BALTIMORE — The national preseason recognition has begun for the Stony Brook women's lacrosse team. Three student-athletes were selected this week to the Top 50 Women's Players For 2023 Countdown according to Inside Lacrosse.
 
The 2022 America East Midfielder of the Year and IWLCA First Team All-American Ellie Masera was the highest Seawolf on the list, as the junior was selected sixth overall. Senior Kailyn Hart and junior Clare Levy also joined Masera on the list, with Hart coming in at 32^nd and Levy being recognized at 37^th overall, respectively.
 
Masera is coming off a season where she became the first underclassman in program history to earn First Team All-American honors and was just one of two underclassmen in the nation to earn the recognition. Her 87 points and 67 goals were both a team-best and was top 25 in the country for goals per game (17^th) and points per game (25^th). The 100 draw controls by the Eastport native marked the fifth time in program history that someone reached the triple-digit figure, joining Seawolf legends, Keri McCarthy (2017 and 2018) and Ally Kennedy (2019 and 2021). Masera played for head coach Joe Spallina this past fall for the United States Women's Lacrosse National Team in the Fall Classic on October 14-16 as one of just three collegiate players on the roster. In the summer, Masera was part of the USA silver medal team in the Sixes discipline at The World Games.
 
Also leading the attack this season will be senior Kailyn Hart. The 2022 America East Attacker of the Year, ILWomen All-American Honorable Mention, USA Lacrosse All-American Honorable Mention, and First Team All-America East finished the season with a career best 64 goals. The junior was key to the relentless pursuit to the NCAA Tournament, as she scored 18 goals over her final five games and recorded 11 consecutive hat tricks starting with four goals against Vermont on March 26. The North Babylon native collected 3.56 goals per game which was 19^th in the nation and helped Stony Brook lead the America East with 17.3 goals per game. She was just the fourth Seawolf to earn America East Attacker of the year honors in program history.
 
After earning All-America East First Team honors, USA Lacrosse All-American Second Team, and collecting ILWomen All-American Honorable Mention last season, Levy will be looking to lead the Seawolves' defense to another number one scoring defense ranking in the nation which held opponents to 6.69 goals per game. The Rocky Point native finished the season with a career-best in grounds balls (31), points (7) and draw controls (39). In addition, the defender caused 18 turnovers in the 19 games she started in.
 
After defeating Drexel University and Rutgers University in the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament, the squad battled the Tarheels of North Carolina in the quarterfinals and led by one at halftime, but ultimately fell to the eventual national champion, 8-5. Head coach Joe Spallina has led Stony Brook to four NCAA Quarterfinals in the last five seasons and has the Seawolves looking for their first CAA championship when the 2023 season gets underway.
 
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