Courtesy of Salisbury Athletic Communications

ASHLAND, Va. – As the No. 7 Salisbury University women's lacrosse team prepares for play in the national championship weekend at Randolph-Macon College, the Sea Gulls earned an early honor at the pre-tournament banquet as junior Anna Wehland was named the winner of the Elite 90 award for Division III women's lacrosse.

The Elite 90, an award founded by the NCAA, recognizes the true essence of the student-athlete by honoring the individual who has reached the pinnacle of competition at the national championship level in his or her sport, while also achieving the highest academic standard among his or her peers. The Elite 90 is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average participating at the finals site for each of the NCAA's 90 championships.

Wehland, a defender from Bel Air, Maryland, carries a cumulative grade-point average of 4.0 as an exercise science major. Wehland has appeared in and started all 22 games for the Sea Gulls this season, recording 39 groundballs and causing 27 turnovers.

Wehland, who also won the award last year, is the 10th Sea Gull to earn the award since its inception. The 10 awards tie Massachusetts Institute of Technology for the most among Division III schools.

Wehland and the Sea Gulls will take on No. 4 Tufts University in the semifinal round of the tournament on Saturday, May 25, at Day Field, beginning at 2:30 p.m.