LONG BRANCH, NJ – Highlighted by five major awards, the Monmouth University field hockey team, the 2016 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Regular Season Champions, landed seven players on All-MAAC teams, announced at the pre-championship banquet Thursday night at The Ocean Place. Junior Julie Laszlo (Rotterdam, Netherlands/Rotterdams Montessori Lyceum) was the unanimous selection for Player of the Year and also took home MAAC Defensive Player of the Year honors, while senior Alyssa Ercolino (West Long Branch, NJ/Shore Regional) was named the Offensive Player of the Year. For the second year in a row, Christen Piersanti (Bridgewater, NJ/Bridgewater-Raritan) was tabbed the league's goalkeeper of the year, while head coach Carli Figlio was recognized by her peers as the MAAC Coach of the Year.
Figlio, in her 10th year, earns her third Coach of the Year accolade and second in three seasons. She guided her team to a 15-2 overall record and a 6-0 league mark, both program bests, as her squad captured its third-straight MAAC Regular Season Title.
Joining Laszlo, Ercolino and Piersanti on the first team are senior Casey Hanna (Seaville, NJ/Ocean City) and junior Meg Donahue (Wyomissing, PA/Berks Catholic), while junior Sydney Southard (Lorton, VA/South County) and freshman Josephine van der Hoop (Rotterdam, Netherlands/Wolfert van Borselem) represented the Blue and White on the second team.
Laszlo collects the program's fifth player of the year accolade, while West Long Branch has been home to the defensive player four-straight seasons. The junior collected a team-best seven weekly honors, including five defensive accolades, as she helped guide Monmouth on both ends of the field. Laszlo has seven defensive saves, which ranks fourth nationally, and helped the defensive corps record 10 shutouts, a new program record. The Netherlands native also contributed on the offensive end, recording a team-leading 39 points on 13 goals, including three game-winning markers, and 13 assists.
Piersanti, who was the first Hawk all-time to be named a league goalkeeper of the year last season, backstopped the Hawks' stifling defensive unit. The junior netminder got the start in all 17 games this season, playing in all but one half, recording a nation-leading 0.97 goals against average, while her .795 save percentage stands second amongst the other 78 goalkeepers in the country. Piersanti recorded a shutout in five of the six league games this season, good for a 0.33 GAA in conference play.
Ercolino, who was named a NFHCA Senior Game alternate, earns her first major award and becomes the third Hawk all-time to be named a conference offensive player of the year. The local product, who joined the 50-point club this season, started all 17 games this season compiling 12 goals, including a team-high four game-winning tallies, while dishing out 10 assists, good for 34 points, which all stand as career-bests. The midfielder, who lands on an all-league team for the third time, has started all 75 games of her career and ranks second in assists (28) and sixth all-time in points (76) and goals (24).
Hanna makes her third-straight appearance on the All-MAAC First Team, starting all 17 games on the backline. The NFHCA Senior Game participant has helped the Monmouth defense succeed all season as the Hawks enter the postseason ranked in the top-10 nationally in four defensive categories. The two-time MAAC Defender of the Year has also gotten into the offensive mix, registering 11 points on three goals and five assists. A two-time NFHCA All-Mid Atlantic Team recipient, Hanna has started all but two of her 75 career games and compiled 25 career points on eight goals and nine helpers, while recording 12 defensive saves.
Donahue is named all-league for the third-straight season, being named to the first team for the second consecutive season. The third-year Hawk saw action in all 17 games, starting all but one on the forward line. Donahue, who was a perfect 3-for-3 in penalty strokes this season, compiled 23 points on eight goals and seven assists. The Wyomissing, PA native's five-point outburst at Temple made her the eighth player in program history to crack the 50-point plateau.
Southard played every minute of 16 games en route to her third consecutive appearance on the All-MAAC Second Team. The junior was a part of the defensive unit that led the MAAC in all defensive categories. Southard, who recorded two shots on the year, posted a career-best three defensive saves.
In her rookie campaign, van der Hoop, who garnered three-straight MAAC Rookie of the Week honors, made an immediate impact to the Hawks' front line. The Netherlands native posted six goals, including two game-winners, while adding a pair of assists to compile 14 points.
In addition to the all-league awards being announced, the conference announced its All-Academic Team, which featured 10 Hawks. To be honored, student-athletes must complete two semesters at their institution and hold a cumulative grade point average of 3.20 on a 4.0 scale. Casey Hanna, Ercolino and Donahue were joined by juniors Rachel Konowal (Plymouth Meeting, PA/Plymouth Whitemarsh) and Mallory Kusakavtich (Pittston, PA/Holy Redeemer) and sophomores Stefanie Bigler (North Vancouver, BC/Seycove Secondary School), Georgia Garden Bachop (Dunedin, New Zealand/Queen Margaret), Gab Girardi (Roseland, NJ/West Essex), Kelly Hanna (Seaville, NJ/Ocean City [Rutgers]) and Elyssa Okken (Hellertown, PA / Saucon Valley) were all lauded for their academic success.
Top-seeded Monmouth opens up the MAAC Championship at 2 p.m. when it takes on fourth-seeded Rider, broadcasted live on MAAC.TV. The winner will take on the victor of the other semifinal game between No. 2 Fairfield and No. 3 Bryant for a berth in the NCAA Tournament.
-@MonmouthFH-
