TEMPE, Ariz. – Coming off a historical season in which she put her name on the national map, Sun Devil Lacrosse co-captain Kerri Clayton recaps her first season in Tempe, winning the Heather Farr Award, and expectations for the upcoming season.
Redshirt sophomore attacker Kerri Clayton burst onto the scene with several dominant performances that garnered national recognition. Helping establish the Sun Devil Lacrosse program in its inaugural season, Clayton earned All-Pac-12 Second Team honors for her efforts. She also was presented with the Heather Farr Award at the Wings of Gold event in April, an award given to a student-athlete who excels in athletics, academics, community service, and embodies Heather's preserving spirit and courage. The former All-American golfer at Arizona State competed for the Sun Devils from 1983-85.
"It was the biggest and most humbling honor that I have received in my athletic career," Clayton said about receiving the Heather Farr Award. "Every day I try my best to be the best student-athlete I can be whether it is giving it my all-in practice, spending extra time on homework, or going out and giving back to the community so to be recognized by the school for my efforts in front of my coaches, teammates, and peers was a very cool experience."
The Sun Devils leader in goals (44) and points (59), Clayton was the focal point of an offensive attack that scored in double figures eight times last season. Playing in 17 games, she averaged 2.59 goals/game and 3.47 points/game, figures that placed her fourth and fifth in the Pac-12 respectively. Clayton established herself as one of the most dangerous offensive weapons on the West Coast, providing two game-winning goals for the Sun Devils.
Coach Martinez Connor recognized the importance of Clayton to Sun Devil Lacrosse's first season. "Kerri was an integral part of our team's success this year," Coach Martinez Connor said. "She was often marked up by the opposing team's top defender. I was tremendously proud of her efforts on & off the field, but I certainly think being honored with the Heather Farr Award by the Sun Devil Club was the icing on the cake for the inaugural year."
One of many highlights provided by the Sun Devil's in their inaugural campaign was the program's first conference win, a thrilling 12-11 overtime victory at Cal on March 25. Leading the way, Kerri Clayton scored four goals and had the assist on the game-winning goal by Emily Glagolev in the milestone triumph.
"I don't think I will ever forget our first weekend traveling to Kennesaw State and Stetson," Clayton stated. "You make the best memories on away trips and having our first weekend result in two wins was so much fun."
Sun Devil fans quickly got familiar with Kerri Clayton's name, as she was unstoppable in the program's first ever home game at Sun Devil Soccer Stadium. In a dominant 23-5 victory over Presbyterian, Clayton made her presence felt on the offensive end helping lead the Sun Devils to a 5-1 start. She finished the contest with three goals and three assists, creating four turnovers in the process.
The Sun Devils closed their inaugural season at the Pac-12 Tournament on April 26. ASU earned a six-seed, facing off against third-seeded USC in the first round. Clayton capped a historical first individual season in Tempe with an impressive performance in the conference tournament, finishing with a pair of goals against the Trojans.
Clayton has spent the offseason training to be the best player that she can be by finding ways to improve her game. Despite the fact that she was one of the conference's elite offensive play makers, she acknowledges she has room to grow in that area.
"I would like to become a more accurate shooter for my next two seasons with the Sun Devils and also setting my teammates up more often so that I can get them the ball and see them excel on the field," Clayton said.
A combination of a strong recruiting class and increased continuity makes 2018 a promising year for Kerri Clayton and company. Drawing on the experience gained from their inaugural season as a Division I program, Sun Devil Lacrosse looks to build upon a successful first season with Clayton as the steadying force. Clayton believes with the right mindset and proper work ethic, the team can reach whatever goals they set.
"I cannot wait for next season, I am so excited to see the freshman come in and work and how everyone else comes back ready to compete after a year of experience," Clayton remarked when asked about next season. "I think that we will come out and have a more dominate presence on the field and have more threats across the board."
CATCHIN' UP WITH CLAYTON
What are some of the biggest takeaways from the first season?
I think recognizing that there are going to be ups and downs that come in any season, but knowing that this was our first season and a lot of the players have not had these experiences before so to be able to flush the downs and continue on a high is huge.
How are you spending your summer?
I went on a family trip to Greece in the beginning of the summer which was amazing and since being home I have been coaching a lacrosse team and some camps and getting my body and stick ready for the upcoming season.
