Kiersten Wood was an NFHCA All-Mideast Region pick for the second straight year.
- Complete All-Region Teams (.PDF)
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; November 14, 2006 - A total of seven members of the Penn State field hockey team were named to the National Field Hockey Coaches?? Association (NFHCA) All-Mideast Region teams that were announced Monday evening, including five Nittany Lions on the first team. It marks the second straight year that Penn State has had five first team All-Region selections and it is the first time since 2003 that the Nittany Lions have had seven total selections.
Penn State dominated the Mideast Region selections, getting the most of any team in the region. Out of all five regions, Penn State tied with Duke for the second-most selections of any team with seven, behind only Maryland??s eight.
Jen Beaumont (Chalfont, Pa.), Annelise Legel (Morgantown, Pa.), Jen Long (Doylestown, Pa.), Carey Maser (Medford, N.J.) and Kiersten Wood (Lititz, Pa.) were all named to the first team while Shaun Banta (Gibbsboro, N.J.) and Mallory Weisen (Middleburg, Pa.) were both second team selections. It is Wood??s second straight first team selection, making her a two-time first team All-Mideast Region pick as well as a two-time first team All-Big Ten pick. It is also Banta??s second straight year on the second team.
Beaumont finished fifth in the country and first in the Big Ten in goals against average this year at 1.12. She also led the conference in shutouts and fewest goals allowed per game while playing every minute in goal for the Nittany Lions this season. She was also second in the Big Ten in save percentage and had two long streaks this year in which she did not allow a goal. The first one spanned 177:07 and the second one went 260:47.
Shaun Banta was named second team All-Mideast Region for the second straight year. |
Legel, who was also a first team All-Big Ten selection, makes her first appearance on the All-Region team with her selection to the first team. She changed positions this past year, moving into the midfield from her forward position. As a result, her offensive numbers went down as she recorded four goals and three assists for 11 points, but she also contributed to the team??s defensive effort that saw the team finish the year tops in the Big Ten in most defensive categories. Legel was also recently named an NFHCA Senior All-Star and will play in the NFHCA Senior All-Star game this Saturday, November 18 in Winston-Salem, N.C.
Long, a second team All-Big Ten selection, was one of the main anchors of the aforementioned strong Penn State defense. She contributed greatly to Penn State??s conference-leading goals against average and also tied for first on the team with eight assists and she served as the stopper on penalty corners for most of the year. Long is also a member of the United State Under-21 National Team.
One of the other senior co-captains of this year??s squad along with Legel, Maser, along with Jen Long, also helped anchor that strong Penn State defense. In addition to her strong presence throughout the year on defense, Maser also scored one goal on the year, which was a game-winner, and took five shots, putting four of them on goal.
Mallory Weisen was named second team All-Region after recording 22 points, which was third on the team. |
By being named to the All-Region first team for the second straight year, Wood added to her already impressive list of career honors. Now a two-time first team All-Big Ten selection as well as two-time first team All-Region pick, Wood was also the Big Ten Freshman of the Year two years ago and a third team All-American last season. Two weeks ago, she was also named to the Big Ten All-Tournament team after scoring two goals, both game-winners, and recording an assist in Penn State??s run to the conference championship game.
Banta finished the season as the top goal-scorer in the Big Ten with 15 goals and second in the conference in points. Perhaps her most important goal of the season was the game-tying goal against Michigan State in the Big Ten semifinals with under two minutes to play that sent the game into overtime and Wood later won with her game-winner in the extra frame. Banta recorded four multiple-goal games on the season, including a natural hat trick, and also had a streak of seven straight games with a goal.
Weisen enjoyed her finest season statistically this year as she finished her junior season third on the team in points with 22, tied for third in goals with seven, and tied for the team lead in assists with eight. She was also a perfect 3-for-3 on penalty strokes and for her career remains perfect on strokes as well. Weisen also had a streak of eight straight games in which she recorded at least one point and five straight games with an assist.