Heuser and Voormolen Highlight America East Field Hockey Awards for the Great Danes

AMERICA EAST RELEASE

DURHAM, N.H. – Senior forward Daphne Voormolen was named America East Field Hockey Offensive Player of the Year, and freshman Paula Heuser earned Midfielder of the Year and Rookie of the Year honors, the conference announced on Wednesday night.

Voormolen was the league’s Co-Offensive Player of the Year in 2012, and was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Performer last season. The senior has scored 15 goals this season, and ranks third in the league in goals and second in points (39). She scored program single-game high five goals in a 9-0 win over Sacred Heart earlier this season. She is the program’s Division I leader in career points (116) and goals (48). Voormolen ranks second all-time in both categories. The senior co-captain was also a unanimous pick for the All-Conference First Team for the second-straight year, and was selected to play in the NFHCA Senior Game on Nov. 23 in Virginia Beach.

Heuser garnered both Midfielder of the Year and Rookie of the Years honors for the first time in the conference’s history. She was named the league’s Rookie of the Week six times this season. The freshman is the league’s leader in points (42) and assists (10). She’s also tied for first in the league with 16 goals. Heuser became the program’s top single-season rookie scorer with two goals against UMass Lowell last weekend. She passed current assistant coach Michelle Simpson, who previously led the category with 14 goals. Simpson is the only other Great Dane to be named the league’s Midfielder of the Year. Heuser is three goals away from becoming the program’s all-time single-season scoring leader. In 19 games for the Great Danes, Heuser averages 2.21 points per game. She scored multiple goals in three of five America East games. The freshman was a unanimous All-Rookie and All-America East First Team selection.

Also making an appearance on the All-America East First Team for the second consecutive year is Corrine McConville. The senior has scored nine goals this season to go with six assists. She will graduate as UAlbany’s leader in penalty stroke goals (16) and attempts (17). McConville has started 82-consecutive games, and with a start against Maine will become the all-time leader in games started and played.

Defenders Jaclyn Hibbs and Jordyn Homyak made the second team, along with freshman goalkeeper Maxi Primus. Penalty corner specialist Fiori Van Rijswijk was also named to the second team. Hibbs and Primus were named unanimously to the All-Rookie team. Homyak was an All-Rookie selection in 2011, as was Van Rijswijk in 2012. Primus, Hibbs, Homyak, McConville and Van Rijswijk combined this season to allow just 1.16 goals against per game and post seven shutouts. Primus’s 14 wins in the cage marks a UAlbany program single-season record among goalkeepers.

Homyak, Van Rijswijk and Voormolen were recognized on the All-Academic squad. Student-athletes must have a 3.30 GPA and player in 50 percent or more of the team’s contests to be considered.

The Great Danes will play Maine in the America East semifinals on Thursday at 5 p.m., in a bid to win their second-straight league championship.

MAJOR AWARD WINNERS:

Offensive Player of the Year: Daphne Voormolen, Albany

Midfielder of the Year: Paula Heuser, Albany

Defensive Player of the Year: Megan Bozek, New Hampshire

Goalkeeper of the Year: Carlie Tarbell, New Hampshire

Rookie of the Year: Paula Heuser, Albany

Coaching Staff of the Year: New Hampshire (Head Coach, Robin Balducci)

 

ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS:

First-Team

*Paula Heuser, Fr.,  UAlbany

*Corrine McConville, Sr., UAlbany

*Daphne Voormolen, Sr., UAlbany

*Felicitas Heinen, Jr., Fairfield

*Annabelle Hamilton, Jr., Maine

Nicole Sevey, So., Maine

*Holly Stewart, Jr., Maine

*Megan Bozek, Sr., New Hampshire

*Meg Flatley, So., New Hampshire

*Casey Pohlmeyer, Sr., New Hampshire

*Carlie Tarbell, Sr., New Hampshire

 

^Second-Team

Jaclyn Hibbs, Fr., UAlbany

Jordyn Homyak, So.. UAlbany

Fiori Van Rijswijk So. UAlbany

Hillary Fitts, Sr., Fairfield

Julie de Paeuw, Fr., Fairfield

Shealyn Testa, Sr., Fairfield

Francesca Rowley, Sr., Maine

Sydney Veljacic, Fr., Maine

Maegan Grew, Jr., New Hampshire

Kellie Joyce, Jr., New Hampshire

Hannah Richard, Sr., New Hampshire

Melissa Woods, Sr., New Hampshire

Maxi Primus, Fr., UAlbany

All-Rookie Team (11 regardless of position)

*Paula Heuser, Fr., UAlbany

*Jaclyn Hibbs, Fr., UAlbany

*Maxi Primus, Fr., UAlbany

*Julie de Paeuw, Fr., Fairfield

*Danielle Aviani, Fr., Maine

*Natasha Ford, R-Fr., Maine

*Sydney Veljacic, Fr., Maine

*Eleonore Agneessens, Fr., UMass Lowell

*Georgia Cowderoy, Fr., UMass Lowell

*Aggie Sutherland, Fr., New Hampshire

*Amy Grenier, Fr., Vermont

All-Academic Team

Jordyn Homyak, UAlbany

Fiori Van Rijswijk, UAlbany

Daphne Voormolen, UAlbany

*Val Buurma, Fairfield

Felicitas Heinen, Fairfield

Becca Paradee, Maine

*Holly Stewart, Maine

Casey Pohlmeyer, New Hampshire

Andrea Byrne, UMass Lowell

Melanie Hopkins, UMass Lowell

Kelsey Bonner, Vermont

^ Due to a tied in voting, there are two additional second-team all-conference selections

* Unanimous Selection

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