Duffhuis Named CAA Defensive Player of the Year, Blue Hens Put Seven on Conference Teams

RICHMOND, Va. - The Delaware field hockey team earned eight Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) postseason awards announced by the league office Thursday. The Blue Hens earned Defensive Player of the Year, three All-CAA First Team awards, two All-CAA Second Team awards and two CAA All-Rookie Team awards.

Sophomore Julia Duffhuis was tabbed Defensive Player of the Year and earned a spot on the All-CAA First Team. The Bergeijk, The Netherlands native ranks second in the conference in goals (13) and goals per game (0.72). Duffhuis is also third in the conference in points (27) and points per game (1.50). Her goals per game average ranks 21st nationally and her points per game average ranks 35th.

Duffhuis earned CAA Player of the Week honors Oct. 5 and earned a spot in the 2021 Preseason All-CAA Team after earning Rookie of the Year, All-CAA Second Team honors and All-Rookie honors in the 2020 Season. The sophomore becomes the second player in Delaware history to be named CAA Defensive Player of the Year.

Junior Ashlyn Carr was named to the All-CAA First Team for the second time in her career. The Delmar, Del. native leads the conference with 11 assists and is tied ninth with 17 points. Her 0.61 assists per game average is tied ninth in the NCAA. Carr joined Duffhuis on the 2021 Preseason All-CAA Team after earning first team honors in the spring season.

Fifth-year senior Femke Strien earned her third career All-CAA First Team honor, adding to her long list of accolades. A native of Ijsselstein, The Netherlands, Strien is tied fifth in the league with 20 points and sixth in with an average of 1.11 points per game. She ranks second on the squad with 20 points on five goals and 10 assists. Strien joined Duffhuis and Carr on the preseason team and was dubbed 2021 Preseason Player of the Year.

Senior Grace Miller earned her first postseason accolade, earning a spot on the All-CAA Second Team. The Mount Joy, Pa., native ranks third on the squad with nine assists and also has one goal on the season. Sophomore Kiki Oudshoorn joins Miller on the All-CAA Second Team. Oudshoorn is second on the team with six goals and fourth with 15 points.

Freshman Sian Emslie and Genevieve Johnson earned spots on the CAA All-Rookie Team. Emslie, a native of Canterbury Kent, England, had the game-winning goal against Towson. The Richmond, Va., native Johnson had one assist on the season and is a key element in Delaware's defense.

With the 2021 accolades, the Blue Hens have 40 all-time first team selections, 34 all-time second team selections and 25 all-time rookie team selections.

The Blue and Gold are back in action Friday, when they host No. 3 William & Mary at 4 p.m. in the CAA Field Hockey Semifinals at Fred P. Rullo Stadium.

For the latest on the Delaware field hockey program, follow the Blue Hens on Twitter @DelawareFH and Instagram @Delaware_FH and like "Delaware Field Hockey" on Facebook.

FIELD HOCKEY ALL-CONFERENCE HONORS

CAA Player of the Year: Eveline Zwager, James Madison
CAA Defensive Player of the Year: Julia Duffhuis, Delaware
CAA Rookie of the Year: Eline Oldeman, Hofstra
CAA Coach of the Year: Christy Morgan, James Madison

All-CAA First Team

Caroline Cahill, James Madison
Ashlyn Carr, Delaware
Eline Di Leva, Drexel
Julia Duffhuis, Delaware
Lexie Dunleavy, Northeastern
Cara Menges, William & Mary
Diede Remijnse, James Madison
Lauren Rowe, Northeastern
Femke Strien, Delaware
Lena Vandam, Towson
Eveline Zwager, James Madison

All-CAA Second Team

Tabby Billingham, William & Mary
Kasey Bubel, Towson
Emily Harrison, James Madison
Isabel Jacobs, Drexel
Cammi Larsson, Hofstra
Florien Marcussen, James Madison
Kara McClure, James Madison
Grace Miller, Delaware
Eline Oldeman, Hofstra
Kiki Oudshoorn, Delaware
Djuna Slort, Hofstra
Merlijn van der Vegt, Hofstra

CAA All-Rookie Team

Lara Borensztein, Hofstra
Sian Emslie, Delaware
Pyper Freidman, William & Mary
Lieke Gorsse, Hofstra
Samantha Grimes, James Madison
Genevieve Johnson, Delaware
Eline Oldeman, Hofstra
Tina Rawa, Drexel
Cassidy Strittmatter, James Madison
Lara Taylor, Northeastern

University of Delaware Athletics