UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; October 3,1 2018 – Six members of the Penn State Nittany Lion field hockey team have been honored by the Big Ten with the announcement of the 2018 Big Ten Field Hockey All-Big Ten teams. Two Lions earned first-team laurels, three earned second-team recognition and one athlete was honored with a Sportsmanship Award.
Seniors Gini Bramley (Elizabethtown, Pa.) and Cori Conley (Oak Park, Ill.) were both named to the first-team. She has 17 points off five goals and seven assists, including two game-winning goals. Midfielder Bramley, also the 2016 Big Ten Tournament MVP and a two-time member of the Big Ten All-Tournament Team (2015 and 2016), has 30 goals and 18 assists for her career for 78 career points. Conley anchors an outstanding Penn State defense. A two-time Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week already this year, Conley has two defensive saves this season and has started 76 of 81 career games as a Nittany Lion. She was a member of the 2017 Big Ten All-Tournament Team as well.
Three more seniors earned second-team recognition. Katie Dembrowski (Palmyra, Pa.) was honored on second team defense. She has 11 points off three goals and five assists this year and has 15 goals and 10 assists for 40 career points. The honor is the first conference award for Dembrowski. Moira Putsch (Media, Pa.) earned second team honors as a forward. She leads Penn State in scoring with 29 points off eight goals and 13 assists. This marks the third straight year Putsch earned All-Big Ten honors (she was honored on the first team in 2016 and 2017). Putsch now has 67 career goals and 57 career assists for 191 career points. Goalie Jenny Rizzo (Hershey, Pa.) earned second team All-Big Ten laurels for the second straight season. She has a 1.70 goals against average with 67 saves and a .761 percentage, helping lead Penn State to seven shutouts in 17 games. Rizzo has 346 career saves and has helped secure 16 shutouts in four years a starter for the Nittany Lions.
The Big Ten honors one athlete from each team with the Sportsmanship Award. This year's Penn State honoree is senior Emily Klingler (Selinsgrove, Pa.). Klingler has 13 points this season off six goals and an assists. She has played in 68 career games as a Nittany Lion. Penn State now has 74 first-team All-Big Ten honorees and 41 all-time second-team honorees since beginning conference play in 1992.
Head coach Char Morett-Curtiss' squad, 12-5 overall, will now await the announcement of the field of 18 for the 2018 NCAA Field Hockey Championships. The announcement will take place Sunday night, Nov. 4, at 10 p.m. on NCAA.com.
Fans are encouraged to follow the Nittany Lion field hockey team online at www.GoPSUsports.com (click teams, click field hockey), on twitter @pennstateFH and on facebook at www.facebook.com/pennstatefieldhockey.
