Lacrosse: Big East honors suit Libertyville's Blazer
Libertyville graduate Cole Blazer enjoyed another successful season in net for Marquette University's men's lacrosse team this spring.
He even scored a goal.
The junior goalie was named All-Big East second team for the second year in a row. He was honored as the Big East defensive player of the week in March after posting 31 saves during the Midwest Lacrosse Classic. He made a program-record 18 saves in Marquette's loss to then-No. 20 Ohio State before adding 13 in an 8-6 win over Detroit Mercy.
It was the second weekly honor of the 2017 campaign for Blazer, who also earned honor roll recognition after allowing just 1 goal in MU's season opener at Jacksonville.
He was named MVP of the Big East tournament. Blazer started 15 games in goal for the Golden Eagles, notching a .536 save percentage.
On May 4, he made 12 saves and scored a goal - the first for a goalie in Marquette history - in the BIG EAST semifinal against No. 2 Denver. He scored by launching a 90-yard shot for the last goal of the game with less than a second to play.
Blazer stopped 11 shots in a win over Providence in the BIG EAST Championship game on May 7.
Marquette finished the season 8-8, falling 15-9 at fourth-seeded Notre Dame in the first round of the NCAA championships on May 14. Blazer picked up an assist for his second point in the Golden Eagles' last three games.
Women's lacrosse
Lake Zurich graduate Sammi Milbourn was one of seven recipients of Guilford College's top athletic honor, the Nereus C. English '26 Athletic Leadership Award.
Named for one of Guilford's most loyal alumni, the annual prize recognizes students who display the highest ideals of athletic accomplishment, leadership and academic achievement.
Milbourn completed her fourth and final year as the starting goalie for Guilford's women's lacrosse team. The senior captain earned Second Team All-ODAC laurels as a junior and ranks third among Guilford's career leaders in saves (517) and goals against average (12.29). She was named to the ODAC's Women's Lacrosse Sportsmanship Team in 2015, a year after landing All-ODAC Tournament recognition. Milbourn was twice named to the Academic All-ODAC Team and is a dean's list double major in health science and exercise and sports sciences. She will attend graduate school at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.