CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Reaching a statistical feat that no other individual in the conference was able to achieve this season, junior Avery West of the Presbyterian College lacrosse team has been selected as the Big South Defensive Player of the Week to close the 2025 campaign.

In the season finale on Saturday against Palmetto rival Wofford, West published a career-high in both ground balls (eight) and caused turnovers (seven), leading the team in both categories over the course of the spring.

Her seven takeaways are the most of any player in the Big South all season, tied for the third-most in the nation over a single match. She turned the Terriers over six times in just the 1^st and 3^rd quarters alone.

Presbyterian finished the 2025 stretch with a 5-12 mark, while West awaits a potential All-Conference selection for the second consecutive year after being chosen for all-league Second Team last season.




 
DUPLICITOUS DEFENSE
 
- A native of Texas, West has carved a reputation for being one of the most well-rounded defensive players on head coach Eric Clakeley's roster. She's played in all but one of PC's 50 games since the start of her college career, amounting to 81 caused turnovers over that time.

- That's already the third-most in school history with one season of eligibility still in the tank. She's also collected 96 ground balls throughout her Blue Hose tenure.

- Solely in 2025, West finishes with 35 caused turnovers (second in the division and tied for 16^th nationally). Her 44 ground balls as a junior ranks 21^st in NCAA and fourth in the Big South.

- Avery becomes the first PC player since 2023 to be named the conference's Defensive Player of the Week and the fourth Blue Hose to win the award since Clakeley took the head coaching role in 2020.

- West was designated a preseason All-Big South honoree back in February, on pace to potentially be the first Presbyterian player since 2018 and 2019 to earn All-Conference accolades in consecutive years.