Fairfax Tabbed to All-GNAC Third Team
WINTHROP, Mass. – The Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) announced its 2023 Field All-Conference Team and major award winners on Wednesday afternoon. Voting was conducted by the league's 13 field hockey head coaches following the regular season and did not take postseason play into account.
The Wildcats were also close to sweeping the major awards, taking home three of the four student-athlete honors. Haley Budenas was voted the Defensive Player of the Year playing in front of Sophia Brea was selected as the Goalkeeper of the Year. JWU freshman Ava Pontes was named the Rookie of the Year. Lasell's Abbey Playle took home the final student-athlete honor as the Offensive Player of the Year. JWU head coach Lisa Lopes earned Coach of the Year honors, while Elms was the recipient of the Institutional Sportsmanship Award.
The full list of All-Conference honorees, the All-Rookie Team, and the representatives on the All-Sportsmanship Team can be viewed below.
ALL-CONFERENCE FIRST TEAM
F - Sheridan Blaha, Sr., Lasell
F - Drea Chin, Gr., New England College
F - Margaret Johnson, Gr., Johnson & Wales
F - Anna Tedeschi, Jr., Simmons
M - Aleah Murph, Sr., Colby-Sawyer
M - Abbey Playle, Gr., Lasell
M - Katie Sloan, Sr., Johnson & Wales
B - Taylor Bailey, Jr., New England College
B - Haley Budenas, Jr., Johnson & Wales
B - Isabella O'Reilly, Fr., Lasell
GK - Sophia Brea, Fr., Johnson & Wales
ALL-CONFERENCE SECOND TEAM
F - Sydney Gonyea, Jr., Simmons
F - Courtney Larson, Jr., Colby-Sawyer
F - Lily Stark, Sr., Lasell
F - Izzy Ward, Jr., Johnson & Wales
M - Emilia Elko, Jr., Simmons
M - Ava Pontes, Fr., Johnson & Wales
M - Mikayla Vincent, Gr., New England College
B - Sabrina Lippold, Jr., Colby-Sawyer
B - Alison Michalik, Jr., Simmons
B - Madison Young, Jr., Johnson & Wales
GK - Courtney Tello, Jr., Lasell
ALL-CONFERENCE THIRD TEAM
F - Frankie Alley, Jr., Regis
F - Ryleigh LaPorte, Fy., Colby-Sawyer
F - Madison Streeter, Gr., Rivier
F - Maya Waryas, So., Saint Joseph's (Maine)
M - Taylor Gaudette, So., Colby-Sawyer
M - Meaghan McCamish, Jr., New England College
M - Sydney Spenard, Sr., Rivier
B - McKenzie Fairfax, So., Saint Joseph (Conn.)
B - Kaitlyn Freeman, Sr., Johnson & Wales
B - Maeve Perras, Jr., Rivier
GK - Kylie Coupal, Jr., Rivier
ALL-ROOKIE TEAM
Sophia Brea, Johnson & Wales
Emma Fissel, Simmons
Neila Jones, New England College
Ava Kahl, Simmons
Adelaide Kelly, New England College
Conley Ladabouche, New England College
Ryleigh LaPorte, Colby-Sawyer
Ava Pontes, Johnson & Wales
Jacquelyn Scopa, Lasell
Lilly Taglieri, Simmons
Mikayla Thornton, Colby-Sawyer
MAJOR AWARDS
Offensive Player of the Year - Abbey Playle, Lasell
Defensive Player of the Year - Haley Budenas, Johnson & Wales
Goalkeeper of the Year - Sophia Brea, Johnson & Wales
Rookie of the Year - Ava Pontes, Johnson & Wales
Coach of the Year - Lisa Lopes, Johnson & Wales
Institutional Sportsmanship - Elms
ALL-SPORTSMANSHIP TEAM
Amber DeJonge, Albertus Magnus
Hannah Tobey, Anna Maria
Alyssa Slocum, Colby-Sawyer
Mackenzie Fillion, Dean
Nina Bourassa, Elms
Mya Bolk, Johnson & Wales
Kaitlin Bedell, Lasell
Emma LaPierre, New England College
Ava Costello, Regis
Hailey Morse, Rivier
Haley Brooks, Saint Joseph's (Maine)
Ainslee Shrout, Simmons
Wendy Bowden, Saint Joseph (Conn.)
About The GNAC
The Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) is an NCAA Division III association made up of 16 member institutions and over 4000 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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