FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MANSFIELD, Mass. – Stonehill senior Kacie Smith has been named the 2018 Northeast 10 Conference Field Hockey Player of the Year, as announced on Wednesday by the league office, along with the All-Conference teams. It's the third-consecutive year that the record-breaking Smith has earned the award.
For a complete list of all-conference members and award winners, as voted upon by the league's coaches, please see below. Overall, Merrimack led the way with eight all-conference selections, including a league-best three on the First Team.
A six-time NE10 Player of the Week this season, Smith has scored 31 goals so far this season - leading all of Division II in goals (1.63) and points (3.79) per game. She leads the NE10 in goals (31) and points (72), while also becoming just the second player in NCAA Division II history to net 100 or more goals in her career - an achievement made against Merrimack on Oct. 31. Smith is also Stonehill's program leader in career assists, adding to her offensive resume. She helped lead the Skyhawks to the No. 6 seed in the NE10 Championship, while pulling off an upset win over No. 3 LIU Post in the quarterfinals on Tuesday on Long Island. Smith also earned a spot on the All-Conference First Team.
Merrimack's Delaney Yule, an NFHCA Defensive Player of the Week selection this season, is the NE10 Defensive Player of the Year after helping the Warriors earn the No. 2 seed in the NE10 Championship. Behind Yule's play, Merrimack allowed just a 1.20 goals against average this season, surrendering just 23 goals in 19 games. Yule also contributed on the offensive end, scoring six goals and recording three assists for 15 total points, including four game-winning tallies. She is a First Team member for the second-straight season.
In addition to Yule, Merrimack's defense provided another award winner, as goalkeeper Katharina Ohmen has been selected as Goalkeeper of the Year - continuing her dominant season by allowing just one goal in a quarterfinal win against Bentley on Tuesday. She is a First Team player for the first time in her career, but her third-straight All-Conference season (Second Team in 2017, Rookie Team in 2016). Ohmen's save percentage of .805 is tops in the NE10, while recording the second-most wins (14) of any goalie in the league this season.
Pace's Grace Henderson was a big reason why the Setters entered the NE10 Championship as the No. 1 seed, as she recorded 17 victories in the cage this season, on her way to the league's Rookie of the Year honor. Her five shutouts were tied for second-most in the NE10, while her goals against average (0.73) and goals allowed (13) marks were the best of any goalkeeper in the league. Henderson ranks first in goals against average in all of Division II.
Pace head coach Kayte Kinsley earns recognition as NE10 Coach of the Year, after leading the Setters to the regular season championship with an undefeated mark of 13-0 in conference play. Kinsley, in just her third season at the helm with Pace, has led the team into the top spot of the East Region Rankings ahead of Monday's NCAA Selection Show.
Player of the Year
Kacie Smith, Stonehill
Defensive Player of the Year
Delaney Yule, Merrimack
Goalkeeper of the Year
Katharina Ohmen, Merrimack
Rookie of the Year
Grace Henderson, Pace
Coach of the Year
Kayte Kinsley, Pace
FIRST TEAM (14)*
Jackie Brown, Adelphi
Kolby Burger, Assumption
Tess Anderson, Bentley
Sammy Bell, LIU Post
Emily Miller, LIU Post
Mary McNeil, Merrimack
Katharina Ohmen, Merrimack
Delaney Yule, Merrimack
Paige Predmore, Pace
Halley Rose, Pace
Laura van der Doorn, SNHU
Cassidy Huckins, SNHU
Elaine Bachelder, Stonehill
Kacie Smith, Stonehill
SECOND TEAM (14)*
Dani Kempf, Adelphi
Chelsea Davis, AIC
Deirdre Burchill, Assumption
Raegan Moulton, Franklin Pierce
Rachel Vellis, LIU Post
Miranda Judd, Merrimack
Jane Kasparian, Pace
Mia Lennon, Pace
Brooke Haskell, Saint Anselm
Kaeleigh Lord, Saint Anselm
Maddy Dobecki, Saint Michael’s
Maddie Holt, SNHU
Michaela Antonellis, Stonehill
Mackenzie Greenberg, Stonehill
THIRD TEAM
Elissa Frein, Adelphi
Sarah Bodzinski, Assumption
Lucy Malia, Assumption
Sam Tepper, Assumption
Tarryn Morris, LIU Post
Samantha Bartush, Merrimack
Jessica Palmer, Merrimack
Taylor Geaglone, New Haven
Katrina Mikitish, Pace
Abby Walker, Saint Anselm
Faye Turkmen, SNHU
Carly Andersen, Stonehill
ALL-ROOKIE TEAM (14)*
Leah Savage, Adelphi
Lucy Malia, Assumption
Emma Braeckmans, LIU Post
Michaela Zabicki, LIU Post
Juliane Ohmen, Merrimack
Bridget Shannahan, Merrimack
Taylor Geaglone, New Haven
Alexis Rider, New Haven
Grace Henderson, Pace
Sarah Bagley, Saint Anselm
Carly LaCasse, Saint Anselm
Faye Turkmen, SNHU
Olivia Cameron, Stonehill
Charlotte Cloosterman, Stonehill
*Tie existed in voting.
ABOUT THE NE10
The NE10 is an association of 15 diverse institutions serving student-athletes across 24 NCAA Division II sports. Together we build brilliant futures by embracing the journey of every student-athlete.
Each year, 4,500 of those student-athletes compete in conference championships in 24 sports, making the NE10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the NE10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.