FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 10, 2015
Kelly Named Longstreth/NFHCA National Player of the Year
NFHCA Release | Stonehill Release
MANSFIELD, Mass. – Stonehill senior forward Erika Kelly has been named the 2015 Longstreth / NFHCA Division II National Player of the Year, it was announced by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) on Wednesday.
Kelly, who was honored as the Northeast-10 Player of the Year last month, recently garnered All-America recognition for the third straight year and was tabbed the East Region Player of the Year by both the NFHCA and Synapse Sports. She is the first national player of the year and three-time All-American in the history of Stonehill’s field hockey program.
The Watertown, Mass., native led all of NCAA Division II with 65 points and 27 goals this season. Kelly shattered the NE-10 career goals record by collecting 98 during her four seasons with the Skyhawks, breaking the conference mark that was previously held by UMass Lowell’s Sammy Macy.
Kelly capped her Stonehill career as one of just five players in Division II history to eclipse 200 points, finishing third all-time with 217. Her NE-10 record 98 career goals rank second all-time in Division II history. She also finished her career ranked seventh in program history with 21 assists, finishing third in the country this season with 11, while her 19 career game-winners is a school record, potting a record 10 as a sophomore.
She led Stonehill to its second consecutive NE-10 title, scoring both goals in a 2-1 victory over Assumption, including the game-winner on a penalty corner shot after time had expired. Kelly, who earned All-Tournament Team honors for both the NE-10 and NCAA Championships, helped the Skyhawks land a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Championship.
"Erika is a special player and Stonehill is fortunate to have had her for the past four seasons," said Stonehill head coach Susan Ciufo, who recently completed her first season in charge of the field hockey program. "Erika worked hard this season to overcome many obstacles, including an injury. Her presence will be missed, but we are so proud of her and her impact on our program. To cap her career with such an amazing honor is only fitting and we are grateful to those who recognized her hard work this season to make this possible."
Kelly becomes the first Northeast-10 student-athlete to earn national player of the year accolades since Bentley women’s basketball standout Lauren Battista collected the honor back in 2014.
Additional information provided by the Stonehill Athletic Communications staff.
ABOUT THE NORTHEAST-10
The Northeast-10 Conference is an association of 15 NCAA Division II colleges and universities located in New England and New York that is committed to supporting balanced academic and athletic opportunities for more than 6,500 student-athletes.
Each year, 4,500 of those student-athletes compete in conference championships in 24 sports, making the NE-10 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 Northeast-10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.
