Cavaliers Pick Up All-State Field Hockey Honors

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Dec. 30, 2006

The Virginia field hockey team picked up more honors today as the Virginia Sports Information Directors’ Association named its all-state honorees. Head coach Michele Madison picked up her second coach of the year honors, while Inge Kaars Sijpesteijn and Traci Ragukas were both named to the first team. Biffy Cornelison and Mia Link were both named to the second team.

“Kudos to the players again for buying into a system of modern hockey,” said Virginia head coach Michele Madison. “Inge and Traci led the charts in stats that led to positive team results and are justly rewarded. Mia and Biffy empowered our mission day in a day out with the mission to advance UVA hockey as far as they could before their last game”

Kaars Sijpesteijn, who was named a first team All-American this year, earns her first All-State award. One of the top two-way players in the nation in 2006, the Dutch native helped the Cavaliers rank nationally in both scoring offense and defense. She scored 14 goals this campaign, including four in the post season. Her 33 points ranks her eighth all-time at UVa in scoring as a second year and her 14 goals tie her with All-American Meredith Elwell for sixth all-time in goal scoring as a second-year. Kaars Sijpesteijn was named to the ACC All-Conference and All-Tournament team in 2006.

Ragukas, who was named to the National All-Rookie Squad this year, made an immediate impact on the collegiate field hockey world. She led the Cavaliers in scoring with 15 goals and five assists. Her 35 points and 15 goals are the fifth-highest totals for a rookie in school history. She was named the National Rookie of the Week on August 27 in her first week at the collegiate level. Ragukas was also named to the ACC All-Tournament team as the Cavaliers advanced to the ACC semifinals.

Link, who is a member of the USA National Developmental Team, earned her second All-Conference honor after helping Virginia reside in the top-10 nationally in the polls for the majority of the season. Link, who won her second consecutive national championship in July, has started 21 games for the Cavaliers as a striker. She was named to the All-ACC team this season.

Cornelison started all 22 games this season, one of only two Cavaliers to do so. She led the Cavaliers with four defensive saves and ten assists. Her ten assists was more than her career total entering the season.

Madison, in her first year as the mentor of the Cavaliers, was named the National Coach of the Year by womensfieldhockey.com. She directed the Hoos to a 14-8 record against the nation’s fifth-toughest schedule that included three wins over top-10 teams and three wins over conference champions. The Cavaliers earned an invitation to the NCAA Championships for the first time since 2001 and also advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals for the first time since 2001.

“More honors for a storybook season of which Christopher, Alex and Christina and I so proud,” said Madison. “Hockey in Virginia is about to explode. We are fortunate to have had the opportunity to lead a team of believers. Thank you UVA, Craig, Jane and Jon for the opportunity.”