WASHINGTON D.C. - American University Women's Lacrosse Head Coach Katie Woods has announced the addition of nine student-athletes for the upcoming 2010 season. All of the student-athletes are freshman this fall and hail from six states (Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, and Tennessee).

"I am excited to welcome the class of 2013 and thrilled they will be joining our lacrosse family," said Woods. "As a group, these players will improve our overall athleticism and depth as a team. Most importantly, they are all hard working student-athletes with excellent character and will fit in well with our team. They have the potential to be a very strong class for this program."

The members of the class of 2013 are:

Kelsey Beck: Defender/Midfielder, Cincinnati, Ohio (Sycamore High School) - Beck was a Honorable Mention All-America last season in lacrosse, and earned Academic All-America honors over the past two years as well. Her high school squad won two state championships, and she served as team captain in 2009.

Emily Burton: Midfield, Catonsville, Md. (Mount de Sales Academy) - Burton was captain of her high school lacrosse team her senior year. She earned four varsity letters in high school, competing in lacrosse and volleyball. She was also a member of the National Honor Society.

Kimberly Collins: Attacker, Princeton Junction, N.J. (West Windsor Plainsboro High School North) - Collins was the captain of her high school team as a senior, where she accumulated 193 career goals, 47 career assists, and 272 career ground balls. She was Second Team All-CVC, and First Team All-Bianchi. She was voted MVP of her team in her junior and senior years.

Laura Dawson: Defense, Arnold, Md. (Broadneck High School) - Dawson was a First Team All-Galaxy Honorable Mention selection. In her senior year, Dawson led Broadneck to victory in the District 5 and Anne Arundel County Lacrosse Championships.

Laura Jernegan: Attacker, Edgartown, Mass. (Martha's Vineyard Regional High School) - Jernegan was named league MVP and Most Valuable Attack Player of the Boston Globe All-Scholastic Team. As captain of her lacrosse team in high school, Jernegan's squad captured the Maritime League for two consecutive seasons, including an undefeated record her senior year.

Samantha Marshall: Midfield, Syracuse, N.Y. (Westhill High School) - Marshall was First Team All-League selection, and Third Team All-State in lacrosse. She was awarded the Tri-Athlete and A-1 Sports Awards for her participation in soccer, lacrosse, and basketball, in which she served as the captain of both the lacrosse and basketball teams. She was a member of the National Honor Society and the Spanish National Honor Society.

Kate Mills: Defense/Midfield, Reisterstown, Md. (Maryvale Preparatory School) - Mills was named the most improved player after her junior year high school season. As a captain her senior year, Mills led her team to the semifinals of the playoffs for the school's first time since 2002.

Eliza Morgan: Midfield, Nashville, Tenn. (Ensworth High School) - Morgan starred in both lacrosse and soccer for four years in high school. She was a two-time First Team All-American (2008, 2009), two-time First Team All-State (2007, 2008), and a two-time Academic All-American (2008, 2009). She led her team to victory in the 2009 Tennessee State Championship, the first lacrosse state title in school history.

Chiara Speziale: Midfield, West Islip, N.Y. (West Islip High School) - Speziale scored 50 goals in her senior season and captained her team to their first County Championship game in school history. She was selected to the All-County lacrosse team in 2008 and 2009, and earned varsity letters in volleyball as well as lacrosse.

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