Bowden, Valdez Garner All-GNAC Year-End Accolades
WINTHROP, Mass. - Sophomore goalkeeper Wendy Bowden (Old Saybrook, Conn.) of the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) field hockey team was tabbed to the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) All-Rookie Team, it was announced last week by the league's front office. It marks the first career All-Conference nod in USJ field hockey program history as the Blue Jays competed in its inaugural season in 2021. Additionally, senior midfielder Taya Valdez (East Lyme, Conn.) was selected to the GNAC All-Sportsmanship Team, as the conference unveiled its year-end awards, which are voted on by the league's 12 head coaches.
Bowden was the Blue Jays' primary netmider in their inaugural season which they concluded with a 4-11 overall record and 3-8 mark in GNAC play. Bowden started between the pipes in 13 of USJ's 15 contests on the year, logging 787:35 in goal and a record of 3-10-0. She registered the fourth-most saves across the GNAC, finishing the 2021 campaign with 120 saves and a .702 save percentage with one shutout. In 11 GNAC games, Bowden made an impressive 95 toal saves, which was the most in the league.
For the complete list of all-conference honorees, major award winners, and all-sportsmanship selections, please see below.
FIRST TEAM
F – Aoife Daly, Colby-Sawyer
F – Jillian Miele, Johnson & Wales (RI)
F – Emma Rutledge, Saint Joseph's (Me.)
F – Sydney Gonyea, Simmons
M – Julia Lanctot, Colby-Sawyer
M – Margaret Johnson, Johnson & Wales (RI)
M – Meghan Hill, Saint Joseph's (Me.)
B – Jess Shatford, Colby-Sawyer
B – Haley Budenas, Johnson & Wales (RI)
B – Claire Decker, Johnson & Wales (RI)
GK – Nora Newman, Elms
SECOND TEAM
F – Mya Bolk, Johnson & Wales (RI)
F – Sheridan Blaha, Lasell
F – Olivia Esposito, Saint Joseph's (Me.)
F – Emilia Elko, Simmons
M – Chayna Bingham-Hendricks, Anna Maria
M – Aleah Murph, Colby-Sawyer
M – Katie Sloan, Johnson & Wales (RI)
B – Chelsea Perry, Colby-Sawyer
B – Morgan Dalton, Saint Joseph's (Me.)
B – Emily Plummer, Simmons
GK – Lauren Wilkinson, Colby-Sawyer
THIRD TEAM
F – Chrissy Coffield, Colby-Sawyer
F – Courtney Larson, Colby-Sawyer
F – Hunter Langley, Rivier
F – Megan Quirion, Saint Joseph's (Me.)
M – Bella Silva, Colby-Sawyer
M – Carissa Ramirez, Elms
M – Claire Shepherd, Lasell
B – Sam Bonneau, Elms
B – Kayla Bednarz, Rivier
B – Alison Michalik, Saint Joseph's (Me.)
GK – Katie Olsen, Rivier
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR – Jillian Miele, Johnson & Wales (RI)
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR – Claire Decker, Johnson & Wales (RI)
GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR – Nora Newman, Elms
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR – Katie Sloan, Johnson & Wales (RI)
COACH OF THE YEAR – Emily Dewdney, Colby-Sawyer
TEAM SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD – Dean
ALL-ROOKIE TEAM
Sam Bonneau, Elms
Mya Bolk, Johnson & Wales (RI)
Haley Budenas, Johnson & Wales (RI)
Katie Sloan, Johnson & Wales (RI)
Abby Nadeau, Rivier
Wendy Bowden, St. Joseph (Conn.)
Abbie Jacques, Saint Joseph's (Me.)
Cailyn Wesley, Saint Joseph's (Me.)
Emilia Elko, Simmons
Sydney Gonyea, Simmons
Anna Tedeschi, Simmons
ALL-SPORTSMANSHIP TEAM
Jesly Cortez, Albertus Magnus
Abigayle Celata, Anna Maria
Caroline Koziol, Colby-Sawyer
Zoe Coleman, Dean
Nora Newman, Elms
Megan Kramer, Johnson & Wales
Kaitlyn Duarte, Lasell
Hannah Schneiderman, Regis
Madison Streeter, Rivier
Taya Valdez, St. Joseph (Conn.)
Emma Dubuc, Saint Joseph's (Me.)
Haley Dover, Simmons
About The GNAC
The Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) is an NCAA Division III association made up of 14 member institutions and over 3,500 student-athletes across the New England region. Founded in 1995, the GNAC annually sponsors and administers 22 championships, while balancing academic integrity, athletic opportunity and community involvement in an effort to enhance the student-athlete experience.
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