Which is your favorite sporting event to attend at ASU?
I think the football games are a great atmosphere, but I love going to the basketball games because some of our good friends are on the team so it is fun to support them.
What was the biggest adjustment to life in Arizona?
I think when I moved out to Arizona I matured quicker than I would have if I was closer to home. I had to do a lot of things on my own and of course I had the coaches and my teammates, but knowing my family was on the other side of the country I started to handle more things myself.
Do you have any advice to the freshman/newcomers preparing to come to ASU?
Just be ready to work hard every day but also enjoy each moment because it will go by quickly.
Career goals…
I want to make Arizona State into a powerhouse lacrosse program in the West.
Best place you traveled last season…
It was really cool to get to do so much traveling all over the country with my team but I think one of my favorite places that we traveled to was California when we played Stanford and Cal Berkeley. Our coaches put in time to let us do some exploring which was awesome to see part of the country I have never seen before and you can't beat coming home with a road win against a Pac-12 opponent.
What was the toughest day/game you had in year one?
Personally, for me the toughest day I had in year one was the second time we played Cal Berkeley at home. We had just beaten them the week before and we did not come out strong in front of our home crowd and then in the second half when we started to get our rhythm, I got a red card and had to sit out the rest of the game. I hate not being able to help my teammates so I think that was a tough pill to swollen for me.
Redshirt sophomore attacker Kerri Clayton burst onto the scene with several dominant performances that garnered national recognition. Helping establish the Sun Devil Lacrosse program in its inaugural season, Clayton earned All-Pac-12 Second Team honors for her efforts. She also was presented with the Heather Farr Award at the Wings of Gold event in April, an award given to a student-athlete who excels in athletics, academics, community service, and embodies Heather's preserving spirit and courage. The former All-American golfer at Arizona State competed for the Sun Devils from 1983-85.
"It was the biggest and most humbling honor that I have received in my athletic career," Clayton said about receiving the Heather Farr Award. "Every day I try my best to be the best student-athlete I can be whether it is giving it my all-in practice, spending extra time on homework, or going out and giving back to the community so to be recognized by the school for my efforts in front of my coaches, teammates, and peers was a very cool experience."
The Sun Devils leader in goals (44) and points (59), Clayton was the focal point of an offensive attack that scored in double figures eight times last season. Playing in 17 games, she averaged 2.59 goals/game and 3.47 points/game, figures that placed her fourth and fifth in the Pac-12 respectively. Clayton established herself as one of the most dangerous offensive weapons on the West Coast, providing two game-winning goals for the Sun Devils.
Coach Martinez Connor recognized the importance of Clayton to Sun Devil Lacrosse's first season. "Kerri was an integral part of our team's success this year," Coach Martinez Connor said. "She was often marked up by the opposing team's top defender. I was tremendously proud of her efforts on & off the field, but I certainly think being honored with the Heather Farr Award by the Sun Devil Club was the icing on the cake for the inaugural year."
One of many highlights provided by the Sun Devil's in their inaugural campaign was the program's first conference win, a thrilling 12-11 overtime victory at Cal on March 25. Leading the way, Kerri Clayton scored four goals and had the assist on the game-winning goal by Emily Glagolev in the milestone triumph.
In the first weekend of the season, Clayton would set the tone to what would become an accolade-filled season. She established the school record for goals in a single game, scoring an incredible seven goals in the program's first win over Kennesaw State on Feb. 9. She wasn't done collecting goals in the season's opening weekend, registering five goals and two assists in a 15-13 victory over Stetson on Feb. 11. Thanks to her outstanding performance on the weekend, Clayton was named Inside Lacrosse's Alpha Lacrosse Player of the Week on Feb. 14 as voted on by lacrosse fans across the country. It was a road trip that Clayton will never forget.?? SUN DEVILS WIN ??
— Sun Devil Lacrosse (@SunDevilWLax) March 25, 2018
@emilyglagolev got it in on the assist from @kerriclayton22 for a sudden death OT victory!#SunDevilSpark pic.twitter.com/c2nEawOVUX
"I don't think I will ever forget our first weekend traveling to Kennesaw State and Stetson," Clayton stated. "You make the best memories on away trips and having our first weekend result in two wins was so much fun."
