Stetson lacrosse head coach Nicole Moore announced the four student-athletes who were selected to lead the 2013 inaugural team as captains on Saturday.  Freshmen Caili Guilday, Mary Kate O'Sullivan, Amanda Parker, as well as senior Kristina Cicchetti will be the first captains in Stetson Lacrosse history.

Guilday is a goalkeeper from Wallingford, Pennsylvania. "Being chosen to be one of the four captains for the first ever Stetson Women's Lacrosse team has basically put me at a loss for words," she said. "I really believe that throughout my next three years here, and beyond my years, great things are going to happen with this program. I have been able to witness a group of individuals come together both on and off the field and transform into a unit.

"Although every journey is not easy, the end product is so rewarding," Guilday went on to say. "This past year Stetson Lacrosse has taken the first steps on its journey, and I am extremely proud to take this trip with my teammates and co-captains. I have much faith and pride in my team, and am honored to be one of the leaders of it."

O'Sullivan is a midfielder from Naples, Florida and has scored five goals and recorded two assists in 2013. "Over the past couple of months I have gotten to know and respect all of the girls on team," O'Sullivan said. "It is quite an honor that they have chosen me to be one of their captains. It truly means a lot to me. It is also such an honor and privilege to be a part of this promising first year program and to have the opportunity to make history for Stetson Women's Lacrosse."

Parker, a defender from Perkasie, Pennsylvania, said "I'm so incredibly thankful and grateful to just have the opportunity to play at Stetson, let alone be named a captain. I know I speak on behalf of the rest of the team when I say that I can't wait to help cultivate tradition in this program. It's exciting knowing that we are the ones that get to lay the foundation down for the years to come. Only so many people get this experience in their lifetime."

Finally, Cicchetti is the lone senior on a young Hatter squad.  "It really means a lot to me to be one of the captains in not only our historic first season, but also in my last season as a graduating senior," she said of the opportunity. "I'm so excited to work hard with the team and really push everyone to their fullest potential this season."

"Leadership and empowering scholar-athletes is one of the cornerstones to the foundation of our success here at Stetson," Moore said of selecting captains. "The team has taken part in reading and analyzing books and excerpts on leadership, and went through a process in order to choose the captains. Those that were chosen for captains had to fill out self-evaluations on their leadership skill sets.

"The dynamic of these four encompasses the leadership qualities that we need to effectively lead this year," Moore continued. "We, as a coaching staff, will work with them weekly to hone their leadership skills and learn to work off one another. We are very excited to work with these four and are proud of the accomplishments that they have had in the short time of being here at Stetson."

After a seven-game home stand to start its first ever season, Stetson will now hit the road looking for its first win.  The Hatters challenge Florida on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. in Gainesville, before returning home to host Marist on Thursday at 6:00 p.m.