Gator Country

Florida sophomore midfielder Kitty Cullen earned the program's second National Offensive Player of the Week honor. / Gator Country photo by Rob Foldy

Florida’s Kitty Cullen (Rockville, Md.) has been named the National Offensive Player of the Week by WomensLacrosse.com. This is Cullen's first national honor and the second National Offensive Player of the Week honor for the Gators, as fellow sophomore Ashley Bruns (Ellicott City, Md.) was so named after her performances against Colgate and then-No. 11 Syracuse. Cullen leads the nation in goals (56) and goals per game (4.67), while also ranking third in overall points scored (61) and sixth in points per game (5.08).

The Rockville, Md. native was also named the American Lacrosse Conference’s Offensive Player of the Week for games played from March 28-April 3. This is Cullen’s second-consecutive Offensive Player of the Week honor, the third ALC Weekly honor of her career and Florida’s fifth ALC Weekly honor of the season. This is the first time in program history that the Gators have had an ALC Weekly honor for four straight weeks.

Cullen broke the school record with seven goals against the No. 16 Nittany Lions on only nine shots on goal (.778), while also including an assist for a career-high tying eight points on the afternoon. She set the pace for the entire game, notching a hat trick in the first 5:30 and scoring her first goal just eight seconds into the contest, the fastest opening score in Florida history. Cullen also had three ground balls and a draw control against Penn State.

The American Lacrosse Conference also recognized two student-athletes for their play last week as three different institutions earned honors yet again. Northwestern’s Kara Mupo earned her first ALC recognition as she was tabbed the conference’s Rookie of the Week, the third Wildcat to be so honored in 2011. Vanderbilt’s Chelsea Pasfield picked up her first ALC honor as she was named the Defensive Player of the Week.

The No. 6 Gators take on the Johns Hopkins Blue Jays at Dizney Stadium on Saturday, April 9th. Opening draw is set for 1:00 p.m. The Blue Jays are coming off a heartbreaking conference loss to No. 14 Vanderbilt, 13-14.

American Lacrosse Conference Player of the Week Honors in Florida History

2010 Season:
Week 2: Brittany Dashiell, Co-Rookie of the Week
Week 3: Ashley Bruns, Rookie of the Week
Week 5: Ashley Bruns, Rookie of the Week
Week 7: Sam Farrell, Defensive Player of the Week; Ashley Bruns, Rookie of the Week

2011 Season:
Week 1: Kitty Cullen, Offensive Player of the Week
Week 4: Sam Farrell, Defensive Player of the Week
Week 5: Ashley Bruns, Offensive Player of the Week (also National Player of the Week by WomensLax.com, National Offensive Player of the Week by WomensLacrosse.com)
Week 6: Kitty Cullen, Offensive Player of the Week
Week 7: Kitty Cullen, Offensive Player of the Week (also National Offensive Player of the Week by WomensLacrosse.com)

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