BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Bucknell junior forward Lily Neilson and American graduate student defender Charllene Boshoff were selected the Patriot League Field Hockey Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year, respectively, when the League office announced postseason major awards and All-League teams on Tuesday.
Neilson claimed her second-consecutive Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year after leading the League in goals per game (0.92) and points per game (2.00).
Patriot League regular-season champion American collected two of the five major awards, including Boshoff as the defensive player of the year and Steve Jennings, who claimed Patriot League Coach of the Year for the 11th time.
Holy Cross senior goalkeeper Brooke Ross captured Patriot League Field Hockey Goalkeeper of the Year after leading the League and ranking fifth in NCAA DI with a .805 save percentage. Lafayette freshman midfielder Stella Malinowski earned Patriot League Rookie of the Year, finishing with eight goals and two assists for 18 points, tops among all League freshmen.
Lafayette placed a League-high five student-athletes on the two All-Patriot League teams, while American and Boston University each had four selections. Bucknell, Holy Cross and Lehigh had three representatives apiece. Colgate finished with one honoree.
The Patriot League’s seven field hockey head coaches voted on the League’s major awards and All-League teams. They were not eligible to vote for their student-athletes or themselves.
2023 Patriot League Field Hockey Offensive Player of the Year
Lily Neilson, Bucknell, Jr., Forward, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia/The Armidale School
2023 Stats: 14 GP, 13 goals, 2 assists, 28 points, 4 game-winning goals, .684 SOG%
*Neilson led the Patriot League and ranked 12th in NCAA DI in goals per game (0.929) while leading the League and placing 14th in the nation in points per game (2.00).
*The two-time Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year finished with six goals and 13 points in six League games to rank atop the League in both categories, helping the Bison score a League-best 2.67 goals per game.
*She earned Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week four times in 2023 to help Bucknell earn a spot in the four-team League championship field.
2023 Patriot League Field Hockey Defensive Player of the Year
Charllene Boshoff, American, Gr., Defender, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa/St. John’s D.S.G.
2023 Stats: 11 GP, 7 goals, 14 points, 3 game-winning goals, 1 defensive save, .704 SOG%
*Boshoff anchored an American defensive unit that held League opponents to 1.00 goal per game to claim the Patriot League regular-season title by going 6-0.
*The two-time First Team All-Patriot League selection scored seven goals, including three in League play to rank fourth.
*She earned Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 25 after leading an Eagles’ back line that held Lafayette to three shots on goal while scoring two goals.
2023 Patriot League Field Hockey Goalkeeper of the Year
Brooke Ross, Holy Cross, Sr., Goalkeeper, Winchester, Mass./Winchester
2023 Stats: 17 GP, 1024.30 Min., 1.99 GAA, 0.805 SV%, 3 SHO
*Ross led the Patriot League and ranked fifth in NCAA DI with a .805 save percentage while also leading the League and placing second in the nation with 8.24 saves per game.
*The two-time Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Week tied for the Patriot League with three shutouts.
*The Winchester, Mass. native averaged a Patriot League-best 9.0 saves per game in League play while tying for the League lead with two shutouts against League opponents.
2023 Patriot League Field Hockey Rookie of the Year
Stella Malinowski, Lafayette, Fr., Midfielder, Vancouver, B.C., Canada/Little Flower Academy
2023 Stats: 17 GP, 8 goals, 2 assists, 18 points, .576 SOG%
*Malinowski finished fifth in the Patriot League with eight goals, ranking first among all League rookies. Her 18 points was also the top mark among all League freshmen.
*The three-time Patriot League Rookie of the Week finished with two goals and one assist for five points in six League games to help the Leopards go 5-1.
*The freshman midfielder scored one goal in two of the Leopards’ last four games. She posted multi-goal games, with three against Fairfield (Sept. 17) and two versus Colgate (Oct. 7).
2023 Patriot League Field Hockey Coach of the Year
Steve Jennings, American
*Jennings led American to an undefeated 6-0 League record and the program’s 13th regular-season title since joining the Patriot League in 2001.
*In League play, American averaged 2.16 goals per game and allowed 1.00 goal per game, ranking third with a +1.17 scoring margin
*He claimed his 11th Patriot League Coach of the Year of his career.
2023 Patriot League Field Hockey Major Awards
Offensive Player of the Year – Lily Neilson, Bucknell, Jr., F
Defensive Player of the Year – Charllene Boshoff, American, Gr., D
Goalkeeper of the Year – Brooke Ross, Holy Cross, Sr., GK
Rookie of the Year – Stella Malinowski, Lafayette, Fr., F/M
Coach of the Year – Steve Jennings, American
2023 First Team All-Patriot League Field Hockey
Charllene Boshoff, American, Gr., D
Tayla-Jade Weiss, American, Jr., D
Payton Anderson, Boston University, Jr., D
Thalia Steenssens, Boston University, Sr., M
Lily Neilson, Bucknell, Jr., F
Kira Leclercq, Bucknell, So., D
Ella Murphy, Colgate, Sr., M
Brooke Ross, Holy Cross, Sr., GK
Lineke Spaans, Lafayette, Jr., M
Makenzie Switzer, Lafayette, So., D
Julia Gatelein, Lehigh, Sr., M
2023 Second Team All-Patriot League Field Hockey*
Bryn Underwood, American, Sr., GK
Emilia Winkler, American, Fr., M
Rachel Borzymowski, Boston University, Sr., B
Martu Coulo, Boston University, So., F/M
Gianna Puorro, Bucknell, So., F
Haley Davis, Holy Cross, Sr., D
Sarah Potter, Holy Cross, Sr., A
Laine Delmotte, Lafayette, Jr., M
Stella Malinowski, Lafayette, Fr., F/M
Josephine van Wijk, Lafayette., So., M
Lotte Smorenburg, Lehigh, Sr., D
Kiki Mes, Lehigh, So., M
*An additional student-athlete has been added to the second team due to a tie in the voting
2023 All-Patriot League Field Hockey by the Numbers
Twelve of the 23 All-Patriot League field hockey selections are multi-year honorees, including Neilson, American senior goalkeeper Bryn Underwood, Boston University junior defender Payton Anderson and senior back Rachel Borzymowski, Lafayette junior midfielder Lineke Spaans and Lehigh senior midfielder Julia Gatelein received honors for the third time. Underwood and Anderson were the goalkeeper and defensive player of the year in 2022. Underwood (2020-21) and Spaans (2021) were previously named Patriot League Rookie of the Year.
Boshoff, Boston University senior midfielder Thalia Steenssens and sophomore forward/midfielder Martu Coulo, Bucknell sophomore defender Kira Leclercq and Lehigh sophomore midfielder Kiki Mes are two-time All-League honorees.
Eleven student-athletes earned All-League recognition for the first time, including American junior defender Tayla-Jade Weiss and freshman midfielder Emilia Winkler, Bucknell sophomore forward Gianna Puorro, Holy Cross’s Ross, senior defender Haley Davis and senior attacker Sarah Potter, Lafayette’s Malinowski and sophomore midfielder Josephine van Wijk and Lehigh senior defender Lotte Smorenburg.
ABOUT THE PATRIOT LEAGUE
The Patriot League is in its fourth 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.