Berks alums earn NFHCA All-Region honors.

Pioneer Athletic Conference alums could be found all over the National Field Hockey Coaches Association All-Region teams upon their announcement on Nov. 27.

Penn senior Alexa Hoover (Methacton), Connecticut senior Casey Umstead (Upper Perkiomen) and Duke senior Alyssa Chillano (Spring Ford) and sophomore Sammi Steele (Methacton) were named NFHCA All-Region first team in their respective regions. North Carolina senior Gab Major (Spring-Ford) was named to the South Region second team and Michigan State senior Simone Vagnoni (Spring-Ford) was named to the West Region second team.

Also earning regional first team honors was Penn State defensive standout Skyler Fretz (Oley Valley), also named to the Mideast Region squad.

Hoover capped an outstanding season at Penn as the all-time leader in goals (68) and points (163) and ranks fourth all-time in the Ivy League in both categories as well. This season, Hoover led Penn with 12 goals and eight assists for 32 points and started all 67 games of her college career.

Umstead provided yet another scoring threat on the UConn offense with 15 goals and 16 assists for 46 points. A force on both sides of the ball, Umstead helped UConn turn in a NCAA-leading 3.57 scoring margin. The two-time All-Mideast Regional First Team selection finished her career fifth all-time in assists (40) and tied for sixth in career points (160) and goals (60).

An all-region selection for the third time in her career and a first team honoree for the second consecutive season, Chillano totaled eight goals, four assists and three defensive saves during her senior

campaign. The Phoenixville native notched two multiple-goal games and was part of a back line that ranked among the best in the country all season in goals against average (1.28). She garnered first team All-ACC recognition to go along with ACC All-Tournament Team laurels and was tabbed the MVP of the NFHCA Division I Senior Game.

Steele collected All-South Region first team accolades for the second consecutive season following another successful campaign as the Blue Devils’ starting goalkeeper. The Eagleville native wrapped up the season ranked eighth nationally in goals against average (1.28) and was second in the ACC in save percentage (.725).

Fretz earned her thirdcareer NFHCA honor following two second-team nods in 2015 and 2016. This, however, is the first NFHCA first-team honor for Fretz that comes after a season that saw the senior record nine defensive saves improving her career total to 14. Fretz also scored her first career goal on a penalty stroke during a 7-1 rout of Indiana to close out the regular season.

MARK FORREST (THE HILL SCHOOL) »

The junior was named the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year and was selected to the All-ECAC first team last Wednesday after a standout season with the Lehigh men’s soccer team. Earlier, the 6-foot-3 forward was named Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year and was a firstteam selection. Forrest, from Douglassville, led the ECAC and the league in goals (15), points (38) and penalty kick goals (four). He was third in the ECAC in game-winners with three and fourth in assists with eight. The Mountain Hawks finished the season 11-7-1 overall and 5-3-1 in league play.

IVAN ESCOTT (BOYERTOWN) »

The freshman has made an impact with the Eastern Illinois men’s swim team, the Panthers starting the season 3-0 in dual meets. In a 141-121 victory over Western Illinois on Oct. 28, Escott captured the 100 butterfly (53.03) and the 200 butterfly (2:01.34). He also swam a leg on the winning 200 medley relay (1:37.01) and swam the leadoff leg on the winning 400 free relay (3:12.28). Escott won the 100 butterfly in his first collegiate meet, a 140-122 victory over Valparaiso on Oct. 7 in Valparaiso, Ind.

BRANDI VALLELY (OLEY VALLEY) »

The Muhlenberg senior continues to be one of the top playmakers in Division III women’s basketball. The 5-foot-7 guard has a team-high 52 assists for the 5-0 Mules. She had a season-high 14 in a 7971 season-opening victory over Moravian on Nov. 15. Vallely, who led Division III in assists per game last season, is also averaging 12.2 points and 6.4 rebounds with 10 assists. For her career, she has 512 assists and 185 steals and has scored 834 points and has pulled down 415 rebounds.

COLTEN HABECKER (THE HILL SCHOOL) »

The redshirt junior defender played in all 21 games with two starts for the Southern Methodist men’s soccer team which turned back Central Florida 2-1 to capture the American Athletic Conference title and then defeated Central Arkansas (2-0) and Georgetown (2-1 in two overtimes) before losing 2-0 to No. 2 seed North Carolina in the third round of the NCAA Division I Tournament on Nov. 25 in Cary, N.C. Habecker, from Douglassville, had a goal and an assist and helped the 17-3-1 Mustangs hold foes to 13 goals with 10 shutouts.

JIMMY FRATANTONI (OWEN J. ROBERTS) »

Fratantoni has competed in just four bouts in the early going this season with the Muhlenberg wrestling team but when the junior is on the mat, he’s been dominating.

Fratantoni (Owen J. Roberts) opened his season by going 2-0 at 174 pounds at the Roger Williams Invitational on Nov. 11 in Bristol, R.I. He forfeited his next match to a teammate.

On Nov. 18, at the Mules’ Scotty Wood Duals in Allentown, he wrestled in two of the four matches and won both of them as Muhlenberg defeated Washington & Jefferson 26-21 and Camden County 27-20. His performance in the latter match earned him the tourney’s Most Valuable Wrestler Award. The Mules were trailing 14-12 but he posted a 21-6 technical fall victory to provide the team the lead.

Fratantoni is 11-2 in dual meets and 22-11 overall in his career.

STEPHANIE PETERY (POPE JOHN PAUL II) »

After seeing limited action as a freshman, the 5-foot-8 sophomore forward has started all six games for the Mercyhurst women’s basketball team. She had a careerhigh 11 points in a 65-61 PSAC victory over Millersville on Nov. 18 and came back with 11 points in a 6858 non-league loss to Ursuline on Nov. 19, both games in Erie. Petery is averaging 6.5 points and 2.5 rebounds with nine assists and three steals for the Lakers who are 2-4 after a 74-50 nonleague loss to Walsh on Nov. 27 in Canton, Oh.

MARK DUKES (POTTSGROVE) »

The 5-foot-11, 195 pound junior running back was the fourth leading rusher on the West Chester football team, the Golden Rams finishing 9-4 after losing 44-10 to Indiana in the second round of the NCAA Division II Championship on Nov. 25 in Indiana. Dukes carried the ball 45 times for 367 yards (8.2 yards per carry) with three touchdowns including a career-best 57 yard score in a season-opening 51-9 victory over Bentley on Aug. 31 in West Chester. He also caught nine passes for 137 yards.