YORK, Pa. - Salisbury, Christopher Newport and Mary Washington headlined the 2015 All-CAC Field Hockey Team as those three squads combined for more than half of the spots on the team. Salisbury led the way with six selections, while CNU and UMW both had five players earn All-CAC honors.
UMW senior forward Jenna Steele and Eagles’ head coach Lindsey Elliott were selected as the CAC Player of the Year and Coach of the Year, respectively. Steele becomes the eighth UMW player to claim Player of the Year recognition, while Elliott earned her second Coach of the Year honor, with the other coming in 2012. The Player of the Year honor adds to a long list of career accolades for Steele, who secured her second straight first-team All-CAC nod and fourth overall. Steele was also the Rookie of the Year in 2012.
Joining Steele on the 2015 all-conference first team for UMW were a trio of fellow seniors - midfielder Haley Kane, back Carlee Budd and back Kathleen Namey. It was Kane’s third straight season as a first-team all-star and the fourth all-conference award in her career. Budd earned her second straight first-team nod and third All-CAC honor, while Namey secured first team accolades after receiving second team accolades in 2013 and 2014.
Freshman goalkeeper Jessica Cavolt rounded out the Eagles’ all-conference honorees as a second team pick.
Salisbury, which captured the CAC Championship for the third straight season, earned a conference-best six spots on the All-CAC team.
Senior forward Samantha Johnson captured her third all-conference award, making the first team for the second time, senior back Breck Sullivan was named to the first team for the second straight year, and junior midfielder Hannah Miller landed on the first team for the first time after grabbing second team honors last season
Senior forward Courtney Jantzen, senior back Amanda Cooper and junior midfielder Annah Brittingham were selected to the All-CAC second team for the Sea Gulls. It was the third all-conference award for both Jantzen and Cooper, while Brittingham was named an all-star for the first time.
Five CNU players received spots on the all-conference team, including 2015 CAC Co-Rookie of the Year Brittan Muir. Muir was the only CAC freshman and one of four Captains to earn first team recognition. Senior forward Lauren Cheatham and junior goalkeeper Bailey Lien were repeat first team selections, and senior midfielder Lisa Murphy claimed first team honors after landing on the second team last year.
York, Wesley and St. Mary’s all had three players receive All-CAC honors.
The list of York all-stars features a pair of first-team selections - sophomore forward Ali Posey and senior midfielder Holly Martin - along with second team junior back Sydney Lamarsh and CAC Co-Rookie of the Year forward Lindsay Nye. Nye is the third York player to earn Rookie of the Year accolades, joining Posey and 2005 winner April McFarland. The first team award is the second straight for Posey, while Martin claimed All-CAC honors for the first time. Lamarsh was also a second team all-star in 2014.
St. Mary’s junior forward Brady Wolf, senior midfielder Grace Reingruber and senior back Emily Smithers were second team all-stars. Reingruber was a member of the second team for the third straight season, while Wolf nabbed her second career all-conference honor after being a second team pick and Rookie of the Year in 2013.
Wesley secured a trio of second team all-stars. Senior forward Renee Schneider, junior midfielder Lauren Niezgoda and junior back Morgan Seymour each earned the honor for the first time.
Senior forward Alexandra Darrow represented Frostburg State on the second team as all seven CAC squads gained at least one position on the 2015 All-CAC team. Darrow is a first-time all-conference honoree for the Bobcats.