Four Cavaliers Earn All-South Region Honors
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Four Virginia field hockey players were named to the 2021 NFHCA Division I All-South Region teams, as announced on Monday (Nov. 22) by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association.
Grad student Rachel Robinson, senior Amber Ezechiels and junior Adele Iacobucci were named to the first team while grad student Makayla Gallen earned second-team honors. Each of the five regions honors 16 student-athletes on a first team and 16 student-athletes on a second team.
Robinson, a five-year starter and four-year team captain, finished her collegiate career playing in 95 games with 91 starts, tallying 10 goals (three game-winners) with 13 assists for 33 points. She was named to the ACC All-Tournament team this year and has been selected to play in the NFHCA Senior Game. Robinson has earned All-South Region honors all five years. This is her third All-South Region first team honor. She was named to the second team as a freshman and a sophomore in 2017 and 2018.
Ezechiels, a defender, leads the Cavaliers in goals (7) and points (19), ranking sixth in the ACC in points per game (1.00) and ninth in goals per game (0.37). Three of her seven goals have been game-winners. The first team All-ACC honoree has been named both the ACC Offensive Player of the Week (Oct. 5) and the Defensive Player of the Week (Oct. 26) this season. She was also named to the All-ACC Tournament Team and selected to play in the NFHCA Senior Game. This is her third All-South Region first team honor.
Iacobucci appeared in all 21 games this season in the midfield, with 18 starts. She scored four goals with three assists for 11 points. This is her second All-South Region first team honor.
Gallen has played in more career games (101) than any other player in program history, starting 93 of those. She finished her career with 16 goals and 12 assists for 44 points. She was named to the All-ACC Tournament team. This is her 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 NFHCA over the next several weeks. Next to be announced are the NFHCA Regional Players of the Year on November 29, they will be followed by the NFHCA All-American teams on December 14 and the NFHCA National Player of the Year on December 16.
South Region First Team
Jill Bolton, Liberty University (Forward)
Marlon DeBruijne, Old Dominion University (Forward)
Bethany Dykema, Liberty University (Defender)
Sasha Elliott, Virginia Commonwealth University (Goalkeeper)
Amber Ezechiels, University of Virginia (Defender)
Adele Iacobucci, University of Virginia (Midfielder)
Azul Iritxity Irigoyen, Liberty University (Goalkeeper)
Meike Lanckohr, Wake Forest University (Midfielder)
Luna Lopez, Longwood University (Midfielder)
Erin Matson, University of North Carolina (Forward)
Daniella Rhodes, Liberty University (Forward)
Rachel Robinson, University of Virginia (Defender)
Maite Sturm, Virginia Commonwealth University (Midfielder)
Cassie Sumfest, University of North Carolina (Midfielder)
Janne Wetzel, Virginia Commonwealth University (Defender)
Eveline Zwager, James Madison University (Defender)
South Region Second Team
Jodie Conolly, Liberty University (Defender)
Leah Crouse, Duke University (Midfielder)
Litiana Field, Virginia Commonwealth University (Defender)
Lindsey Frank, University of Richmond (Midfielder)
Nathalie Friedman, Wake Forest University (Midfielder)
Makayla Gallen, University of Virginia (Defender)
Lizzie Hamlett, Liberty University (Midfielder)
Delphine Lejeune, Old Dominion University (Midfielder)
Cara Menges, Willam & Mary (Defender/Midfielder)
MaryKate Neff, Duke University (Midfielder)
Eva Nunnink, Duke University (Defender)
Diede Remijnse, James Madison University (Defender)
Meredith Sholder, University of North Carolina (Midfielder)
Friederike Stegen, Appalachian State University (Midfielder)
Laia Vancells, Wake Forest University (Midfielder)