Nov. 6, 2008
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -
The Penn State field hockey team swept the 2008 Big Ten field hockey awards, tallying Offensive, Defensive, Freshman and Coach of the Year prizes, as the Big Ten released its conference awards Thursday. Along with the standout honors, Penn State placed three players on the first- and second-team all-Big Ten and one player on the sportsmanship honoree list. It is the first time in history Penn State has ever taken all four individuals awards.
Allison Scola (Hummelstown, Pa.), along with Ohio State's Linda Haussener, received the Offensive Co-Player of the Year accolade. Jen Long (Doylestown, Pa.) earned the Big Ten's Defensive Player of the Year laurel for the second consecutive season. The Freshman of the Year honor went to Jessica Longstreth (Richboro, Pa.), and head coach Char Morett received recognition as the conference's Coach of the Year. Jen Beaumont was listed as the Nittany Lions' sportsmanship award honoree.
Representing the No. 1 seed on the first-team All-Big Ten listing are Beaumont, Long and Scola. Bethany Marvel (Newtown, Pa.) and Daneen Zug (Manheim, Pa.) were each named members of the second-team All-Big Ten.
The conference retorted the Penn State field hockey team for winning the regular season championship. No. 9 Penn State faces No. 17 Ohio State in the second round of the conference tournament.
After starting the season cold, Scola has become an offensive juggernaut in the conference season. Since moving from the shooter to the pusher position on penalty corners, the senior midfielder has been instrumental on the team's recent success on corner opportunities. Amongst Big Ten competition, she is third in goals and points, scoring five goals and adding three assists. She scored a crucial game-winning goal to defeat No. 8 Iowa. It is Scola's first appearance on the list. She was named to the second-team All-Big Ten in 2007. She is the first Nittany Lion to be the conference's top offensive player since Natalie Berrena in 2005.
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Long has been a catalyst for Penn State's defense this season. The defense has the second-most shutouts in the nation, holding opponents to no points in half of its games. Long serves as a consistent defender, forcing stick tackles on opponents and stifling opposing breakaways. She serves as the stopper on penalty corner opportunities and has 11 assists on the season. The honor marks the second time she received both first-team All-Big Ten and Defensive Player of the Year awards.
In her first season, Longstreth, one of the speediest players in the conference, changed the landscape of the field hockey team's game plan. The freshman from Richboro, Pa. has set up goals via breakaway opportunities. Many of these chances came in games in which the offense was sputtering and needing of an extra boost. Longstreth is Penn State's first Freshman of the Year since Kiersten Wood won the honor in 2004.
Morett won her fourth Coach of the Year award from the conference. She last won the hardware in 2005.
Beaumont becomes the first goalkeeper in Penn State field hockey history to be named the conference's first-team netter. The senior from Chalfont, Pa. has had an unprecedented season for a Nittany Lion goalkeeper. She has a .50 goals-against average in conference play and kept opponents at bay throughout the season, allowing the offense to flourish with just a 2.22 goals per game average.
Marvel has four tallies and two assists on the season. She is tied with Amy Bonenberger for the team lead in game-winning goals with three.
After having limited scoring chances early in the season, Zug was moved into the shooter's role on penalty corners and proved successful, earning the team lead in goals over a short matter of time. Zug leads the league in shots and has nine goals this season. She also leads the conference in game-winning goals with two.
2008 All-Big Ten Teams
First Team
Caroline Blaum, Sr., midfield, IOWA
Roz Ellis, Sr., defense, IOWA
Lauren Pfeiffer, Sr., defense, IOWA
Sarah Wilhite, Sr., defense, MICH
JEAMIE DEACON, Jr., midfield, MSU
Floor Rijpma, Jr., midfield, MSU
Alex Quinn, Sr., forward, NU
LINDA HAUSSENER, Sr., midfield, OSU
Jen Beaumont, Sr., goalkeeper, PSU
Jen Long, Sr., defense, PSU
Allison Scola, Sr., forward, PSU
*Second Team
Meg O'Connell, Jr., midfield, IND
Meghan Beamesderfer, Jr., forward, IOWA
Lissa Munley, Sr., goalkeeper, IOWA
Kelly Fitzpatrick, Jr., forward, MICH
Stephanie Hoyer, Sr., forward, MICH
Meredith Way, So., defense, MICH
Chantae Miller, Fr., forward, MSU
Jantine Steinmetz, So., forward, MSU
Aisling Coyle, Fr., midfield, OSU
Emily Mikac, Sr., forward, OSU
Bethany Marvel, Jr., midfield, PSU
Daneen Zug, So., midfield, PSU
* Additional honorees due to ties
Unanimous selections in ALL CAPS
OFFENSIVE CO-PLAYERS OF THE YEAR: Linda Haussener, OSU and Allison Scola, PSU
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Jen Long, PSU
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Jessica Longstreth, PSU
COACH OF THE YEAR: Charlene Morett, PSU
Sportsmanship Award Honorees
Danitra Castro, Indiana
Lissa Munley, Iowa
Heather Wiley, Michigan
Angela Pagura, Michigan State
Annie Bosslet, Northwestern
Emily Mikac, Ohio State
Jen Beaumont, Penn State
