2024 Patriot League Field Hockey Major Awards and All-League teams announced (11.5.24)

BETHLEHEM, Pa. Patriot League regular-season champion American received three of the league's five major awards, and Bucknell claimed two when the 2024 Patriot League Field Hockey postseason honors were announced Tuesday.

Bucknell senior forward Lily Neilson became the first three-time Patriot League Field Hockey Offensive Player of the Year. American graduate student goalkeeper Bryn Underwood became the second three-time Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Year, joining Holy Cross's Erin Singleton (2006-2008).

Bison junior Kira Leclercq was named Patriot League Hockey Defensive Player of the Year. American freshman defenseman Olivia Morraye earned Patriot League Field Hockey Rookie of the Year, while Eagles head coach Steve Jennings claimed the League Coach of the Year title for the 12th time.

Lafayette placed six league-high student-athletes on the two All-Patriot League teams, including three first-team members. Bucknell had five representatives, two of which were on the first team, while American placed three of its four representatives on the first team. Boston University and Lehigh each had three honors, with Holy Cross (2) and Colgate (1) rounding out the 24 all-League selections.

Neilson and Underwood are among five student-athletes to receive All-Patriot League honors for the fourth time, joining Boston University senior defender Payton Anderson, Lafayette senior midfielder Lineke Spaans and Lehigh fifth-year midfielder Julia Gatelein. They join 27 Patriot League student-athletes who have earned All-League honors four or more times.

The seven Patriot League hockey head coaches voted on the league's top awards and All-League teams. They were not eligible to vote for their student-athletes or themselves.

2024 Patriot League Field Hockey Offensive Player of the Year
Lily Neilson, Bucknell, Sr., Forward, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia/The Armidale School

2024 stats: 16 GP, 17 goals, 2 assists, 36 points, 4 game-winning goals, .581 SOG%
*Neilson is the first three-time Patriot League Field Hockey Offensive Player of the Year and one of 25 players to earn All-League honors four times.
*The senior forward ranks fifth in the NCAA DI in goals per game (1.06) and eighth in points per game (2.25), leading the league in both categories and helping lead the Bison with 2.31 goals per game to be in the League.
*The Australian native ranks second in Patriot League history with 59 goals and eighth with 124 points, and is the first student-athlete to lead the League in goals for four consecutive seasons.
*She earned four Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week honors this season, tying the league record of 10 set by Lafayette's Deanna DiCroce (2009-12).

2024 Patriot League Field Hockey Defenseman of the Year
Kira Leclercq, Bucknell, Sr., defender, Berlin, Germany/Vicco von Bulow Gymnasium Stahnsdorf

2024 stats: 16 GP, 7 goals, 6 assists, 20 points, 9 defensive saves, .614 SOG%
*Leclercq led the Patriot League and NCAA DI with nine defensive saves for a Bison defense that limited opponents to 2.0 goals per game, the third-best mark in the League.
*In addition to her importance on the Bison backline, Leclercq finished seventh in the League in goals (7), fifth in assists (6) and sixth in points (20).
*The three-time Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week is third among active NCAA DI student-athletes with 19 career defensive saves.

2024 Patriot League Hockey Goalkeeper of the Year
Bryn Underwood, American, Gr., Goalkeeper, Sinking Spring, Pa./Wilson

2024 stats: 17 GP, 1,061:53 mins, 1.13 GAA, 77 saves, 0.794 SV%, 7 SHO
*Underwood is the second three-time Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Year in league history and one of 25 student-athletes to earn All-League honors four times.
*She led the League and ranked eighth in NCAA DI with a .794 save percentage, while ranking second in the League and 13th in the nation with a 1.13 goals-against average.
*The graduate student goalkeeper earned five Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Week honors this season and a league-record 16 during her career at AU.
*Underwood recorded seven shutouts this season, for 20 shutouts during her career at AU.

