CENTER VALLEY, Pa. – Boston University and American – the top two seeds in the upcoming Patriot League Field Hockey Championships - combined to take home four of the five Patriot League Field Hockey major awards when postseason honors were announced by the League office on Tuesday afternoon.
Terriers’ junior defender Ally Hammel was named the Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year and Head Coach Sally Starr earned her third-consecutive Coach of the Year honor, as the Terriers claimed the regular-season title for the third season in a row. American junior midfielder Rafaela Rubas was selected as the Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year, while freshman forward/midfielder Noor Coenen was chosen as Patriot League Rookie of the Year. Colgate senior goalkeeper Maria Krull was honored as the Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Year.
Overall, eight Patriot League student-athletes were named unanimous first team all-League selections, including Hammel, Rubas and Coenen. Boston University junior midfielder Allie Doggett and senior midfielder Kali Shumock, Bucknell senior defender Stephanie Dressler, Holy Cross senior forward Maureen Connolly and Lafayette senior midfielder Ellen Colbourne were also unanimous first team all-League selections.
The Eagles led the way with six members of the all-League team, including three on the first-team and three on the second-team. The Terriers placed five on the all-League team, with three first-team selections, while Bucknell had four student-athletes earn all-League recognition, including two on the first-team. Holy Cross and Lafayette had three all-League selections apiece, while Colgate and Lehigh each had one.
Voting for the All-Patriot League Team and major awards was conducted by the Patriot League’s seven field hockey head coaches, who were not allowed to cast votes for their own student-athletes or themselves.
Hammel, who was selected as the preseason defensive player of the year in August, finished the regular-season with five goals and one assist for 11 points, while leading a defense that limited opponents to just 1.72 goals per game. In League play, Hammel and the Terriers allowed four goals in six games. Doggett, a unanimous first-team honoree, finished the season with one assist, while contributing to the Terriers’ stifling defense. Shumock (3 goals, 9 assists, 15 points) had six of her nine assists in League play, helping the offense maintain a 3.83 scoring margin. Freshman forward Ailsa Connolly (10 goals, 20 points) earned second-team honors after leading her team in goals. She was joined on the second-team by sophomore midfielder Kiley Gallagher (2 goals, 4 assists). Starr guided the Terriers to a perfect 6-0 finish in League play, as the team has lost just three regular-season matches since joining the Patriot League in 2013.
Rubas (12 goals, 9 assists, 33 points) makes the first-team for the third-consecutive season, after leading the Eagles’ offense. Coenen (15 goals, 3 assists, 33 points) had an impressive rookie campaign, finishing among the League’s leaders in goals. Junior midfielder Megan Benson is a first-time, first-team all-League honoree, while junior defender Rachel Stefano earns a spot on the second-team for the second-consecutive season. She is joined on the second-team by senior forward Haley Bowcutt and junior goalkeeper Maura Jacobs.
Dressler (5 goals, 1 assist, 11 points) led a strong Bucknell defense that captured the third-seed in the Patriot League Championships. She is joined on the first-team by junior defender Lexi Quick, a two-time Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week. Sophomore forward Brittany Willwerth (7 goals, 6 assists, 20 points) highlights the Bison’s second-team selections after finishing sixth in the League in points. Senior goalkeeper Emily Finn (.696 save pct., 2.29 GAAvg.) also earns a spot on the second-team.
The Crusaders’ Connolly (19 goals, 9 assists, 47 points) led the Patriot League in goals and points for the second-consecutive season, while finishing fifth in the nation in points. She was joined on the first-team by junior midfielder Emily Loprete (9 goals, 4 assists, 22 points). Senior midfielder Rachel Lapar (2 goals, 2 assists, 6 points) earned second-team honors.
Lafayette’s Colbourne (3 goals, 5 assists, 11 points) earns all-League honors for the second time, making the first-team for the first-time. Sophomore defender Lisa van der Geest (2 goals, 7 assists, 11 points) was selected to the second-team, joining senior defender Cody Hunsicker (2 goals).
Colgate’s Krull, once again, finished among the nation’s leaders in saves per game (9.71) and save percentage (.786), while lowering her goals against average to 2.54, to earn goalkeeper of the year and first-team honors. She is the Raiders’ first major award winner since Kristen Lalli earned Goalkeeper of the Year in 2010.
Lehigh senior midfielder Jackie Renda is a two-time, all-League second-team honoree after finishing with three assists and leading an improved Mountain Hawk defense to a fifth-place finish in the League.
The 2017 Patriot League Field Hockey Tournament will begin on Friday, November 3 at New Balance Field on the campus of Boston University. Friday’s first semifinal matchup features the top-seed Terriers against No. 4 Holy Cross at noon. No. 2 American will take on No. 3 Bucknell at 3 p.m. The winners of the semifinal matchups will meet on Sunday at noon. All three games will be streamed live on the Patriot League Network.
2017 Patriot League Field Hockey Major Awards
Offensive Player of the Year: Rafaela Rubas, American, Jr., M
Defensive Player of the Year: Ally Hammel, Boston University, Jr., D
Goalkeeper of the Year: Maria Krull, Colgate, Sr., GK
Rookie of the Year: Noor Coenen, American, Fr., F/M
Coach of the Year: Sally Starr, Boston University
(Listed alphabetically by team)
2017 All-Patriot League Field Hockey First Team ^
Megan Benson, American, Jr., M
Noor Coenen, American, Fr., F/M*
Rafaela Rubas, American, Jr., M*
Allie Doggett, Boston University, Jr., M*
Ally Hammel, Boston University, Jr., D*
Kali Shumock, Boston University, Sr., M*
Stephanie Dressler, Bucknell, Sr., D*
Lexi Quick, Bucknell, Jr., D
Maria Krull, Colgate, Sr., GK
Maureen Connolly, Holy Cross, Sr., F*
Emily Loprete, Holy Cross, Jr., M/D
Ellen Colbourne, Lafayette, Sr., M*
2017 All-Patriot League Field Hockey Second Team^
Haley Bowcutt, American, Sr., F
Rachel Stefano, American, Jr., D
Maura Jacobs, American, Jr., GK
Ailsa Connolly, Boston University, Fr., F
Kiley Gallagher, Boston University, So., M
Emily Finn, Bucknell, Bucknell, Sr., GK
Brittany Willwerth, Bucknell, So., F
Rachel Lapar, Holy Cross, Sr., M
Lisa van der Geest, Lafayette, So., D
Cody Hunsicker, Lafayette, Sr., D
Lenke Havas, Lehigh, Fr., M
Jackie Renda, Lehigh, Sr., M
*Unanimous first-team selection
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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.