Clayton was also a significant contributor in the largest comeback victory of the season. On Feb. 26 the Sun Devils trailed Columbia, 7-1, midway through the first half. Coming out with an aggressive style that helped turn the momentum, Arizona State began chipping away at the lead. Powered by Clayton's five goals, one of which was turned out to be the game-winning goal, the Sun Devils came back to beat the Lions, 15-12.Congratulations to our own @kerriclayton22 for notching her first national Player of the Week honors! ?? #SunDevilSpark https://t.co/qNeF2Fp2YU
— Sun Devil Lacrosse (@SunDevilWLax) February 14, 2018
Sun Devil fans quickly got familiar with Kerri Clayton's name, as she was unstoppable in the program's first ever home game at Sun Devil Soccer Stadium. In a dominant 23-5 victory over Presbyterian, Clayton made her presence felt on the offensive end helping lead the Sun Devils to a 5-1 start. She finished the contest with three goals and three assists, creating four turnovers in the process.
The Sun Devils closed their inaugural season at the Pac-12 Tournament on April 26. ASU earned a six-seed, facing off against third-seeded USC in the first round. Clayton capped a historical first individual season in Tempe with an impressive performance in the conference tournament, finishing with a pair of goals against the Trojans.
Clayton has spent the offseason training to be the best player that she can be by finding ways to improve her game. Despite the fact that she was one of the conference's elite offensive play makers, she acknowledges she has room to grow in that area.
"I would like to become a more accurate shooter for my next two seasons with the Sun Devils and also setting my teammates up more often so that I can get them the ball and see them excel on the field," Clayton said.
A combination of a strong recruiting class and increased continuity makes 2018 a promising year for Kerri Clayton and company. Drawing on the experience gained from their inaugural season as a Division I program, Sun Devil Lacrosse looks to build upon a successful first season with Clayton as the steadying force. Clayton believes with the right mindset and proper work ethic, the team can reach whatever goals they set.
This #ForksUp Fact puts some perspective on just how successful the @SunDevilWLax inaugural season was!
— Sun Devil Lacrosse (@SunDevilWLax) July 24, 2018
?????? pic.twitter.com/0D4G6pKiBR
"I cannot wait for next season, I am so excited to see the freshman come in and work and how everyone else comes back ready to compete after a year of experience," Clayton remarked when asked about next season. "I think that we will come out and have a more dominate presence on the field and have more threats across the board."
CATCHIN' UP WITH CLAYTON
What are some of the biggest takeaways from the first season?
I think recognizing that there are going to be ups and downs that come in any season, but knowing that this was our first season and a lot of the players have not had these experiences before so to be able to flush the downs and continue on a high is huge.
How are you spending your summer?
I went on a family trip to Greece in the beginning of the summer which was amazing and since being home I have been coaching a lacrosse team and some camps and getting my body and stick ready for the upcoming season.
Which is your favorite sporting event to attend at ASU?
I think the football games are a great atmosphere, but I love going to the basketball games because some of our good friends are on the team so it is fun to support them.
What was the biggest adjustment to life in Arizona?
I think when I moved out to Arizona I matured quicker than I would have if I was closer to home. I had to do a lot of things on my own and of course I had the coaches and my teammates, but knowing my family was on the other side of the country I started to handle more things myself.
Do you have any advice to the freshman/newcomers preparing to come to ASU?
Just be ready to work hard every day but also enjoy each moment because it will go by quickly.
Career goals…
I want to make Arizona State into a powerhouse lacrosse program in the West.
Best place you traveled last season…
It was really cool to get to do so much traveling all over the country with my team but I think one of my favorite places that we traveled to was California when we played Stanford and Cal Berkeley. Our coaches put in time to let us do some exploring which was awesome to see part of the country I have never seen before and you can't beat coming home with a road win against a Pac-12 opponent.
What was the toughest day/game you had in year one?
Personally, for me the toughest day I had in year one was the second time we played Cal Berkeley at home. We had just beaten them the week before and we did not come out strong in front of our home crowd and then in the second half when we started to get our rhythm, I got a red card and had to sit out the rest of the game. I hate not being able to help my teammates so I think that was a tough pill to swollen for me.