Jill Beck Helps Lead Iona Lacrosse
Huntington alumnus Jill Beck enters her senior season with the Iona College women’s lacrosse team residing on the proverbial Cloud Nine after scoring 19 goals and adding five assists to help the Gaels reach the semi-finals of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championships this past spring.
Beck is a biology/pre-physical therapy major at the New Rochelle school. In addition to her excellent on-field performance, the 21-year old enjoyed a stellar year in the classroom, earning a 3.54 grade point average and a spot of the MAAC All-Academic team. She’s been a consistent member of the Iona Dean’s List throughout her collegiate career.
During one two-game stretch this spring, Beck scored three goals against Canisius College on a Friday and then exploded for three more on Sunday against Niagara University. The performance earned her the Iona College Student Athlete of the Week Award.
The Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association honored Iona as the top NCAA Division I academic performer, with a team GPA of 3.455. Beck, a member of Huntington’s Class of 2005, was one of eight Gael players named to the IWLCA Academic Honor Roll, the most of any college in the nation.
“I could not be more proud of my teammates and my own success with this young team,” Beck said. “I am honored to say that I am a member of the Iona women's lacrosse team and that we are making a name for ourselves among the other Division I programs.”
Beck, a 5’7 attack, has played with the Iona program in three of its four years of existence. As a sophomore she started all 15 games for the Gaels, scoring 16 goals, including three from the free position and tallying a dozen assists. She scooped up 14 ground balls, recorded seven draw controls and caused a pair of turnovers. As a freshman she started eight of 16 games, putting six balls in the goal, including one free position goal and picking up four assists. She added 21 ground balls. Beck’s first collegiate goal came on Feb. 28, 2006 against Davidson College.
While at Huntington Beck played field hockey, basketball and lacrosse and captained all three teams as a senior. She won scholar athlete awards her junior and senior years and received the Gold Key Award and the Ray Deren Memorial Scholarship Award. She earned All-Division honors in field hockey and was an All-League selection in basketball. Beck honed her scholastic skills as a player with the East End Lacrosse Club.
This past spring, Iona, which led the country in ground balls with 495 or 27.5 per game, earned its first ever bid to play in the MAAC championships, where the team lost to No. 1 Fairfield, 10-7.
“I look forward to my senior year and we only have room to improve,” Beck said.
Comments or Questions? email the Public Information Office