, we scored five unanswered goals."
Already boasting one All-American player and many more in the making, the St. Andrew's girls' lacrosse team is poised for victory. Go Saints!
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