June 2, 2004
BALTIMORE - The Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association and US Lacrosse (IWLCA/US Lacrosse) announced its 2004 All-Americans Tuesday and George Mason University's Meg Dentler (Crofton, Md./Arundel) was among the 48 Division I players selected. The junior goalkeeper, who was named to the second-team, earns All-American honors for the first time in her career. The award is sponsored by Harrow Sports.
Dentler, who received IWLCA South All-Region first team accolades last week and was a 2003 South All-Region second team honoree, continues to prove that she is one of the elite goalkeepers in the nation. Playing in front of a young defense that included two freshman and a sophomore, Dentler finished the season with 224 saves, falling one shy of tying her own Patriot record of 225 that she set in 2002, and a 57.0 save percentage, which ranks fifth nationally. She also ranked second on the team in ground balls (37) and caused seven turnovers.
The starting netminder in each of the Patriots 17 games, she allowed 169 goals for a 9.88 goals-against average and played every minute of every contest. Dentler's GAA and save percentage were both tops among Colonial Athletic Association goalkeepers who were in the cage at least 70 percent of the time, and she led the league in both saves and saves per game (13.18). She posted 10 or more saves 15 times in 2004, including stopping a career-high 24 against then-nationally ranked Boston University and 20 versus top 5 national power Maryland. Dentler was honored as the CAA co-Player of the Week on Mar. 29 after stopping 37 shots for a 72.5 save percentage and 7.00 goals-against average in two Mason victories. With 200 or more saves in each of the past three seasons, she already holds the Patriot record for saves in a career with 656.
Awards continue to flow in for Dentler, who was also named to the All-CAA first team for the second straight year in 2004. The 2002 CAA second team selection and Rookie of the Year also garnered Virginia College Sports Information Directors (VaSID) honors in 2002 and 2003.
Dentler becomes only the second George Mason women's lacrosse athlete to earn second-team All-America honors, joining two-time All-American Jill Toomey (2000-03) who received second-team accolades in 2003. The Crofton, Md. native is the sixth women's lacrosse player in school history to be named an All-American and is the seventh selection overall.
George Mason completed the 2004 campaign ranked 19th in the nation in the final IWLCA top 20 poll. Mason posted a 7-10 overall record and a tied for third in the CAA with a 4-3 mark. The Patriots, who advanced to the CAA Tournament for the 11th consecutive season, also finished the year ranked second nationally in caused turnovers per game (12.53 ctpg).
George Mason IWLCA/US Lacrosse All-Americans (Team):
1998: Liz Robertshaw (3rd), Bonnie Conklin (3rd), Bettina Guevara (3rd)
2000: Kinsley O'Garrow (3rd)
2002: Jill Toomey (3rd)
2003: Jill Toomey (2nd)
2004: Meg Dentler (2nd)
