Patriot League Field Hockey Major Awards and All-League Honors Announced (10.30.18)
 
CENTER VALLEY, Pa. – American senior midfielder Rafaela Rubas and Boston University senior defender Ally Hammel each claimed their second-consecutive Patriot League Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year honor, respectively when the League office announced its postseason major awards and all-League teams on Tuesday.
 
The regular-season champion Terriers and Eagles captured two of the Patriot League’s five major awards apiece, while Lafayette took home one.
 
Rubas and Hammel, who earned the Patriot League’s preseason major awards, are the first two student-athletes in League history to repeat for offensive and defensive player of the year in the same season.
 
Boston University head coach Sally Starr collected her fourth-consecutive Patriot League Coach of the Year honor, while American senior goalkeeper Maura Jacobs was named the Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Year. Lafayette freshman forward Molly McAndrew was selected as the Patriot League Rookie of the Year, becoming the first Leopard to earn a field hockey major award since 2012.
 
Fourteen student-athletes were named to the 2018 All-Patriot League Field Hockey First Team due to ties in the voting, while the second team recognized 10 student-athletes. American, Boston University and Bucknell placed five apiece on the two all-League teams, with each squad placing three on the first-team. Lafayette had four all-League selections, including three on the first-team. Holy Cross and Lehigh each had two representatives, with one on the first-team, while Colgate had one second-team all-League selection.
 
Rubas became the 16th-player in Patriot League history to earn all-League honors four times, and just the sixth to be selected to the first-team in each season of those seasons. American senior defender Rachel Stefano, Bucknell junior forward Brittany Willwerth, Holy Cross senior forward Emily Loprete and Lafayette junior defender Lisa van der Geest join the list of 59 student-athletes to earn all-League honors in three seasons. Overall, 14 members of the 2018 first- and second-team have previously been honored.
 
The Major Awards and All-League teams were voted on by the seven Patriot League field hockey head coaches who could not vote for their student-athletes or themselves.
 
2018 Patriot League Field Hockey Offensive Player of the Year
Rafaela Rubas, American, Sr., Midfielder, Vienna, Austria/Bundesrealgymnasium
*Rubas finished the regular-season with 17 points on six goals and five assists to help American lead the Patriot League in scoring (2.94 goals/gm.). Two of her six goals were game winners.
*The senior midfielder earns her second-consecutive Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year honor and is one of six League field hockey players to earn all-League first-team honors four times.
*Rubas is 11th in Patriot League history with 105 points (38 goals, 29 assists).
 
2018 Patriot League Field Hockey Defensive Player of the Year
Ally Hammel, Boston University, Sr., Defender, Duxbury, Mass/Loomis Chaffee
*Hammel and the Terriers’ defense held Patriot League opponents to just nine goals in six games to finish 6-0 in League play.
*Hammel posted a career-high 17 points (6g, 5a), while anchoring a defense that allowed 1.88 goals per game over 17 games.
*The senior defender is a two-time Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year, a two-time first-team all-League selection and a 2017 First Team All-America selection.
 
2018 Patriot League Field Hockey Goalkeeper of the Year
Maura Jacobs, American, Sr., Goalkeeper, New Cumberland, Pa./Cedar Cliff
*Jacobs posted a Patriot League-leading 1.66 goals against average, while finishing third in save percentage (.719).
*The senior goalkeeper averaged 4.31 saves per game and posted one shutout to help the Eagles make the Patriot League Tournament for the 18th-consecutive season.
*Jacobs earns all-League honors for the second time during her career.
 
2018 Patriot League Field Hockey Rookie of the Year
Molly McAndrew, Lafayette, Fr., Forward, Cherry Hill, N.J./Paul VI
*McAndrew led all League freshman with 18 points on seven goals and four assists.
*The freshman forward’s seven goals was tied for fourth in the League and among the top-15 among NCAA DI freshmen.
*In League play, McAndrew’s 11 points (5g, 1a) ranked fourth, while her two game-winning goals was second-best in the League.
 
2018 Patriot League Field Hockey Coach of the Year
Sally Starr, Boston University
*Starr guided Boston University to its fourth-consecutive regular-season title and the third season finishing regular-season League-play undefeated since joining the Patriot League in 2013.
*The Terriers outscored League opponents 21-9 with one shutout.
*This is Starr’s fourth-consecutive Patriot League Field Hockey Coach of the Year honor.
 
2018 Patriot League Field Hockey Major Award Winners
Offensive Player of the Year - Rafaela Rubas, American, Sr., Midfielder
Defensive Player of the Year - Ally Hammel, Boston University, Sr., Defender
Goalkeeper of the Year - Maura Jacobs, American, Sr., Goalkeeper
Rookie of the Year - Molly McAndrew, Lafayette, Fr., Forward
Coach of the Year - Sally Starr, Boston University
 
2018 First Team All-Patriot League Field Hockey*
Noor Coenen, American, So., F/M^
Maura Jacobs, American, Sr., GK
Rafaela Rubas, American, Sr., M^
Ailsa Connolly, Boston University, So., F^
Allie Doggett, Boston University, Sr., M^
Ally Hammel, Boston University, Sr., D^
Olivia Harris, Bucknell, Jr., GK
Lexi Quick, Bucknell, Sr., D^
Brittany Willwerth, Bucknell, Jr., F
Emily Loprete, Holy Cross, Sr., F^
Theresa Delahanty, Lafayette, Sr., M
Molly McAndrew, Lafayette, Fr., F
Lisa van der Geest, Lafayette, Jr., D^
Lenke Havas, Lehigh, So., D/M
*14 players on the first-team due to a tie in the voting
^Unanimous First-Team selection
 
2018 Second Team All-Patriot League Field Hockey
Megan Benson, American, Sr., M
Rachel Stefano, American, Sr., D
Kiley Gallagher, Boston University, Jr., M
Petra Hall, Boston University, So., F/M
Sarah Dimock, Bucknell, So., F
Sally Olson, Bucknell, Sr., D
Olivia Krogermeier, Colgate, Fr., M
Suzanne Noone, Holy Cross, Sr., F
Caroline Turnbull, Lafayette, Jr., M
Olivia Perrone, Lehigh, Fr., M
 
ABOUT THE PATRIOT LEAGUE 
The Patriot League is in its third decade of academic and athletic achievement, continually demonstrating that student-athletes can excel at both academics and athletics without sacrificing high standards. The Patriot League’s athletic success is achieved while its member institutions remain committed to its founding principle of admitting and graduating student-athletes that are academically representative of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.