Hendrix named Defensive Player of the Year
STANDISH, Maine – The Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Field Hockey postseason honors have been released and Saint Joseph's College, the 2014 GNAC regular season champion, is well represented on the list.
Senior midfielder Theresa Hendrix (Scarborough, Maine/Cheverus) has earned GNAC Defensive Player of the Year and First Team All-Conference honors while senior forward Effie Drew (Portland, Maine), senior defender Kaylee Heath (Pittston, Maine) and junior defender Meghan Williams (Greenland, N.H./St. Thomas Aquinas) have collected First Team All-GNAC accolades.
Sophomore midfielder Kelsey Dumond (Lewiston, Maine) and freshman forward Bailey Cutler (Lisbon Falls, Maine) have both been listed on the Second Team.
Hendrix claims multiple honors after registering six goals and a conference-high 11 assists for 23 total points – all career-highs - in her final collegiate season. The three-year team captain played integral roles in all facets of the Monks' system and quickly became known as one of the fiercest competitors and most dynamic athletes in the conference this fall. The October 1st ECAC Co-Player of the Week honoree led the team in shots (89) and shots on goal (53) and ranked seventh nationally in assists per game (0.77) heading into postseason play.
Drew, a First Team All-NAC and Second Team All-NFHCA selection as a junior, tied for the team lead in goals (11) and finished the season tied for second in total points (25). An explosive forward and team player, Drew tallied 21 goals and six assists for 48 total points with five game-winning goals in just two seasons as a member of the SJC field hockey program.
Heath collects All-Conference recognition for the first time after anchoring a Monks' defensive front that led the GNAC in goals against average (0.81) and shutouts (7) this fall. A three-year captain and four-year starter, Heath was a steadying force on the St. Joe's backline who played a significant role in the program's success during her career.
Williams, a converted midfielder who moved to the defensive end during her sophomore season, claims her first All-Conference honor after tallying a goal and four assists as well as a defensive save during her junior campaign. A two-year team captain, Williams will be asked to take on an even larger role next fall with the loss of Heath to graduation.
One of the most technically sound players on the team, Dumond emerged as an offensive force with nine goals and nine assists for a team-high 27 points during her sophomore season. The second-year midfielder was particularly important down the stretch and claimed GNAC Player of the Week honors on October 13th for her efforts.
Cutler deservedly earns All-GNAC honors as a freshman after netting 11 goals with three assists for 25 total points this fall. One of the top reasons for the Monks' success this season, Cutler recorded more points or goals in a single season than any rookie in program history and also broke the team's single-game goals record with four vs. Mount Ida on October 12th.
Under the watch of 10th-year Head Coach Rupert Lewis, Saint Joseph's went 14-3 overall and 6-0 in GNAC play en route to earning the top seed in the 2014 GNAC Tournament. With a bye in the quarterfinal round, the Monks faced #4 Anna Maria College in a semifinal matchup at Mercy Field on November 5th and suffered a season-ending 1-0 loss at the hands of the AMCATS.
Follow Saint Joseph's Athletics on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram!
Saint Joseph's College is Maine's only Catholic liberal arts college, providing a supportive, personalized and career-focused education for more than 100 years. From its 430-acre campus on the shores of Sebago Lake, the College offers more than 40 undergraduate programs to a population of approximately 1,000 students. Saint Joseph's College Online provides certificates, undergraduate and advanced degrees for working adults through an online learning program. For more, visit www.sjcme.edu.
