BURLINGTON, Vt. – The University of Vermont women’s lacrosse team will add 11 newcomers, including two transfers and three U.S. Lacrosse High School All-Americans, to the squad for the 2009 season. Joining the Catamounts will be: Laura Barber (Middlebury, Vt.), Lauren Giraldi (Woodbine, Md.), Olivia Hatfield (Alpharetta, Ga.), Lindsay Hegarty (Andover, Mass.), Caitie Izzo (Longmeadow, Mass.), Kaitlyn Johnson (Meriden, N.H.), Natalie Jones (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.), Allison Pfohl (Niskayuna, N.Y.), Adison Rounds (Centennial, Colo.), Samantha Stern (Cherry Hill, N.J.), and Laurel Van Tassel (New Vernon, N.J.). Vermont head coach Jen Johnson made the announcement today.

"I am very excited to announce this class," said Johnson. "I believe these newcomers will have an impact on our program in their first year. Collectively they add size, strength, speed, and depth to our program. This group will compliment our returning players and help us build on the momentum we gained last season. As a team we built up a lot of confidence with our return to the America East Tournament and look to continue to make strides this season," continued Johnson.

Barber comes to Vermont from Middlebury Union High School. A goalkeeper, she led the Tigers to a state championship this past season, the team’s eighth in 11 years.

Giraldi (pronounced gee-rall-dee), an attacker, comes to Vermont from Glenelg High School. She led Glenelg to a Maryland State Championship and a 15-3 record in 2005 and another championship in 2008. She was a two-time Howard County Lacrosse All-Star as a junior and senior. This past season Giraldi led Glenelg to the Howard County Championship for the first time in the program’s history. She closed out the year with 61 points on 40 goals and 21 assists and tallied 104 points and 102 ground balls in her career.

Hatfield comes to Vermont as a highly touted goalkeeper. She is the first-ever recruit from the state of Georgia in the women’s lacrosse program. Hatfield led Milton High School to four consecutive state championships. She closed out her career owning every goalkeeping record at Milton High School and was a three-time all-state player. As a senior she was named a U.S. High School All-American and the Atlanta Journal Constitution Player of the Year. Hatfield posted a record of 58-2-1 in her high school career and posted an impressive .750 save percentage in the net.

Hegarty transfers to Vermont after one season at the University of Massachusetts. She will have three years of eligibility remaining including the 2009 season. Hegarty is a midfielder from Andover, Mass. where she was a two-time all-conference selection at Andover High School.

Izzo comes to Vermont from Longmeadow High School and led the team to three straight Western Massachusetts Championships and three straight Massachusetts State Final games. Although a midfielder, she anchored the Longmeadow defensive unit that led Western Massachusetts in team defense for three consecutive seasons, including a 2.95 goals against average in 2007. Izzo wrapped up her senior season earning a spot on the All-Western Massachusetts and all-conference teams for the third time. She scored 12 goals and added 20 assists in her senior season and was named Longmeadow’s Female Athlete of the Year.

Johnson is also a transfer from UMass. An attacker, she hails from Meriden, N.H. and played her high school lacrosse at Lebanon High School. She holds the Lebanon school record for goals (168) and assists (69) and was a four-time all-sate selection. Johnson saw limited action with the Minutewomen in two seasons in Amherst and will have two years of eligibility remaining including the 2009 season.

Jones comes to UVM from Saratoga Springs High School, which was ranked in the top five among New York girls’ lacrosse teams the past two seasons. A midfielder, she was named to the Suburban Council Section II All-Star Team and was selected to the Times Union All-Star Team twice. She registered 114 points in her final two seasons, including 34 goals and 34 assists as a senior. Jones was named the NYSPHSAA Scholar-Athlete in 2008 and was a high school All-American nominee.

Pfohl (pronounced fole), a midfielder, attended Niskayuna High School and led the team to a sectional championship in 2007. She recorded 96 points in her final two seasons, including 45 goals and 17 assists in 2008. Pfhol led Niskayuna to the sectional and regional championship titles and the team advanced to the final four of the state tournament. Pfhol was named a 2008 High School Academic All-American and earned spots on the Times Union and Suburban Council All-Star Teams for the third straight year.

Rounds is a midfielder from Arapahoe High School. A midfielder, Rounds was a three-time Continental League All-Star. As a sophomore and junior she collected all-state honors from the Rocky Mountain News and was named a U.S. High School All-American in 2008. Rounds led the team in scoring the past three years and wrapped up her career with 235 points on 143 goals and 92 assists. During her sophomore season she exploded for 51 goals after scoring 11 as a freshman.

Stern played her high school lacrosse at Cherry Hill East. As a midfield attacker, she was named to the South Jersey Lacrosse Coaches Association All-Conference team three times and also picked up All-South Jersey honors from the Courier Post her final three years. She finished her career with 246 goals, including 106 as a senior, and was named a U.S. Lacrosse High School All-American this year.

Van Tassel comes to UVM after a four-year career as a defender at Kent Place School. In 2007 she garnered the team’s most improved honor and led Kent Place to the Union County Championship game. As a senior she led the defense in ground balls and caused turnovers. Kent Place went on to win the New Jersey Union County Tournament and advanced to the finals of the Prep State Tournament. Van Tassel was named to the All-Union City first team for her efforts.

The Catamounts posted one of their most successful seasons in school history in 2008. Vermont returned to the America East Women’s Lacrosse Championship for the first time since 2003. UVM went 5-1 in America East, setting new school marks for most league wins and the highest finish in the conference standings (2nd) and posted eight wins overall, the most since 1993.