November 15, 2019

SUNYAC Releases 2019 Field Hockey End of Season Awards

CORTLAND, N.Y. - The State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) announces the 2019 field hockey annual awards. The conference coaches voted for the Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Coach of the Year, and the All-Conference teams.

Offensive Player of the Year: Haley Clark, Geneseo

Haley Clark, the Geneseo junior, started all 21 matches for the Knights this season and played an important part in the team reaching a 19-2 overall record so far this season. She currently has 42 points with 15 goals and 12 assists as well as five game-winning goals, and a .690 shot on goal percentage. Clark's name is seen throughout the top of the SUNYAC stats leader board including points, goals, assists, shots, and shots on goal. The SUNYAC tournament brought the best out in Clark, in the first round she scored two goals in the 5-1 win against No. 4 Oneonta. In the SUNYAC Championship game against Cortland she scored in the fourth quarter, tying the game at 2-2. After each team scored one more the game remained tied, 3-3, into double overtime when teammate Erin Nolan scored and Geneseo took home its third overall SUNYAC crown.

Defensive Player of the Year: Julia Kim, Geneseo

The Geneseo Knight's senior, Julia Kim, started all 21 of the games this season and anchored a very strong defense to the least amount of goals allowed in the conference (26). This is the second year in a row that Kim has won Defensive Player of the Year. With one of the best defenses in the SUNYAC, Geneseo finished the regular season ranked No. 1. During the first round of the SUNYAC tournament, she scored the first goal for Geneseo to give them a 1-0 lead against Oneonta. The Knights went on to defeat the Red Dragons, 5-1 and advanced to the championship game where they defeated Cortland 4-3 in double overtime.

Rookie of the Year: Maggie Phipps, Geneseo

In her first season, freshman Maggie Phipps started 20 out of the 21 games for Geneseo and helped them to a 19-2 overall record so far this season. Phipps has 12 goals and seven assists to total 31 points as well as a .688 shot on goal percentage and one game-winning goal. Phipps is tied No. 2 for points in the conference. The Knights, ranked No. 1 in the region, earned a bye into the second round of the NCAA tournament.

Coach of the Year: Margaret McConnell, Geneseo

McConnell is in her second season on the Knights' sideline with a season record of 19-2 so far. Geneseo finished the regular season ranked No. 1 in the conference for its tenth-consecutive postseason berth. In the first round of the SUNYAC championship, the team defeated No. 4 seed Oneonta 5-1. In the championship round, Geneseo came back from a 2-0 deficit to win the game in double overtime, 4-3. In McConnell's second season with the team, she led the Knights to their first SUNYAC title since 2012. Geneseo earned an automatic bid into the NCAA tournament and a first round bye. The Knights will face MIT at The College of New Jersey, Saturday.

2019 Field Hockey All-Conference Teams (Click here for PDF)

Name	School	Yr.	Pos.	Hometown / High School
First Team
Hannah Burchell	Cortland	Sr.	F/M	Whitney Point, N.Y. / Whitney Point
Molly Quinlan	Cortland	Sr.	F/M	Fayetteville, N.Y. / Fayetteville-Manlius
Haley Clark	Geneseo	Jr.	F	Rocky Point, N.Y. / Rocky Point
Julia Kim	Geneseo	Sr.	D	Mohegan Lake, N.Y. / Lakeland
Jordan Penkitis	Geneseo	Jr.	M	Pittsford, N.Y. / Pittsford-Mendon
Maggie Phipps	Geneseo	Fr.	F	Fairport, N.Y. / Fairport
Jessica Ascencao	New Paltz	So.	M/B	Mohegan Lake, N.Y. / Lakeland High School
Carly Croteau	New Paltz	Jr.	F	Bayport, N.Y. / Bayport-Bluepoint
Natasia Plunkett	New Paltz	Fr.	F	Stittsville, N.Y. / Holland Patent
Grace Bilow	Oneonta	Jr.	F	Webster, N.Y. / Webster Thomas
Marisa D'Amico	Cortland	Sr.	G	Smithtown, N.Y. / Smithtown West
Second Team
Renee Lauer	Brockport	So.	F	Tonawanda, N.Y. / Sweet Home
Meaghan Lurz	Brockport	Jr.	F	Penefield, N.Y. / Penfield
Lily Fox	Cortland	Fr.	F	Northport, N.Y. / Northport
Sara Reardon	Cortland	Sr.	M/B	Little Falls, N.Y. / Little Falls
Elisa Arcara	Geneseo	Sr.	F	Harrison, N.Y. / Harrison
Kelly McKeveny	Geneseo	Jr.	D	Holbrook, N.Y. / Sachem East
Erin Nolan	Geneseo	Sr.	F	Commack, N.Y. / Commack
Shannon Bernhardt	New Paltz	So.	F/M	Massapequa, N.Y. / Massapequa High School
Alise Anson	Oneonta	Sr.	F	Stone Ridge, N.Y. / Rondout Valley
Emily Raymond	Oneonta	So.	F	Deposit, N.Y. / Deposit
Mackenzie Mortimer	New Paltz	So.	G	Fairport, N.Y. / Fairport