Megan Hancock leads long list of Bulldog All-MAAC honorees
SMITHFIELD, R.I. – MAAC Co-Goalkeeper of the Year Megan Hancock (Skowhegan, Maine) of the Bryant University field hockey team leads the list of five Bulldogs who earned All-MAAC honors, announced the league Thursday evening.
In its first season sponsoring the sport, the Bryant field hockey team certainly made an impact on the MAAC as it lands a trio of all-league first teamers, a pair of second team nods and a co-goalkeeper of the year selection.
Megan Hancock, who posted career-highs in wins (11), goals against average (1.99), save percentage (.757), and shutouts (3) was named Co-Goalkeeper of the Year and earned an All-MAAC First Team nod. The first-ever career postseason awards for Hancock come on the heels of one of the most prolific seasons in the cage in Bryant field hockey history.
Joining Megan Hancock on the first team are junior forward Rosie Bird (Hamilton, New Zealand) and junior defender Kelsey Hiltebeitel (Warminster, Pa.).
Bird, who earned her third-consecutive postseason honor and first-ever first team nod, put together another terrific season offensively, putting up 12 goals and a career-high seven assists, totaling 31 points. Just a junior, the Bryant Division I program leader in points has a chance to become one of the greatest field hockey players to ever don the Black and Gold.
Hiltebeitel earns her second-consecutive first team all-league honor in 2013, serving as the backbone of the Bulldog defensive unit this season. Earning starts in all 17 contests this year, the junior finished the regular season with a pair of defensive saves and put together one of the greatest performances of her career against Rider on Oct. 18, helping push the Bulldogs to a 2-1 shootout victory.
Not to be outdone, senior midfielder Olivia Jankins (West Brookfield, Mass.) and senior defender MaKayla Hancock (Skowhegan, Maine) each earned their first-ever postseason accolades, being named to the All-MAAC Second Team.
Jankins put together a phenomenal year, posting a career-best 17 points on six goals and five assists. MaKayla Hancock also had a career year, registering nine points on three goals and three assists, including a team-high six defensive saves (tying a single-season program record).
The Bulldogs postseason accolades were not constrained to the turf, as a quartet of Bulldogs were named to the MAAC All-Academic Team. Junior Emily Clark (Vienna, Va.), sophomore Michelle Fallon (Pompton Plains, N.J), sophomore Mikayla Fitzmaurice (Skowhegan, Maine), and Jankins were all recognized for their excellence in the classroom.
Despite all the outstanding recognition, Bryant's true test is yet to come as it prepares to do battle with #2 seeded Quinnipiac in the MAAC Tournament Semifinals, Friday at 3 p.m. in Lawrenceville, N.J.
For links to Live Stats and streaming video and all the latest news on the Bryant University field hockey team, visit BryantBulldogs.com.