Nov. 22, 2010
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State field hockey standouts Kelsey Amy and Ayla Halus both earned second-team All-American honors, while junior Jessica Longstreth received third-team accolades as awarded by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association.
With the three selections, the Nittany Lions have now had multiple players earn All-American honors 20 times during the last 21 seasons. Overall, Penn State tied Michigan for the most selections by a Big Ten program in 2010.
Halus garnered second-team honors after piecing together a masterful season in goal for PSU. During the year, she led the nation with an incredible .826 save percentage, which was almost 20 points higher than the next closest competitor. She was also the only goalkeeper to record at least 100 saves while allowing fewer than 30 goals.
A consistent force in the cage throughout the season, she posted six shutouts and had at least 10 saves on four occasions. Her year was highlighted by an incredible performance against No. 5 Princeton when she blanked the Tigers, 1-0. Her effort not only silenced the second-ranked scoring offense in the nation, but it also marked the first shutout against the squad in over two years.
During the postseason, Halus also had an impressive run. She opened the Big Ten tournament with a 4-0 shutout against Indiana. One week later, she set a new PSU Field Hockey Complex record with a career-high 18 saves in the first round of the NCAA Tournament against No. 4 Syracuse.
As Halus dominated on defense, Amy served as an imposing force on the offensive end. A first-team All-Conference and All-Region selection, she led the team and ranked third in the league with 19 goals. Overall, she averaged 0.95 goals per contest, which was the 10th highest rate in the nation.
One of only two players in the Big Ten to record a pair of four-goal performances, she was honored as the conference's Offensive Player of the Week twice. On October 3, she set a new PSU Field Hockey Complex record with an astounding four goals in the first half against Monmouth. Later, she wrapped up the regular season with four more against Northwestern on October 29.
Amy eventually finished her sophomore campaign with five multi-goal performances, including two scores in the team's crucial 4-1 victory over Michigan State on October 8. For her consistent effort throughout the year, she was named to the WomensFieldHockey.com National Honor Roll on two occasions.
Longstreth helped balance out the offensive attack with a sensational junior year. During the 2010 season, she led the team and stood third in the league with 15 assists. A starter in all 20 games, she average 0.75 assists-per-contest, which ranked 12th in the country.
A multi-faceted contributor, she was one of only five players in the nation with at least 10 goals and 15 assists. During the regular season finale against Northwestern, she came through with a career-high four assists, which was tied for the most in a single-game by a Big Ten competitor in over eight years.
Longstreth was a key contributor on the team's potent penalty corner combination that converted 15 attempts during the year. She also capitalized on all six of her stroke attempts. Overall, Penn State went 11-1 during games in which she recorded a point.
With the three honorees this season, Penn State has now had 88 All-American selections dating back to 1978 when current head coach Charlene Morett was the first to receive the honor.