2024 Patriot League Field Hockey Rookie of the Year
Olivia Morraye, American, Father, Defender, Downingtown, Pennsylvania/Downingtown West

2024 Stats: 18 GP, 1 Goal, 2 Points, .667 SOG%, 3 Defensive Saves
*Morraye started all 18 games and earned Patriot League Rookie of the Week honors four times during her first season in Washington, D.C.
*The freshman defenseman finished with three defensive saves to rank fifth in the Patriot League and 19th in NCAA DI.
*She played a key role in an Eagles backline that held opponents to 1.22 goals per game.

2024 Patriot League Field Hockey Coach of the Year
Steve Jennings, American

*Jennings led the Eagles to an undefeated 6-0 League record and their fourteenth regular season title since joining the League in 2001.
*In league play, American held opponents to 0.50 goals while posting a scoring margin of +2.17, the second-best mark in the league.
*He received Patriot League Coach of the Year honors for the 12th time.

2024 Patriot League Field Hockey Major Awards

Offensive Player of the Year Lily Neilson, Bucknell, Sr., F
Defensive Player of the Year Kira Leclercq, Bucknell, Jr., D
Goalkeeper of the Year Bryn Underwood, American, Gr., GK
Rookie of the Year Olivia Morraye, American, Fr., D
Coach of the Year Steve Jennings, American

2024 First Team All-Patriot League Field Hockey*

Agustina Roffo, American, Sr., M
Bryn Underwood, American, Gr., GK
Tayla-Jade Weiss, American, Sr., D
Payton Anderson, Boston University, Sr., D
Martu Coulo, Boston University, Jr., F/M
Kira Leclercq, Bucknell, Jr., D
Lily Neilson, Bucknell, Sr., F
Meggan Fourie, Holy Cross, Sr., A
Raffi Fragomeni, Lafayette, Jr., GK
Lineke Spaans, Lafayette, Sr., M
Makenzie Switzer, Lafayette, Jr., D
Julia Gatelein, Lehigh, 5th, M
Kiki Mes, Lehigh, Jr., M

2024 Second Team All-Patriot League Field Hockey

Jordan Reicher, American, So., F
Nicole Lauro, Boston University, So., F/M
Sarah Althouse, Bucknell, So., GK
Nicky Punt, Bucknell, Jr., M
Gianna Puorro, Bucknell, Jr., F
Grace Schmelzinger, Colgate, Jr., M
Sarah Potter, Holy Cross, Gr., A
Stella Malinowski, Lafayette, So., M
India Ralph, Lafayette, Sr., D
Josephine van Wijk, Lafayette, Jr., M
K. K. Sauve, Lehigh, Jr., B

*Additional players selected for the first team due to a tie in voting

2024 All-Patriot League Field Hockey by the Numbers

Fourteen of the 24 All-Patriot League selections are multi-year honorees, including Anderson, Gatelein, Neilson, Spaans and Underwood, who are making their fourth All-League roster appearance.

Three more Patriot League hockey student-athletes earned All-League honors for the third time, including Leclercq, Boston University junior forward/midfielder Martu Coulo and Lehigh junior midfielder Kiki Mes.

Seven student-athletes collected All-League honors for the second time, including U.S. senior defenseman Tayla-Jade Weiss, Bucknell junior forward Gianna Puorro, Holy Cross senior forward Meggan Fourie and graduate student forward Sarah Potter, Lafayette junior defenseman Makenzie Switzer, junior midfielder Josephine van Wijk and reigning rookie of the year Stella Malinowski.

U.S. senior midfielder Agustina Roffo and Lafayette junior goalkeeper Raffi Fragomeni were the only first-team All-League honorees to earn first-team honors. American sophomore forward Jordan Reicher, Boston University sophomore forward Nicole Lauro, Bucknell sophomore goalkeeper Sarah Althouse and junior midfielder Nicky Punt, Colgate junior midfielder Grace Schmelzinger, Lafayette senior defender India Ralph and Lehigh junior defender KK Sauve were on the second team for the first time honored.

ABOUT THE PATRIOT LEAGUE

Entering its fourth decade of academic and athletic achievement, the Patriot League continues to demonstrate that student-athletes can excel in both academics and athletics without sacrificing high standards. The Patriot League's athletic success is achieved as its member institutions remain committed to the founding principle of admitting and graduating student-athletes who are academically representative of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is considered an important part of a well-rounded education.