SPARKS, Md. -- Putting the finishing touches on a standout career,
Joely Stevens will represent the Christopher Newport women's lacrosse team in the IWLCA Senior All-Star Game, which will take place on June 5 at the USA Lacrosse Headquarters in Sparks, Maryland.
The prestigious competition, which annually features the top seniors from around the country, will begin at 11 a.m. Stevens will compete for the South Division during the game at Tierney Field.
With her selection, Stevens is the first Captain to earn a spot in the Senior All-Star Game since former legends Sarah Culver and Julia Golden took part in the 2019 competition. Overall, the Grand Rapids, Michigan native is only the eighth player in program history to secure a spot in the contest.
During the 2022 campaign, Stevens anchored Christopher Newport's defensive unit while providing veteran leadership on the squad's back line. The fifth-year team captain established new career-highs with 19 caused turnovers and 23 ground balls. Her 19 takeaways also ranked sixth among league competitors.
Consistent throughout the year, Stevens caused at least one turnover in 13 of her appearances, including three takeaways in a victory over Meredith on April 20. Equally impressive in the postseason, she helped the Captains limit Mary Washington to only four goals in the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference Semifinals before causing a pair of turnovers at No. 2 Salisbury in the league championship on May 7.
Dominant against top-flight competition, Stevens had five games with at least two caused turnovers during the year, and four of those outings came against teams that eventually advanced to the NCAA Tournament.
One of the program's most reliable standouts, Stevens started the final 44 consecutive games of her career. That stands as the fourth-longest streak by a defender in school history, trailing only former stars Mariah Ginebra, Amy Suddarth, and Monica Evans.
Overall, Stevens saw action in 61 total games during the past five seasons. Making the most of her time on the field, the All-Conference performer wrapped up her tenure with 44 caused turnovers, which places her 18th on the program's all-time charts.
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