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
###
