Four Cavaliers Earn NFHCA All-Region Honors
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Four Virginia field hockey players were named to the 2020 NFHCA Division I All-South Region teams, as announced on Tuesday (June 1) by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association.
Each of the five regions honors 16 student-athletes on a first team and 16 student-athletes on a second team.
Senior back Rachel Robinson (Mount Joy, Pa.), junior back Amber Ezechiels (Niew Vennep, Netherlands) and sophomore midfielder Adele Iacobucci (Malvern, Pa.) were named to the first team while sophomore striker Laura Janssen (Nijmegen, Netherlands) earned second-team honors.
Robinson and Ezechiels anchored a defensive unit that logged three shutouts this season. Ezechiels was a key element of Virginia’s attack on penalty corners, scoring three goals with nine assists to rank third on the team in points. Her nine assists led the conference. Both were named to the All-ACC first team. This is Robinson’s second-straight first-team honor after being named to the second team as a freshman and as a sophomore. This is Ezechiels’ second all-region recognition after also being on the first team last season.
Iacobucci was second on the team in goals (8) and points (17). She was named to the ACC All-Tournament team and was also the ACC Offensive Player of the Week after scoring twice in UVA’s 5-2 victory against James Madison. This is her first All-Region honor.
Janssen led the team in goals (9) and points (18) this season. The All-ACC second-team honoree ranked fourth in the conference in goals per game and seventh in points. Three of her goals were game-winners, including the one she scored against Wake Forest in the fall to send the Cavaliers into the semifinals of the ACC Championship. This is Janssen’s first All-Region honor.
The NFHCA Division I All-Region team announcement is the first in a list of postseason awards to come from the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) over the next several weeks. Next to be announced are the NFHCA Regional Players of the Year on June 7 — they will be followed by the NFHCA All-American teams and the NFHCA National Player of the Year which will be revealed during the live NFHCA Awards Show sponsored by AstroTurf® on June 15, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. ET.
South Region First Team
Jill Bolton, Liberty University (Forward)
Darcy Bourne, Duke University (Midfielder)
Marlon de Bruijne, Old Dominion University (Forward)
Amber Ezechiels, University of Virginia (Defender)
Litiana Field, Virginia Commonwealth University (Defender)
Amanda Hendry, University of North Carolina (Goalkeeper)
Adele Iacobucci, University of Virginia (Midfielder)
Meike Lanckohr, Wake Forest University (Midfielder)
Erin Matson, University of North Carolina (Forward)
Eva Nunnink, Duke University (Defender)
Daniella Rhodes, Liberty University (Midfielder)
Rachel Robinson, University of Virginia (Defender)
Meredith Sholder, University of North Carolina (Forward)
Eva Smolenaars, University of North Carolina (Midfielder)
Maite Sturm, Virginia Commonwealth University (Midfielder)
Janne Wetzel, Virginia Commonwealth University (Defender)
South Region Second Team
Bryn Boylan, University of North Carolina (Midfielder)
Caroline Cahill, James Madison University (Midfielder)
Jodie Conolly, Liberty University (Defender)
Bethany Dykema, Liberty University (Defender)
Sasha Elliott, Virginia Commonwealth University (Goalkeeper)
Nathalie Friedman, Wake Forest University (Midfielder)
Laura Janssen, University of Virginia (Forward)
Delphine Le Jeune, Old Dominion University (Midfielder)
Luna Lopez, Longwood University (Midfielder)
Cara Menges, William & Mary (Midfielder)
Meghan Smart, Appalachian State University (Forward)
Cassie Sumfest, University of North Carolina (Midfielder)
Charlotte Vaanhold, Liberty University (Forward)
Laia Vancells, Wake Forest University (Defender)
Courtnie Williamson, University of North Carolina (Defender)
Eveline Zwager, James Madison University (Forward)