Mack Named Big Ten Player, Offensive Player of the Year
11/7/2013 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Nov. 7, 2013
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- University of Michigan senior Rachael Mack (Bromsgrove, England/Bromsgrove School), a forward on the Wolverine field hockey team, has been named the Big Ten Player of the Year and Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year, the conference office announced Thursday (Nov. 7) in conjunction with the start of the Big Ten Tournament. She was a unanimous selection among league coaches as the offensive player honoree.
The Big Ten Player of the Year award, formerly the MVP/Athlete of the Year, returns in 2013 after being discontinued following the 2006 season. Mack is just the ninth player in Big Ten history to earn both the Player of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year awards in the same season and the first since Michigan's April Fronzoni claimed both in 2002.
Mack is the fourth different Wolverine player to garner Big Ten Player of the Year honors and the sixth to claim the Offensive Player of the Year award.
A two-time Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week this season (Sept. 17, Oct. 8), Mack posted seven goals and one assist for 15 points in conference play to lead the league in points and goals. She netted the match-clinching tally in all four U-M conference wins, including a pair of overtime game-winners. Overall, Mack has notched a career-high 21 goals and six assists for 48 points to lead the Big Ten and rank second nationally among goal and point leaders.
Mack earned All-Big Ten first team honors for the third straight season, twice as a unanimous selection. She was joined on the first team by senior/junior Ainsley McCallister (Ann Arbor, Mich./Huron HS), while sophomore Lauren Thomas (Aylesbury, England/Aylesbury HS) claimed second team accolades for the second year.
McCallister, who returned to the field this season after redshirting in 2012, posted two goals and two assists in Big Ten competition and owns a career-best six goals, eight assists and 20 points. A midfielder, McCallister is a primary contributor on the Wolverine penalty corner, splitting time this season between inserting and stick stopping.
Thomas, who has split time between midfield and sweeper, has two goals, four assists and eight points for the Wolverines this season. She is a member of the U-M defensive corps that has allowed an average of just 2.00 goals per game, holding teams to 3.63 penalty corners per game.
Fifth-year senior goalkeeper Haley Jones (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer HS) 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 Wolverines will open Big Ten Tournament action this morning (Thursday, Nov. 7) with a first-round contest against Iowa. The game is scheduled for a 10 a.m. start at Buckeye Varsity Field and will be streamed live via the Big Ten Digital Network as well as MGoBlue TV.
2013 ALL-BIG TEN FIELD HOCKEY HONORS
| First Team Audra Heilman, Jr., F/M, Indiana Natalie Cafone, So., F, Iowa Dani Hemeon, Jr., M, Iowa RACHAEL MACK, Sr., F, Michigan Ainsley McCallister, Jr., M, Michigan Abby Barker, Jr., F, Michigan State NIKKI PARSLEY, Sr., F/M, Northwestern Tara Puffenberger, Sr., M, Northwestern Laura Gebhart, Jr., F/M, Penn State BRITTANY GRZYWACZ, Sr., M/B, Penn State Kylie Licata, Jr., GK, Penn State | Second Team* Hannah Boyer, Sr., B, Indiana Sydney Supica, So., B/M, Indiana Karli Johansen, Sr., B, Iowa Lauren Thomas, So., B, Michigan Molly Cassidy, Sr., GK, Michigan State Kristen Henn, Sr., M, Michigan State Becky Stiles, Jr., M/B, Michigan State Lisa McCarthy, So., M/B, Northwestern Mona Frommhold, Sr., M, Ohio State Peanut Johnson, So., F, Ohio State Taylor Herold, Jr., F/M, Penn State Ashtin Klingler, Sr., F, Penn State |
Player of the Year: Rachael Mack, Michigan
Offensive Player of the Year: RACHAEL MACK, Michigan
Defensive Player of the Year: BRITTANY GRZYWACZ, Penn State
Freshman of the Year: Stephanie Norlander, Iowa
Coach of the Year: Tracey Fuchs, Northwestern
Unanimous selections in ALL CAPS
*Additional honorees due to ties
Sportsmanship Award Honorees
Emily Bowker, Indiana
Dani Hemeon, Iowa
Haley Jones, Michigan
Katherine Jamieson, Michigan State
Kelley Stump, Northwestern
Kaitlyn Wagner, Ohio State
Abby Fuhrman, Penn State
Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423
