Bridget Valentine of the Massachusetts women’s lacrosse team was named the Mid-American Conference (MAC) Defensive Player of the Week on Apr. 14, marking her second time receiving this honor during the current season.
Valentine’s recognition comes after strong performances in two recent games. She recorded a total of seven groundballs and nine caused turnovers, including tying a program record with seven caused turnovers against Eastern Michigan. This achievement also ranks as the fifth most by any player in NCAA Division I women’s lacrosse this season.
In Saturday’s 14-4 win over Eastern Michigan, Valentine collected four groundballs and matched her career-high with seven caused turnovers. Her defensive efforts helped hold Eastern Michigan scoreless for nearly 28 minutes at the end of the game, limiting them to their lowest goal total this season and their lowest regular-season tally since 2024. Earlier in the week, she added three groundballs, two caused turnovers, and an assist in a victory over Columbia.
Valentine has now posted multiple caused turnovers in five of her last six games and nine times overall this season. She leads her team with 31 caused turnovers on the year—a mark that places her among national leaders and already ranks tenth all-time in program history.
The Minutewomen have earned ten MAC weekly awards so far this season. They are scheduled to play next at Detroit Mercy on Saturday at noon.
