PAC places six alums on NFHCA Division I All-Region 1st teams
Once again, the Pioneer Athletic Conference is proving that it is one of the top producers of standout field hockey players in the country.
The National Field Hockey Coaches Association announced its Division I All-Region teams on Nov. 28 and six local players, including five first-teamers, were selected.
The Duke Blue Devils led the way with three first-team picks – Heather Morris, Alyssa Chillano and Sammie Steele. Penn senior Alexa Hoover and Connecticut junior Casey Umstead were also named to the first team while Michigan State junior Simone Vagnoni was a second-team choice.
Senior Morris (Owen J. Roberts) was named to the South Region team. She was a secondteam pick as a sophomore. The 5-foot-6 forward had 11 goals and three assists for 25 points with a game-winner for the Blue Devils, who finished 16-4 and was upset 3-2 in overtime to eventual champion Delaware in the NCAA quarterfinals on Nov. 13. She’s also a three-time NFHCA National Academic selection.
Chillano (Spring-Ford) and Steele (Methacton) also were picked on the South Region team. Junior Chillano, also a second-team pick last season, had 13 goals and six assists for 32 points with five game-winners. It was Steele’s first selection. In her first season in goal for the Blue Devils, red-shirt freshman started every game and gave up 27 goals with 73 saves and five shutouts.
Hoover (Methacton) was named to the Mid-Atlantic Region team for the second straight season and was an NFHCA All-American second team choice last season. She led the 11-5 Quakers with 15 goals and seven assists for 37 points with a game-winner.
Umstead (Upper Perkiomen), named to the Mideast Region squad, was a member of the high-power Connecticut offense that outscored foes 116-30. She had 18 goals and 15 assists for 51 points with four game-winners. The 22-2 Huskies were beaten 2-1 in over-
time by North Carolina in the NCAA semifinals on Nov. 18.
Vagnoni (Spring-Ford), a West Region pick, started all 20 games on defense for the 8-12 Spartans and chipped in with three goals and two assists for eight points.
MADDIE FOX (UPPER PERKIOMEN) >>
The junior midfielder was named to the NFHCA Division III South Atlantic Region first team for her play with Lebanon Valley. She started all 18 games for the 11-7 Dutchmen and finished with seven goals and seven assists for 21 points with two game-winners.
ANDREA WYSOCKI (BOYERTOWN) >>
Alvernia junior Andrea Wysocki (Boyertown) was named to the NFHCA Division III South Atlantic Region second team. She had 17 goals and seven assists for 41 points with six game-winners for the 20-2 Crusaders.
ZACHARY STROHL (BOYERTOWN) >>
The senior was the top scorer to lead the Akron rifle team to the title in the six-day Zippy Open which started in early November and ended Nov. 21 in Akron, OH. Strohl was the top scorer in air rifle with a 589 total and was second in smallbore with a 577 total for 1,166 points in a field of 140 competitors. Akron totaled 4,613 to capture the crown. The team returns to action in the Palmyra Invitational on Jan. 28-29 in nearby Palmyra.
PAYTON MILES (THE HILL SCHOOL) >>
The freshman from Limerick got her first taste of the Lehigh-Lafayette rivalry as she had a big meet to help the Lehigh women’s swim team score a convincing 219-43 victory over Lafayette on Nov. 18 in Easton. Miles captured the 50 freestyle in 23.27 and helped the 400 free relay to victory in 3:26.21. She also finished second in the 100 freestyle in 51.27 and was a member of the 200 medley relay which finished second to another Lehigh squad with a time of 1:47.54.
LAURA SIMPSON (BOYERTOWN) >>
The sophomore is a key performer for the Simmons women’s swim team which kicked off its season with six straight dual meet victories. Simpson has 10 victories in the six meets including six individual wins. In a 187-74 victory over the University of New England on Nov. 19, she captured the 1,650 freestyle (18:44.72) and was a member of the winning 200 free relay (1:44.28). On Nov. 12 in a tight 140.5-138.5 victory over Wellesley, she won the 500 free (5:32.05), the 1000 free (11:28.30) and swam a leg on the winning 400 free relay (3:44.51).
LUCAS MILLER (BOYERTOWN) >>
The true freshman competed in his first dual match for the Kutztown wrestling team and came away with a 4-3 victory at 133 pounds as the Golden Bears dropped a 29-11 decision to Pitt-Johnstown on Nov. 17 in Kutztown. Miller kicked off his college career by going 2-2 at 133 pounds at the 50th ESU Open on Nov. 6 in East Stroudsburg. He was a two-time state place winner while at Boyertown Area.
KRISTEN SIWY (UPPER PERKIOMEN) >>
The freshman helped the King’s women’s swim team finished fifth out of 12 teams at the annual Diamond City Invitational Nov. 1920 in Wilkes-Barre. Siwy finished first in the 400 IM (4:45.63), second in the 200 breaststroke (23:3071) and third in the 500 freestyle (5:25.53). She also swam legs on the 800 free relay which finished second (8:19.51), the 400 medley relay which finished fourth (4:15.81), the 200 medley relay which finished 7th (1:57.84) and the 400 free relay which finished eighth (3:52.99).
JEREMY GLASNER (BOYERTOWN) >>
The sophomore captured the 200 breaststroke in 2:26.52 to help the Washington & Jefferson men’s swim team turn back Pitt-Bradford 124-118 on Nov. 19. He also finished second in the 100 breast (1:06.05) and the 400 IM (4:38.08) and was on the 200 medley relay which finished second (1:42.04).
In a 181-111 loss to a strong Westminster team on Nov. 16, Glasner finished second in the 100 breast (1:05.97) and third in the 200 breast (2:25.63) and the 100 IM (59.23).
ALIKI TORRENCE (EXETER) >>
Aliki Torrence continues to earn honors for her play with the Ursinus field hockey team.
The senior defender from Reading (Exeter Township) was named to the National Field Hockey Coaches Association Division III South Regional first team on Nov. 29. It was her fourth straight NFHCA honor and third straight first-team selection. She was named to the Centennial Conference first team for the third straight year earlier in November.
Torrence started all 22 games and had four goals and four assists for 12 points. She also had a defensive save giving her nine for her career. She helped the Bears limit foes to just 24 goals with seven shutouts this season.
“Aliki had a phenomenal season to cap off a great field hockey career,” coach Janelle Benner said. “She was a tremendous defender who played with confidence and poise. Her presence on the field will be greatly missed next year.”
Ursinus finished 17-5 after going 9-1 in league play and captured the league tourney title with a 2-1 victory over Franklin & Marshall on Nov. 6. The Bears defeated Trinity, Conn. 2-1 in the first round of the Division III Tournament, but saw the season end with a 1-0 loss to Salisbury in the quarterfinals.
BRANDI VALLELY (OLEY VALLEY) >>
The junior missed one game and played sparingly in two others but the 5-foot-7 guard played the way the Muhlenberg women’s basketball team and its fans are used to be seeing in a 74-64 Centennial Conference victory on Nov. 29 in Allentown. She played 36 minutes and had 16 points, nine assists, seven rebounds and three steals with just two turnovers as the Mules captured their fourth straight after a season-opening 58-50 loss to Moravian Nov. 15, a game that Vallely missed. She was an All-Centennial first team pick and an All-American honorable mention as a sophomore.