Aug. 22, 2016
Big Ten Release
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Big Ten Conference announced its 2016 field hockey preseason honors on Monday, highlighted by nine All-Big Ten selections from last season.
Three first-team All-Big Ten students from the 2015 campaign headline this year's preseason choices including Penn State's Aurelia Meijer.
Three Penn State field hockey players were named to the 2016 Big Ten Field Hockey Players to Watch List Monday, as Kirsten Gochnauer, Aurelia Meijer, and Jenny Rizzo each earned recognition.
Meijer, a sophomore forward, enters her second year as a Nittany Lion coming off a season that saw her finish tied for second on the team in goals (7), including two game winners, and lead in assist (7). Meijer was the lone First-Team All-Big Ten selection for the Blue & White last season.
Rizzo, a sophomore goalkeeper, started all 19 games in the cage for Penn State last season finishing with 95 saves and one shutout while logging over 1,300 minutes throughout the 2015 campaign. Rizzo spent the offseason playing as a member of the USA Jr. National team and was recently added to the USA Jr. World roster that will compete in the World Jr. Field Hockey Tournament Nov 24-Dec 4, 2016 in Santiago, Chile.
Gochnauer, a senior forward, started all 19 games last season recording two goals and two assist as well as earning 2015 Academic All-Big Ten honors.
Penn State opens the season at home Friday August 26 at 6 p.m. taking on Old Dominion.
For more on Nittany Lion Field Hockey, log onto www.GoPSUsports.com or follow the team on Twitter and Instagram at @PennStateFH, and on Facebook at PennStateFieldHockey.