NEW YORK – Heading into the BIG EAST Field Hockey Championship, presented by Jeep, this weekend, the league announced the All-BIG EAST Teams and major award winners for the 2016 regular season. BIG EAST regular-season champion, No. 4 Connecticut, garnered three major awards, including Nancy Stevens’ 10th BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year certificate. Conference newcomer Liberty also shared in major awards, earning two.
For a second consecutive year, UConn forward Charlotte Veitner was unanimously selected as BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year. UConn back Anna Middendorf and Liberty back Serena Barr were named Co-Defensive Players of the Year and Liberty’s Allison Schaefer claimed BIG EAST Freshman of the Year.
Connecticut, ranked fourth nationally, finished atop the league standings unbeaten (7-0) for the 10
th time and won the regular-season title for the 15
th time since the BIG EAST began playing a regular-season schedule in 1993. Holding an 18-1 overall record, the Huskies lead all of Division I teams in several categories, including scoring average (5.00 goals per game), scoring margin (3.81), goals per game (5.05) and points per game (14.11). They are also second in assists per game (4.00).
Named BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year for the second time in her career, Veitner maintained her reputation as a top offensive threat in the NCAA. The junior leads the country in points per game (3.16) and is second in goals per game (1.21). Veitner is also the top active career leader in goals per game (1.23), points per game (3.20), assists (48) and assists per game (0.74). Her season was highlighted by career-high six-goal game in the Huskies’ 8-0 shutout against then-No.14 Virginia.
Sharing in the top defensive award, Middendorf anchored the Huskies’ back line which recorded five shutouts and a national-leading overall record of 18-1. The Huskies outshot their opponents in every single game this season, with an on-goal shot total nearly three times their opponents. Additionally, Middendorf aided the offense by supplying 26 points with 11 goals and 4 assists.
Pacing Liberty’s defense, Barr helped the Lady Flames record two shutouts during the regular season, over Georgetown and Temple while helping them outscore their opponents 46-39 this season. The Lady Flames also held a 113-67 advantage over their opponents in penalty corners drawn in the regular season. The team ranks No. 21 in the country in penalty corners per game (7.06). The senior was also effective offensively for Liberty registering a team-high 25 points on 11 assists and seven goals.
Claiming top freshman honors, Schaefer checks in at 10th in the country in saves per game (6.88) and 16th in save percentage (.738). With only one season under her belt, the goalkeeper already ranks second in Liberty field hockey program history in single-season saves and third in program history in career saves with 110. She needs eight more to tie Liberty Alum, Ann Jefferis for the all-time single-season mark (118), set in 2011.
Veitner and S. Barr were two of three unanimous All-BIG EAST First Team selections. Liberty’s Bethany Barr was also an uncontested first-team pick.
UConn’s Middendorf and Casey Umstead, Liberty’s Agui Moroni, Providence’s Megan Guilbert, Adrienne Houle and Megan Hamilton, and Old Dominion’s Danielle Grega and Megan Byas all gathered First Team All-BIG EAST recognition.
Including the 12-person All-BIG EAST Second Team, the Huskies and the Lady Flames led all teams with six all-league citations apiece. Both No.4 UConn and Liberty claimed three first-team honors and two second-team recognitions. Providence listed four all-league honorees, followed by Old Dominion with three. Quinnipiac and Temple each garnered two all-league praises, while Georgetown and Villanova each earned one certificate.
BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year
Charlotte Veitner, Connecticut, Jr., F*
BIG EAST Defensive Players of the Year
Anna Middendorf, Connecticut, Sr., B
Serena Barr, Liberty, Sr., B
BIG EAST Freshman of the Year
Allison Schaefer, Liberty Fr. GK
Coaching Staff of the Year
Connecticut
All-BIG EAST First Team
Megan Guilbert, Providence, Jr., GK
Anna Middendorf, Connecticut, Sr., B
Serena Barr, Liberty, Sr., B*
Agui Moroni, Liberty, Fr., M
Bethany Barr, Liberty, Sr., M*
Charlotte Veitner, Connecticut, Jr., F*
Danielle Grega, Old Dominion, Jr., F
Casey Umstead, Connecticut, Jr., F/M
Adrienne Houle, Providence, Sr., M
Megan Hamilton, Providence, Jr., M
Megan Byas, Old Dominion, Sr., B
All-BIG EAST Second Team^
Nina Klein, Connecticut, RS-Jr., GK
Angie King, Quinnipiac, Sr., B
Floor Rozemeijer, Providence, Fr., B
Karlie Heistand, Connecticut, Jr., M
Abby Julius, Liberty, So., M
Rachael Mueller, Temple, Jr., F
Francesca Bello, Villanova, Jr, F
Chrissy Horn, Old Dominion, So., M
Savanna Reilly, Quinnipiac, Gr., F
Allison Schaefer, Liberty Fr. GK
Aliyah Graves-Brown, Georgetown, Sr., F
Paige Gross, Temple, Sr., M ^
^ ^extra members were added due to a tie in voting
*unanimous selection