The Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) announced the 2026 All-Conference Team and postseason awards on Thursday, April 30. A pair of Spartans dominated the postseason honors capturing the NACC Attacker and Defender of the Year awards. Additionally, AU earned three first team, three second team, and two honorable mention All-Conference selections. 

Senior Nicolina Smith was named the NACC Attacker of the Year and senior Alle Pope was named the NACC Defender of the Year and both were named First-Team All-Conference.
 
Attacker of the Year - Nicolina Smith, Sr., Aurora University
Smith has been one of the top offensive threats in the NACC this season, posting league-leading totals with 71 goals and 82 points headed into Saturday's NACC Tournament final against MSOE. Her goal total ranks in the top-11 nationally in NCAA Division III.

Smith also ranks second among NACC players in goals per game (3.94), and shot percentage (.563), third in draw controls per game (3.94) and points per game (4.56), and fourth in shots per game (7.00) and shots on goal per game (5.56).

Smith has recorded at least two points in 16 of 18 games played through April 29, with a season-best 10 points on seven goals and three assists in a win over Marian on April 18. She hit her season-high in goals with eight in an April 11 win at Lawrence. Smith scored 48 goals in NACC play alone, registering at least six goals in six of nine league games. She also recorded at least six shots in each NACC contest, recording double-digits four times.

Smith was also effective in the center circle, recording at least one draw control in 16 of 18 games. She currently has 71 draw controls, including a season-best 10 at Illinois Wesleyan in the season opener.

Smith is the fifth Aurora student-athlete to be named NACC Women's Lacrosse Attacker/Offensive Player of the Year in the last six years.

Defender of the Year - Alle Pope, Sr., Aurora University
Pope has played in all 18 of Aurora's games headed into Saturday's NACC Tournament final. She has at least one ground ball and one caused turnover in all 18 contests, posting a season-high seven caused turnovers and a NACC season-best 10 ground balls in a March 25 win over Concordia Wisconsin.

Pope leads all NACC student-athletes and ranks eighth nationally in caused turnovers per game (3.67), while also ranking fourth in the league in ground balls per game (4.17).

Pope is the fifth Aurora student-athlete to be named NACC Women's Lacrosse Defender/Defensive Player of the Year in the last six years.

First-Team All-Conference
Joining Smith and Pope to earn First-Team All-Conference recognition was sophomore Sarah Brown. Brown has 68 ground balls, and 59 causes turnovers on the year. 

Second-Team All-Conference
Second-Team honors went to senior goalie Meghan Ginty who has 113 saves with a single-game high of 16, sophomore attacker Amelia Bell who has 24 goals and 26 points on the season, and sophomore attacker Ava Courtney who has 56 goals on the year.

Honorable Mention All-Conference
Honorable mention honors went to freshman midfielder Julie Sass who has 31 ground balls and 23 caused turnovers on the year and sophomore defender Isabella Ross who has collected 30 ground balls and 13 caused turnovers.
 
Next action for the Spartan women's lacrosse team comes on Saturday, May 2, when they host Milwaukee School of Engineering in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Tournament Championship. Opening draw is slated for 12:00 p.m. at Spartan Athletic Park in Montgomery, Illinois.