As the WNIT awaits, Drexel rookie standouts Kylie Lavelle and Grace O’Neill ready for the road ahead

When Drexel opens its WNIT campaign against Fordham, it will be the tournament that serves as the culmination of the first year for freshman players Kylie Lavelle and Grace O’Neill — both in the early beginnings of their promising careers.

Both have been named to the Colonial Athletic Conference’s All-Rookie team, as voted by the league’s coaches. This follows their impressive first seasons as Dragons, with Lavelle averaging 10.9 points per game, and O’Neill leading the team with 5.1 rebounds per game.

“This is an amazing accomplishment for both of us to get it in the same year, and it couldn’t have been done without our teammates and our coaches,” said Lavelle who currently stands second in points per game among CAA rookies.

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O’Neill echoed her teammate’s comment, thanking her coaches and teammates for their contributions to her success this season.

“It is a great accomplishment to be recognized and surrounded by so many people who have led me here. The coaches and the seniors, Maura Hendrixson and [CAA Player of the Year guard] Keishana Washington, have all done the job of preparing me for these moments,” said O’Neill.

In speaking of Washington, the reigning CAA women’s Player of the Year who will see the culmination of her college career end with this tournament, both Lavelle and O’Neill spoke about the inspiration and impact she has made on them in their rookie year.

“Ever since I got here Keishana has always been checking up on me to make sure I’m okay, especially being a freshman,” said Lavelle. She’s not only a great teammate but also a role model.”

» READ MORE: Drexel's Keishana Washington an AP, USBWA honorable mention All-American

O’Neill, who has an interesting pre-match ritual with Washington, says the Pickering, Ontario native is one who keeps her grounded.

“Keishana has been awesome and she has really helped me at practice and before games,” said O’Neill. “She always tells me to ‘just breathe’ and we take a breath together, and this really helps me calm down and release my nerves.”

O’Neill added that her favorite moments on the team so far have been making new friends and traveling with them.

“Everyone was very welcoming when I first got here. We all live together, so I am surrounded by 13 of my best friends every single day.”

Lavelle found the team’s winning attitude to be a huge attraction when choosing schools.

“A big part of why I came here was because they are a championship-winning team, and they are always doing whatever they can to be the best team in their conference,” said Lavelle.

So when the Dragons take the court today, it will do so as CAA co-champions looking to prove their first-round exit in a loss to Monmouth in the conference tournament was a fluke. Before knowing the opponent was Fordham, the goal still remained the same for Drexel’s pair of rookies, excited as ever to get out there.

“I am really excited and ready to go and play against whoever it is,” said O’Neill. “We are focused on ourselves and how we have prepared, and we know we can be successful.”