CHARLOTTE, N.C. – On pace for an All-Big South selection for the third year in a row, senior defenseman Avery West of the Presbyterian College lacrosse team has been picked as the league's Defensive Player of the Week for the second time in her illustrious career.

West takes the award after leading the team in ground ball recoveries (six) and keeping Manhattan off the scoreboard for the final 11 minutes of Sunday's victory in the non-conference finale.

One of the best players at the mid-major level in regards of causing turnovers, West becomes the second player in program history to win this particular award twice.

The Blue Hose sport a 3-6 record with the schedule populated by only Big South matches from this point forward. West has caused 16 takeaways in eight appearances, the most of any player in the conference.






 
WEST WINS ANOTHER

 
- A native of Texas, Avery was also named the league's Defensive Player of the Week after the 2025 closer against Wofford (a day where she broke two personal records with seven caused turnovers and eight ground balls).

- Her caused-turnover rate was good enough to rank 16^th in America last season, currently on track to exceed 30 disruptions again this spring.

- The entire match between Presbyterian and Manhattan was played within a two-point window, and West's defense ensured that the Jaspers would not escape Bailey Memorial Stadium with any late-game shenanigans.

- The visitors were able to score only three goals in the last 18 minutes and were silenced entirely from the 11:16 mark on to the finish line.

- Sophomore Emily Currie was the one to hit the game-winner with 23 seconds on the clock (the team's second victory in as many seasons to take place after scoring a goal inside the final minute).

- West was perhaps the most important piece on the field, though, after producing three caused turnovers for the third time this season.


 
PLAYER OF THE WEEK HISTORY

 
- In PC lore, only West and Maura Talvacchia (2015-17) have obtained the Big South Defensive Player of the Week on two separate occasions.

- Since head coach Eric Clakeley assumed the role in 2020, there have been eight different Blue Hose players to win a weekly award from the conference.

- Second-year striker Kate Dominick was chosen as the Big South Offensive Player of the Week earlier this month. PC has now had two different weekly award-winners in the same season five times under the Clakeley administration.


 
LOOKING AHEAD

 
- Following the Manhattan triumph, Presby will set their sights on the conference opener versus Furman (although they've got eight more days until that event).

- The squad is in the middle of a week-long break as the schedule shifts to Big South terrain. PC is hoping to punch their ticket to the league tournament for the first time since 2016.

- ESPN+ will be on hand to stream the first conference encounter with the Paladins next Wednesday. Gametime is scheduled for 7:00 in Clinton.