LEC Announces 2021 Field Hockey Postseason Awards
PROVIDENCE, R.I. - The Little East Conference (LEC) announced its 2021 field hockey postseason award recipients Thursday, following a vote of the league’s head coaches. Eastern Connecticut’s Brianna Nolan was named the 2021 LEC Offensive Player of the Year, while Worcester State’s Emily Saucier was named the 2021 LEC Defensive Player of the Year.
Nolan led the Warriors in scoring with 15 goals and 31 points during their record-setting 2021 campaign, which saw them capture the LEC tournament championship for the first time in program history and make their first-ever NCAA Division III Championship Tournament berth. She is the first-ever Eastern Connecticut player to be named LEC Offensive Player of the Year.
Saucier was named the LEC Defensive Player of the Year after leading a defensive unit that finished the year ranked No. 1 in the LEC in scoring defense, allowing 1.67 goals per contest. She helped lead Worcester State to an overall record of 15-6 this season, and the No. 2 seed in the 2021 LEC Championship Tournament. She is the third Lancer to be named LEC Defensive Player of the Year, the first being current Worcester State head coach Hayley Sutherland in 2017 and the most recent being Sarah Bjorn in 2019.
Rookie of the Year honors went to Castleton forward Emily Harris and Southern Maine midfielder Sage Drinkwater. Harris concluded the regular season as the LEC and Division III leader in goals 30 and points (64) this season. Drinkwater led the Huskies with 11 goals and five assists in her first collegiate season.
Westfield State head coach Jessica Bergen was voted the 2021 LEC Coach of the Year for the first time in her career. She guided the Owls, who were picked to finish ninth in the preseason coaches’ poll, to an overall record of 9-9 in the regular season and a fifth-place finish in the LEC at 8-4. Westfield entered its final game of the regular season with a chance to claim a share of the LEC regular season title.
The complete list of honorees is as follows, including the LEC's new 12th Player Award, which is presented to a student-athlete from each program in recognition of their positive contributions to the team both on and off the field, who brings forth their best effort in competition, practice and other team activities that positively contribute to the success of the program.
| Offensive Player of the Year |
Brianna Nolan |
Eastern Connecticut |
| Defensive Player of the Year |
Emily Saucier |
Worcester State University |
| Co-Rookie of the Year |
Sage Drinkwater |
University of Southern Maine |
| Co-Rookie of the Year |
Emily Harris |
Castleton University |
| Coach of the Year |
Jessica Bergen |
Westfield State University |
| First Team All-Conference |
| Emily Harris |
So. |
Forward |
Castleton |
| Brianna Nolan |
Gr. |
Forward |
Eastern Connecticut |
| Irini Stefanakos |
Fr. |
Forward |
Keene State |
| Sage Drinkwater |
Fr. |
Forward |
Southern Maine |
| Cheryl Latona |
Sr. |
Forward |
Westfield State |
| Maggie Cahoon |
Jr. |
Midfield |
Keene State |
| Hannah Banks |
So. |
Midfield |
Southern Maine |
| Bryce Makula |
Sr. |
Defense |
Eastern Connecticut |
| Emily Saucier |
Jr. |
Defense |
Worcester State |
| Jaigan Boudreau |
Fr. |
Defense |
Southern Maine |
| Kelli McCarthy |
Sr. |
Goalkeeper |
Salem State |
|
|
|
|
| Second Team All-Conference |
| Victoria Camara |
Sr. |
Forward |
Bridgewater State |
| Kaitlin Bardelini |
Jr. |
Forward |
Castleton |
| Brittany Perry |
Sr. |
Forward |
UMass Dartmouth |
| Emily Floury |
Jr. |
Forward |
Worcester State |
| Taylor Healey |
So. |
Midfield |
Plymouth State |
| Melanie Mason |
Jr. |
Midfield |
Salem State |
| Olivia Moore |
Sr. |
Midfield |
Western Connecticut |
| Hannah Steen |
Sr. |
Defense |
UMass Dartmouth |
| Lexie Panagiotopoulos |
Sr. |
Defense |
Worcester State |
| Ann Maher |
Sr. |
Defense |
Worcester State |
| Julianna Kiklis |
Jr. |
Goalkeeper |
Southern Maine |
|
|
|
|
| Third Team All-Conference |
| Karalyn Jones |
Jr. |
Forward |
Worcester State |
| Mikayla Mason |
Jr. |
Forward |
Salem State |
| Isabella Kondi |
So. |
Midfield |
Framingham State |
| Emily White |
Jr. |
Midfield |
Keene State |
| Mya Amaral |
Jr. |
Midfield |
UMass Dartmouth |
| Natalie Perry |
Sr. |
Midfield |
Plymouth State |
| Marissa Laganas |
Sr. |
Defense |
Salem State |
| Aly Kendrick |
Fr. |
Defense |
Eastern Connecticut |
| Alessia Callahan |
So. |
Defense |
Western Connecticut |
| Bre Foley |
So. |
Defense |
Westfield State |
| Grace Pushor |
Jr. |
Goalkeeper |
Framingham State |
|
|
|
|
| 12th Player Award |
| Jordyn Perry |
Jr. |
Defense |
Bridgewater State |
| Amelia Wilson |
Fr. |
Defense |
Castleton |
| Bryce Makula |
Sr. |
Midfield |
Eastern Connecticut |
| Alexis Raymond |
Fr. |
Forward |
Fitchburg State |
| Julie Hadley |
Fr. |
Defense |
Framingham State |
| Molly Edmark |
So. |
Goalkeeper |
Keene State |
| Kylie Dias |
Sr. |
Forward |
UMass Dartmouth |
| Athena Comeau |
So. |
Forward |
Plymouth State |
| Kaylan Harkins |
Sr. |
Defense |
Salem State |
| Paige Seymour |
Fr. |
Midfield |
Southern Maine |
| Samantha Burns |
Jr. |
Midfield/Defense |
Western Connecticut |
| Mariah Colbert |
Jr. |
Forward |
Westfield State |
| Sam Gastonguay |
So. |
Goalkeeper |
Worcester State |