PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Standout defender Meghan Ball from Rutgers women's lacrosse has been named an IWLCA All-American, announced Thursday. Ball earned second team laurels for the second consecutive season, with the Scarlet Knights placing a student-athlete on the prestigious list for the third straight season.
 
The 2023 Big Ten Defender of the Year, a unanimous First Team All-Big Ten selection and a First Team IWLCA All-Region pick, Ball led the conference in caused turnovers per game (3.53) and ground balls per game (3.00), finishing second and 12th, respectively, in both categories nationally. Ball also closed out her season third in the conference and 27th in the NCAA with 5.94 draw controls per game, closing her 2022 campaign with team-highs in draw controls (101), caused turnovers (60) and ground balls (51). Her 60 caused turnovers to reset her program single-season record set a season ago.
 
A Tewaaraton Award Top-25 finalist and Midseason All-American by Inside Lacrosse, Ball caused three or more turnovers 10 times this season, including a season-best seven on February 15 at Monmouth and producing three or more caused turnovers in five conference games this spring. Ball earned Big Ten Defense Player of the Week laurels three times and IWLCA National Defensive Player of the Week accolades in 2023.
   
Playing one of the toughest schedules in the country under fourth-year head coach Melissa Lehman, Rutgers finished with eight victories and its third consecutive Big Ten Tournament Semifinal appearance in 2023. The Scarlet Knights picked up wins against three ranked opponents – No. 6 Stony Brook, No. 16 Johns Hopkins, and No. 19 Jacksonville – and closed the season ranked No. 24 in the IWLCA Coaches Poll.