University of Delaware Athletics
CAA Honors De Koning as Player of the Year, Verweijen as Rookie of the Year
11/1/2018 3:00:00 PM | Field Hockey
RICHMOND, Va. – For the second straight season, Delaware earned Colonial Athletic Association Field Hockey Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year accolades as sophomore Lotte de Koning collected the league's top honor while Tessa Verweijen was the top freshman.
In total, the Blue Hens had six individuals recognized with CAA postseason honors in a vote of the league's head coaches Thursday afternoon.
De Koning was joined on the All-CAA First Team by seniors Lisa Giezeman, Greta Nauck and Sydney Rhodes. Second Team accolades went to sophomore Emily Kresho and Verweijen while Verweijen also garnered All-Rookie Team honors.
"I'm happy for and proud of my players group this season," remarked Delaware head coach Rolf van de Kerkhof, who is in his eighth year at the helm of the Blue Hens. "Their performance in the CAA regular season competition was good and from time-to-time very good. Our league opponents presented us with many different offensive, defensive and scoreboard scenarios, so credit goes to our team for the way they responded and for performing at the level that we want to make the DNA of Delaware Hockey (DEHO)."
Van de Kerkhof continued, "I'm excited to see that the CAA coaches have voted six Blue Hens to different CAA honors this season. To see each a variety of seniors, juniors, sophomores and freshmen represented amongst individual awards and All-CAA Teams shows that our program's talents and contributions can be found in every class which indicates a bright future for UDFH."
The Blue Hens garnered CAA Player of the Year for the third straight year (Nauck; 2016, 2017) while picking up the Rookie of the Year in back-to-back seasons (De Koning; 2017).
De Koning is just the second Delaware player to be named both the Rookie of the Year and Player of the Year during her career (Esmée Peet; 2013). She is also the first player to collect CAA Player of the Year honors the season after winning CAA Rookie of the Year since Old Dominion's Marina DiGiacomo did so in 1998.
De Koning played all three lines for the Hens this season and was especially strong on the offensive end. The sophomore has already matched her goal total (9) from a year ago to lead Delaware and has totaled 23 points with two game-winning goals and two defensive saves through the end of regular season action.
Giezeman also collects First Team accolades for the first time after being named a Second Team selection in 2016 and 2017. The senior is third for Delaware with 16 points on six goals and four assists.
Rhodes earns CAA honors for the first time in her career and has started all 14 games played for the Hens while registering a 1.71 GAA with 52 saves at a clip of .703.
"Currently, we are playing our best DEHO of the season," Van de Kerkhof stated. "This is a result of a commitment the players made to this team and program on and off the field. It is clear that their ability and desire to go out and execute the game plan for the full 70 minutes has resulted in our strong finish of the regular season and winning the CAA regular season title."
Delaware will vie for its sixth straight and eighth overall CAA crown this coming weekend at Fred P. Rullo Stadium. The semifinal format begins on Friday, Nov. 2 with the top-seeded Blue Hens (12-6, 6-0 CAA) taking on fourth-seeded James Madison at 3 p.m. Following that contest, second-seeded William & Mary and third-seeded Northeastern square off at approximately 6 p.m.
The 2018 title game takes place at 1 p.m. Sunday, with the victors from Friday's semifinals contests competing for the conference crown and automatic bid into the NCAA Field Hockey Championship.
MEDIA CONTACT: Maggie Hayon, Assistant Athletics Communications Director | mhayon@udel.edu | O: 302-831-6389
In total, the Blue Hens had six individuals recognized with CAA postseason honors in a vote of the league's head coaches Thursday afternoon.
De Koning was joined on the All-CAA First Team by seniors Lisa Giezeman, Greta Nauck and Sydney Rhodes. Second Team accolades went to sophomore Emily Kresho and Verweijen while Verweijen also garnered All-Rookie Team honors.
"I'm happy for and proud of my players group this season," remarked Delaware head coach Rolf van de Kerkhof, who is in his eighth year at the helm of the Blue Hens. "Their performance in the CAA regular season competition was good and from time-to-time very good. Our league opponents presented us with many different offensive, defensive and scoreboard scenarios, so credit goes to our team for the way they responded and for performing at the level that we want to make the DNA of Delaware Hockey (DEHO)."
Van de Kerkhof continued, "I'm excited to see that the CAA coaches have voted six Blue Hens to different CAA honors this season. To see each a variety of seniors, juniors, sophomores and freshmen represented amongst individual awards and All-CAA Teams shows that our program's talents and contributions can be found in every class which indicates a bright future for UDFH."
The Blue Hens garnered CAA Player of the Year for the third straight year (Nauck; 2016, 2017) while picking up the Rookie of the Year in back-to-back seasons (De Koning; 2017).
De Koning is just the second Delaware player to be named both the Rookie of the Year and Player of the Year during her career (Esmée Peet; 2013). She is also the first player to collect CAA Player of the Year honors the season after winning CAA Rookie of the Year since Old Dominion's Marina DiGiacomo did so in 1998.
De Koning played all three lines for the Hens this season and was especially strong on the offensive end. The sophomore has already matched her goal total (9) from a year ago to lead Delaware and has totaled 23 points with two game-winning goals and two defensive saves through the end of regular season action.
— Delaware Field Hockey (@DelawareFH) November 1, 2018
Verweijen scored six goals and started 17 of UD's 18 games. The freshman came alive in league play to score five of her six goals against CAA opponents. She finished the regular season with two game-winning goals and ranked fourth on the team with 15 points.
— Delaware Field Hockey (@DelawareFH) November 1, 2018Now a three-time All-CAA First Team honoree, Nauck leads the Blue Hens with 28 points on 10 assists and nine goals.
Giezeman also collects First Team accolades for the first time after being named a Second Team selection in 2016 and 2017. The senior is third for Delaware with 16 points on six goals and four assists.
Rhodes earns CAA honors for the first time in her career and has started all 14 games played for the Hens while registering a 1.71 GAA with 52 saves at a clip of .703.
"Currently, we are playing our best DEHO of the season," Van de Kerkhof stated. "This is a result of a commitment the players made to this team and program on and off the field. It is clear that their ability and desire to go out and execute the game plan for the full 70 minutes has resulted in our strong finish of the regular season and winning the CAA regular season title."
Delaware will vie for its sixth straight and eighth overall CAA crown this coming weekend at Fred P. Rullo Stadium. The semifinal format begins on Friday, Nov. 2 with the top-seeded Blue Hens (12-6, 6-0 CAA) taking on fourth-seeded James Madison at 3 p.m. Following that contest, second-seeded William & Mary and third-seeded Northeastern square off at approximately 6 p.m.
The 2018 title game takes place at 1 p.m. Sunday, with the victors from Friday's semifinals contests competing for the conference crown and automatic bid into the NCAA Field Hockey Championship.
MEDIA CONTACT: Maggie Hayon, Assistant Athletics Communications Director | mhayon@udel.edu | O: 302-831-6389
Players Mentioned
M
/ Field Hockey
Forward
/ Field Hockey
B
/ Field Hockey
Forward
/ Field Hockey
Goalkeeper
/ Field Hockey
M
/ Field HockeyField Hockey vs Lafayette
Monday, October 27
Field Hockey vs American
Tuesday, October 21
Field Hockey vs Old Dominion
Tuesday, October 14
Field Hockey vs Ohio State
Tuesday, September 23
