MELBOURNE, Fla. – The sixth-ranked Saint Leo University women's lacrosse team had five student-athletes earn All-Sunshine State Conference (SSC) honors, highlighted by senior Maria Palomba's being recognized as the Midfielder of the Year as well as earning first team honors. Four Lions were named to the second team as juniors Jana Nuss, Holly Hill, and Meredith Eitel as well as sophomore Abby Richards earned the honors.

Palomba's first-team recognition makes her the second Lion in program history to earn All-SSC honors all four years following Fiona McLaughin becoming the first in the program last years. She also is the first Lion to earn Midfielder of the Year accolades and is the first Lion to earn multiple "of the Year" honors as she was named the SSC Freshman of the Year in 2022.

Palomba has had a tremendous senior season, tallying 56 points off 49 goals and seven assists across 18 games. She pushed her career total for draw controls over 500 winning 125 draws as she now holds the all-time SSC record with 517 draw controls. She picked up 29 ground balls, and caused 19 turnovers during the season. Palomba ranks second in SSC draw controls and draw controls per game (6.94). She's also top-10 in goals scored, goals per game (2.72), shots (96), and shots per game (5.33).

Nuss earned a spot as an attacker on the second team for her second career All-SSC honors after receiving first team recognition in 2024. She led the team in points with 38 goals and 3 assists on 90 total shots as she was one of 10 to start in all 19 games for the Lions. She recorded what proved to be the game-winning goal in the Lions 13-5 win over Kutztown. She averaged at least one goal in all but one game including three or more goals in six of 17 games scored. Nuss recorded a season-best seven points twice in wins at Limestone and against Rollins.

Hill made herself right at home in front of the goal guiding the Lions to a 13-win season. She was also selected as an attacker on the second team earning the first postseason honors of her career. The junior made starts in all 19 games finishing second on the team with 64 points, 42 goals, and 22 assists on 103 total shots. She picked up 19 ground balls and caused three turnovers and won a draw control. The Virginia native recorded a pair of game-winning goals in wins as she had what proved to be the game winning goal in the first two games of the season at Belmont Abbey and Limestone.

Saint Leo saw a pair of defenders recognized for the defensive efforts that led the Lions to holding their opponents to single-digit goals in six games. Abby Richards and Meredith Eitel both earn the first conference postseason honors of their careers.

Eitel was third on the team with 27 groundballs and 16 caused turnovers. She had a season best five ground balls in the Lions' SSC semifinals loss at #1 Tampa. Eitel was also named to the SSC All-Tournament team this year.

Richards had a single goal on the season as she scored at then-#4 Florida Southern on her only shot of the season. She was second on the team with 17 caused turnovers and fourth on the team with 24 ground balls.

2025 ALL-SSC WOMEN'S LACROSSE
 
MIDFIELDER OF THE YEAR
Maria Palomba
 
FIRST TEAM
Maria Palomba, Midfield
 
SECOND TEAM
Jana Nuss, Attack
Holly Hill, Attack
Abby Richards, Defender
Meredith Eitel, Defender