ALLENDALE, Mich. – The Grand Valley State women's lacrosse team and head coach Mackenzie Lawler announce the addition of eight new players for the 2019 signing class. The group includes four midfielders, a pair of defenders, one attacker and one goalie.
 
"I am very excited to announce the signing of our 2023 class. We have a wonderful group of young women who will positively impact our program both on and off the field," said Lawler.
 
The midfielders include Molly Bursinger, Kate DeYoung, Chloe Foley and Shae Strehl.
 
Bursinger (Powell, Ohio) enters her fourth year of varsity lacrosse in 2019 for the Liberty Patriots. She's earned all-conference all three seasons, all-region and all-state honors in each of her last two seasons and was an All-American her junior year, helping the Patriots to a regional runner-up finish. She intends to major in nursing at GVSU. 
 
DeYoung (Grand Rapids, Mich.) has scored 171 goals across her first three seasons, earning first team all-conference and all-state in 2017 and 2018, helping Grand Rapids Christian to conference titles in her freshman and junior years. She will be a captain for the Eagles in her senior season. She also helped her club team to an appearance in the finals of the Maverick National Championships. A two-sport athlete, DeYoung is also a three-year member of the girls' basketball team.
 
"I am very thankful for my parents and all the coaches who have helped me get to this point," DeYoung said. "I am looking forward to playing at GVSU for Coach Mac and growing my skills at the next level."
 
Foley (Osceola, Indiana) enters her senior season for Penn High School in 2019, coming off a stand-out junior season in which she was named Offensive Player of the Year for the second straight season while also earning first team All-Conference, All-Region and All-State honors. She also plays club lacrosse for Indy United and is a three-year member of her high school basketball team. Foley plans to major in biology at GVSU.
 
Strehl (Grand Rapids, Mich.) comes from the powerhouse Rockford High School, under head coach Mike Emery, where she earned all-conference, all-state and all-area honors in her junior season to help the Rams to a sixth consecutive state title. She plans to enter the pre-med program at GVSU
 
"Shae, Molly, Kate, and Chloe will all impact the midfield with their athleticism, speed in transition, and ability to make plays on both sides of the ball," Lawler said of her incoming midfielders.
 
The defenders include Alex Lawton (Preston, Md.) and Anna Reynolds (Wildwood, Mo.).
 
Lawton will enter her fourth season of varsity lacrosse in 2019 at North Caroline H.S. where she has already earned two All-MidShore second team honors. She's also a two-time selection to the U.S. Lacrosse Women's National Tournament for the Eastern Shore club and is seeking a fourth Minds in Motion scholar athlete award in 2019. Also an outstanding soccer player, Lawton set her high school career and single-season record for goals. She plans on majoring in biology at GVSU.
 
Reynolds is a two-time silver scholar athlete and gold scholar athlete her junior season and is three-for-three thus far as an all-conference performer. She is heavily involved in extra curriculars, also playing field hockey while serving on the student council and link crew, NHS, serving as president of the ping pong club and a Special Olympics volunteer.
 
"I want to thank my coaches for helping me fall in love with lacrosse and helping me grow as a player and as a person, as well as my parents for always supporting me and pushing me to be my best," Reynolds said.
 
"Alex and Anna are both quick defenders whose left hands will help us in matching up with opponents," said Lawler.
 
The only attacker in the class is Mayula Chamleunsouk (Brooklyn Park, Minn.). Playing for Robbinsdale Armstrong High School and Minnesota Elite, Chamleunsouk has earned Best of the West Top 100 First Team All-Tournament (2016), Northwest Suburban All Conference Team (2016-2018) and National Lacrosse Classic All Star Team (2018). She plans to major in exercise science with a concentration in health fitness instruction.
 
"Our only attacker Mayula will bring a creativity and dynamic style of play to our attacking unit," Lawler said.
 
The goalie of the 2019 class is Audrey Maloney (La Grange, Ill.). She enters her senior season already a three-year starter for Montini Catholic High School, where she's earned honorable mention All-State honors in each of her first three seasons. She was named her team's defensive MVP in 2018, leading the team in ground balls from her goalie spot. Maloney is also a member of the IL National Team since 2016. She plans to major in general business.
 
"Audrey will step into cage as an athletic goalie who has strong communication skills to lead a defense," Lawler said.
 
These eight new Lakers will join the team for the 2020 season. The 2019 season begins this March as the Lakers begin their quest for a seventh straight Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) championship. For more information on the incoming and current Lakers, visit the women's lacrosse sport page on gvsulakers.com.