Conference

Piscataway, NJ - Quinnipiac goalie Sarah Mathers (Garden City, NY/Garden City) was selected the Northeast Conference Field Hockey Player of the Year in a vote by league head coaches. Monmouth freshman forward Kellie Nurko (Robbinsville, NJ/Allentown) claimed Rookie of the Year honors after finishing fourth in the NEC with 18 points (8 goals & 2 assists). Monmouth’s Monica Morgan Levy garnered Coach of the Year recognition after leading the Hawks to a place in the NEC Field Hockey championship game in only the team’s third year of varsity competition.

Mathers had an outstanding season in goal for Quinnipiac. The sophomore GK led the NEC lead with 5 shutouts (all coming in league games), while posting a league-leading 2.07 goals against average. She also was one of only two players to claim NEC Player of the Week honors twice this season. Mathers’ solid work in net also enabled QC to lead the NEC in team goals against average, as they held opponents to a meager 2.01 goals per game.

Quinnipiac led all NEC teams with five all-Conference honorees, including Player of the Year Sarah Mathers. Senior F Catie Canetti (Guilford, CT/Guilford) led the NEC in scoring this season with 31 points (12 goals & 7 assists), while junior F Heather Cady (Holliston, MA/Holliston) ranked second in the league with 24 points (11 goals & 2 assists). Canetti also stands as the all-time scoring leader at Quinnipiac with 49 career points (20 goals & 9 assists). Senior MF Denice Horsfield (Selden, NY/Centereach) was one of QC’s true team leaders, and she also ranked fourth in the league with 5 assists on the season. Senior D Lauren Labrecque (Little Silver, NJ/Red Bank Regional) emerged as one of the NEC’s top defenders, as her work helped QC lead the league in goals against average. Labrecque also displayed some offensive flair, recording 4 points (1 goal & 2 assists) on the year.

Monmouth, which established a new school record for victories this fall with 8, placed 3 players on the all-Conference squad. Rookie of the Year Kellie Nurko headlines a group that also includes junior MF Marie Uzzo (Pelham, NY/Pelham) and junior D Maggie Bomenblit (Toms River, NJ/Toms River North). Uzzo, an all-NEC pick in 1998, continued to establish herself as one of the league’s top players as she registered 10 points (5 goals). Uzzo also made her goals count, as three of her tallies went as game-winners in league matches. Bomenblit, who also was an all-NEC selection in 1998, played steady defense throughout the season and recorded a team-high 4 defensive saves this fall.

A pair of Rider players, junior F Tracey Speck (W. Long Branch, NJ/Shore Regional) and junior D Erika Tocce (Washington, NJ/Belvidere), received all-NEC accolades for the 2nd consecutive year. Speck, one of the NEC’s most dangerous offensive threats, recorded 19 points (5 goals & 9 assists) to finish third in the league, and her 9 assists (0.50 per game) were tops in the Conference. Tocce entered this campaign as one of the league’s most sturdy defenders, and she further solidified her reputation by notching 5 defensive saves on the year.

Siena senior MF Jami Stariknok (Springfield, VT/Springfield) becomes the first Saint to ever earn a spot on the all-NEC team. One of the league’s most versatile performers, Stariknok posted 6 defensive saves while also contributing 1 goal.