ITHACA, N.Y. – The Big Red women's lacrosse team held its annual banquet at The Moakley House on Sunday and announced its 2012 award recipients. All four captains from the 2012 squad came back to Ithaca to accept their team awards.

Winning the Mary Beth Delaney Best Defensive Player award was Cacki Helmer '12, a team captain who had the top defensive statistics on the team and was named a First Team All-Ivy winner as well as a Second Team All-American at the end of the season. Helmer finished the season with 49 ground balls and 33 caused turnovers. She also scored two goals in her senior season.

The Big Red's Meg Bantley Best Offensive Player award went to captain Jessi Steinberg '12 after she led Cornell in points during her final year on East Hill. Steinberg – also an All-Ivy First Teamer – notched 44 goals, which tied for a team high, and 21 assists to lead Cornell with 65 points. Graduating in third all-time on the Big Red goals list with 136, Steinberg had three game-winning tallies in 2012.

Another former captain earning a year-end award was Shannon McHugh '12, who claimed the Jaimee Reynolds Best All-Around Player award. Recently hired as an assistant coach at Lehigh College, McHugh had 20 goals and two assists as a senior to go along with a team-high 43 draw controls, 12 caused turnovers and 24 ground balls.

The Katherine Simmons 2012 BRICK Award – given to a player whose daily hard work and effort contributed most to the team – was handed out to Katie Kirk '12. Kirk, also a captain during her senior year, had 20 goals and six assists to place fourth on the team with 26 points. A standout in the midfield, she left Ithaca with the fourth-most draw controls in  team history (100) and seven game-winning goals to her name.

Earning the Shea Maultsby 3-D Award for her drive, determination and dedication to the program was Caroline Salisbury, now a senior captain. Salisbury, originally a walk-on, has improved dramatically over her first three years on the roster and in 2012 tied for the team lead with 44 goals. Currently 10th all-time at Cornell with 1.94 goals per game, Salisbury also notched 18 assists, 21 draw controls and 14 ground balls in 2012.

The final honor handed out on Sunday was the Julie Han Most Improved Player award. This year's most improved player was Claire MacManus, a stellar freshman who also plays soccer at Cornell. Making a huge impact in her first season with the team, MacManus played in 15 contests and started seven on the defensive end. She had nine ground balls, six caused turnovers and three draw controls while seeming to get better every week.