UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; November 29, 2021 – Penn State Nittany Lion field hockey player Sophia Gladieux (Boyertown, Pa.) has been named the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Mideast Region Player of the Year. The honor is the latest in a long list of accolades for the Penn State sophomore.
Gladieux becomes the first Penn State player to win the award. She also recently earned first team NFHCA All-Region honors for the second straight season. Gladieux ended the season with a team best 38 points off 18 goals and two assists. The Nittany Lion earned first team All-Big Ten honors for the second time this season and was named to the 2021 Big Ten All-Tournament Team. Gladieux was a second team NFHCA All-American last year as well.
"I am so thrilled for Sophia and the recognition this honor brings to her and our program," said head coach Char Morett-Curtiss. "Sophia puts so much extra work in throughout the season to better her skills and she spends a lot of time with the coaches going over video. She is such a student of the game, and her work ethic has led her to this point. Even with all the personal honors she is collecting, she is a 'team-first' player, and her focus is always on what it takes to help us win."
The Nittany Lions ended the season with a 14-6 overall record, placed second in the Big Ten regular season with a 6-2 mark, advanced to the 2021Big Ten Tournament semifinals and earned a spot in the 2021 NCAA Championship Tournament.
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.
