University of Delaware Athletics
Photo by: Ethan Heddinger
11/5/2026 1:00:00 PM | Field Hockey
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. - University of Delaware field hockey sophomore forward Livia van't Hek was named the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Offensive Player of the Year, while her and four other Fightin' Blue Hens were named All-MPSF. Delaware's coaching staff was named MPSF Coaching Staff of the Year, the league office announced Thursday.
van't Hek becomes the first Fightin' Blue Hen to win an offensive player of the year award since Femke Strien in 2019 and the first underclassmen since Lotte de Koning in 2018.
Lily Cosner, Linde van Leeuwen, Alexa Michielsen, Sarah Rigual, and van't Hek were recognized as All-MPSF.
Michielsen, Rigual, and van Leeuwen are back-to-back members of the All-MPSF squad, having earned the laurel for the 2025 season as well.
Tara Zollinger, Ally Mooney, Devin Kinzel, and Sydney Rhodes-James earned MPSF Coaching Staff of the Year after going 9-8 on the year, including 3-1 at home and a ranked win at No. 18 Monmouth. UD ranked first in the MPSF in nine different categories and sixth in the country with nine defensive saves. This is Zollinger's third time earning a league-wide coaching award, doing so in 2021 and 2024 in the PSAC.Â
van't Hek enjoyed a breakout sophomore season, earning a major award and gathering an all-conference honor, in which she led the MPSF with nine goals and 19 points across 17 games, finishing the season ranked first in both categories. She averaged 1.12 points per game and 0.53 goals per contest, providing a strong offensive presence for the 9-8 Blue Hens en route to their No. 1 seed in the MPSF. The sophomore was one-of-17 underclassmen in the country to record at least nine goals at the conclusion of the Division I regular season.
Cosner had three goals and five assists in her junior season, playing and starting in all 17 games. Her five assists finished third in the MPSF, propelled by two multi-assist games. The captain was the primary inserter on penalty corners over the course of the season, which in turn led to many of her offensive opportunities.
van Leeuwen, one-of-three Blue Hens who earned their second-straight all conference election, had five goals and two assists, as well as a conference-high three defensive saves. The Heemstede, Netherlands native played all but two minutes on the year, playing strong on both sides of the ball for Delaware. van Leeuwen's five goals and 12 points tied for second in both categories in the MPSF.
Michielsen earned her third-consecutive all conference mention and second-straight as a Hen with this honor. She had five goals and two assists, totaling 12 points in her senior season. She was a strong anchor of the Delaware offense that tallied a league-high 35 goals.
Rigual closes out an impressive 2026 calendar year with her second-straight nod to the All-MPSF squad. The captain was a crucial part of the Delaware midfield, as well as scoring two goals and dishing out three assists.Â
UP NEXT
Delaware clinched the No. 1 seed in the 2026 MPSF Field Hockey Championship at Fred P. Rullo Stadium and will play at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 7 against the winner of No. 2 UC Davis and No. 3 Queens University of Charlotte.
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TICKETS
Click here to purchase tickets for the 2026 MPSF Field Hockey Championship at Fred P. Rullo Stadium in Newark, Del.
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FOLLOW ON SOCIAL
For the latest on Delaware field hockey, follow the Fightin' Blue Hens on X, Instagram, and like on Facebook.
van't Hek becomes the first Fightin' Blue Hen to win an offensive player of the year award since Femke Strien in 2019 and the first underclassmen since Lotte de Koning in 2018.
Lily Cosner, Linde van Leeuwen, Alexa Michielsen, Sarah Rigual, and van't Hek were recognized as All-MPSF.
Michielsen, Rigual, and van Leeuwen are back-to-back members of the All-MPSF squad, having earned the laurel for the 2025 season as well.
Tara Zollinger, Ally Mooney, Devin Kinzel, and Sydney Rhodes-James earned MPSF Coaching Staff of the Year after going 9-8 on the year, including 3-1 at home and a ranked win at No. 18 Monmouth. UD ranked first in the MPSF in nine different categories and sixth in the country with nine defensive saves. This is Zollinger's third time earning a league-wide coaching award, doing so in 2021 and 2024 in the PSAC.Â
van't Hek enjoyed a breakout sophomore season, earning a major award and gathering an all-conference honor, in which she led the MPSF with nine goals and 19 points across 17 games, finishing the season ranked first in both categories. She averaged 1.12 points per game and 0.53 goals per contest, providing a strong offensive presence for the 9-8 Blue Hens en route to their No. 1 seed in the MPSF. The sophomore was one-of-17 underclassmen in the country to record at least nine goals at the conclusion of the Division I regular season.
Cosner had three goals and five assists in her junior season, playing and starting in all 17 games. Her five assists finished third in the MPSF, propelled by two multi-assist games. The captain was the primary inserter on penalty corners over the course of the season, which in turn led to many of her offensive opportunities.
van Leeuwen, one-of-three Blue Hens who earned their second-straight all conference election, had five goals and two assists, as well as a conference-high three defensive saves. The Heemstede, Netherlands native played all but two minutes on the year, playing strong on both sides of the ball for Delaware. van Leeuwen's five goals and 12 points tied for second in both categories in the MPSF.
Michielsen earned her third-consecutive all conference mention and second-straight as a Hen with this honor. She had five goals and two assists, totaling 12 points in her senior season. She was a strong anchor of the Delaware offense that tallied a league-high 35 goals.
Rigual closes out an impressive 2026 calendar year with her second-straight nod to the All-MPSF squad. The captain was a crucial part of the Delaware midfield, as well as scoring two goals and dishing out three assists.Â
UP NEXT
Delaware clinched the No. 1 seed in the 2026 MPSF Field Hockey Championship at Fred P. Rullo Stadium and will play at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 7 against the winner of No. 2 UC Davis and No. 3 Queens University of Charlotte.
Â
TICKETS
Click here to purchase tickets for the 2026 MPSF Field Hockey Championship at Fred P. Rullo Stadium in Newark, Del.
Â
FOLLOW ON SOCIAL
For the latest on Delaware field hockey, follow the Fightin' Blue Hens on X, Instagram, and like on Facebook.
Players Mentioned
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Thursday, October 15
