Mack Headlines Wolverine All-Conference Quartet
11/1/2012 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Nov. 1, 2012
IOWA CITY, Iowa -- The University of Michigan field hockey team placed four players on the All-Big Ten Conference teams, the league announced Thursday (Nov. 1) in conjunction with the start of the Big Ten Tournament. Junior forward Rachael Mack (Bromsgrove, England/Bromsgrove School) was named All-Big Ten first team, while junior/sophomore back Leslie Smith (Hummelstown, Pa./Hershey HS), freshman back Lauren Thomas (Aylesbury, England/Aylesbury HS) and senior/junior goalkeeper Haley Jones (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer HS) received second team recognition.
Mack, who earned first-team honors for the second straight season, ranks third in the Big Ten in goals and points and enters the Big Ten Tournament leading the Wolverine squad with 17-7-41 totals. One of three unanimous selections to the squad, Mack was a second-team selection as a freshman (2010) and is a two-time NFHCA All-American.
Smith and Thomas serve as contributing members of the U-M defensive corps that has allowed an average of just 1.61 goals per game, holding teams to 5.78 penalty corners per game during the regular season. As the inserter on the Wolverines' penalty corner this season, Smith boasts career highs with seven goals, 11 assists and 25 points. She tallied her first career hat trick in U-M's home opener against Delaware (Sept. 1) and has scored three goals on penalty strokes.
Thomas, one of two primary strikers on U-M's corner unit, owns four goals and two assists on the season. She has scored three markers over the Wolverines' last four contests, including two in a road victory at Indiana. Thomas is the third Michigan rookie to earn All-Big Ten selection in three years, joining Mack (2010) and Aline Fobe (2011).
After splitting time in each of the last two seasons, Jones has started every game in the U-M cage this year, boasting career highs with 13 wins, 97 saves and a .782 save percentage. She recorded double-digit saves in five games, including three in Big Ten competition, and earned five shutouts on the year.
Senior Liesl Morris (Lafayette, N.J./The Taft School) was selected as Michigan's recipient of the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award, given annually to student-athletes who distinguish themselves through good sportsmanship and ethical behavior, as well as demonstrate academic excellence and good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting.
The 13th-ranked Wolverines will open Big Ten Tournament action this afternoon (Thursday, Nov. 1) with a first-round contest against Ohio State. The game is scheduled for a 4 p.m. CDT start at Grant Field and will be streamed live via the MGoBlue.com All-Access player.
2012 All-Big Ten Field Hockey Honors
| FIRST TEAM# Morgan Fleetwood, Sr., M/F, Indiana JESSICA BARNETT, Sr., B, Iowa Kathleen McGraw, Sr., GK, Iowa Rachael Mack, Jr., F, U-M Abby Barker, So., F, Michigan State Chelsea Armstrong, Sr., F/M, Northwestern Nikki Parsley, Jr., M, Northwestern Tara Puffenberger, Jr., M, Northwestern Paula Pastor-Pitarque, Sr., M, Ohio State KELSEY AMY, Sr., F, Penn State Laura Gebhart, So., M, Penn State Brittany Grzywacz, Jr., B, Penn State * unanimous selection # additional honorees due to ties | SECOND TEAM# Hannah Boyer, Jr., B, Indiana Audra Heilman, So., M, Indiana Sarah Drake, Sr., F, Iowa Geena Lesiak, Sr., M, Iowa Marike Stribos, Jr., M/B, Iowa Haley Jones, Sr., GK, U-M Leslie Smith, So., B, U-M Lauren Thomas, Fr., B, U-M Kristen Henn, Jr., B, Michigan State Becky Stiles, So., M, Michigan State Lisa McCarthy, Fr., B, Northwestern Arielle Cowie, Jr., M, Ohio State Danica Deckard, Sr., F, Ohio State Berta Queralt, Jr., F, Ohio State Ashtin Klingler, Jr., F, Penn State |
Offensive Player of the Year: Kelsey Amy, Penn State
Defensive Player of the Year: Brittany Grzywacz, Penn State
Freshman of the Year: Lisa McCarthy, Northwestern
Coach of the Year: Charlene Morett, Penn State
Sportsmanship Award Honorees
Maggie Olson, Indiana
Marike Stribos, Iowa
Liesl Morris, U-M
Corey Block, Michigan State
Amanda Wirth, Northwestern
Laura Napolitano, Ohio State
Hannah Allison, Penn State
Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423
