Photo courtesy of: CAA/Niki DeSantis
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (November 3, 2006) – Old Dominion senior back Caroline Nichols (Virginia Beach, Va./Salem), who has led the Lady Monarchs to a No. 3 national ranking and a perfect 8-0 conference record, was named the CAA Field Hockey Player and Defensive Player of the Year in a vote by the league’s head coaches. The conference presented its year-end awards Friday night in Virginia Beach on the eve of the semifinals of the CAA Field Hockey Championship.
Also receiving top field hockey honors from the conference were James Madison freshman forward Meghan Bain (Berlin, N.J./Eastern Regional) as CAA Rookie of the Year and Old Dominion’s Beth Anders as CAA Coach of the Year.
Nichols anchored an Old Dominion defensive unit that leads the nation in goals against average (0.64 GAA), having allowed only 13 goals in 20 games. The Lady Monarchs have recorded 11 shutouts, with seven of those coming in conference play. Nichols has also contributed offensively, ranking fourth on the team with 21 points on nine goals and three assists. The senior back has posted a team-high four game-winning goals, including the deciding goals against nationally ranked foes Duke, North Carolina and Michigan. Nichols is the ninth different ODU player to receive the CAA’s top award, but is the first in league history to sweep Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year honors in the same season.
Bain had a spectacular rookie season for a James Madison squad that is ranked #17 in the nation and finished second in the CAA with a 6-2 mark. The freshman forward led the Dukes and ranked third in the CAA in both goals (15) and points (34), and also dished out four assists. Bain has recorded eight game-winning goals, which is tied for the national lead, and she contributed the winning goal in five of JMU’s six CAA triumphs.
Anders earns her ninth CAA Coach of the Year award following Old Dominion’s sensational 18-2 campaign. The Lady Monarchs went undefeated in conference play for the 12th time and outscored their opponents 42-2 in eight league contests. Old Dominion is ranked No. 3 in the latest STX/NFHCA Division I National Coaches Poll and its only two losses this year are to #1 Maryland by 1-0 scores. Anders is in her 24th season at the helm of the Lady Monarchs’ field hockey squad, and has increased her all-time Division I-leading career victories total to 479.
ODU led all schools with four players selected to the All-CAA first team. Joining Nichols from ODU were senior midfielder Dana Sensenig (16g, 15a), sophomore midfielder Denise Admiraal (12g, 4a) and sophomore goalkeeper Kelly Driscoll (0.64 GAA, 11 shutouts). James Madison was represented by Bain and senior midfielder Baillie Versfeld (4g, 4a), who made the first team for the third year in a row. Making the squad from Hofstra were sophomore forward/midfielder Charlia Warner (20g, 5a) and senior midfielder Kara McEneaney (8g, 3a), while Northeastern placed junior midfielder Ashley Webber (6g, 3a) and senior forward Whitney Shean (4g, 12a) on the team. Rounding out the unit was William & Mary senior forward Gina Cimarelli, who topped the Tribe with 21 points (7g, 7a).
2006 ALL-CAA FIELD HOCKEY TEAM
(As selected by CAA Field Hockey Coaches)
First Team
Name, School Cl. Pos. Hometown/High School
Caroline Nichols, Old Dominion* Sr. B Virginia Beach, Va./Salem
Dana Sensenig, Old Dominion* Sr. MF Denver, Pa./Cocalico
Baillie Versfeld, James Madison* Sr. MF Bulawayo, Zimbabwe/Dominican Convent
Ashley Webber, Northeastern# Jr. MF South Dennis, Mass./Dennis-Yarmouth
Charlia Warner, Hofstra So. F/MF Bridgetown, Barbados/Springer Memorial
Denise Admiraal, Old Dominion# So. MF Heillo, Holland/Jac P. Thijsse
Meghan Bain, James Madison Fr. F Berlin, N.J./Eastern Regional
Whitney Shean, Northeastern* Sr. F Medfield, Mass./Medfield
Gina Cimarelli, William & Mary Sr. F Oak Hill, Va./Oak Hill
Kara McEneaney, Hofstra Sr. MF Miller Place, N.Y./Miller Place
Kelly Driscoll, Old Dominion So. GK West Chester, Pa./Villa Maria
Second Team
Name, School Cl. Pos. Hometown/High School
Doni-Melissa Jantzen, Hofstra* Sr. MF/F Shoreham, N.Y./Shoreham-Wading River
Catherine Chiara, Drexel So. F Mountain Lakes, N.J./Mountain Lakes
Stephanie Swain, Delaware Sr. MF Middletown, Del./William Penn
Daphne Admiraal, Old Dominion So. B Heillo, Holland/Jac P. Thijsse
Kim Hedley, William & Mary Jr. F Virginia Beach, Va./Kempsville
Nikki Lloyd, VCU So. F Kent, England/Bromley
Melissa Walls, James Madison So. MF/B Berlin, N.J./Eastern Regional
Kim McEwen, Towson Sr. MF Elverson, Pa./Twin Valley
Leslie DeSimone, Hofstra Sr. D Roseland, N.J./Mount Olive
Darcy Pinchbeck, Old Dominion Sr. F Suffolk, Va./Lakeland
Jessica Cowperthwait, Hofstra* Sr. GK Wilmington, Del./Wilmington Friends School
2006 CAA Player of the Year: Caroline Nichols, Old Dominion
2006 CAA Defensive Player of the Year: Caroline Nichols, Old Dominion
2006 CAA Rookie of the Year: Meghan Bain, James Madison
2006 CAA Coach of the Year: Beth Anders, Old Dominion
* denotes All-CAA first team in 2005
# denotes All-CAA second team in 2005
2006 CAA FIELD HOCKEY ALL-ROOKIE TEAM
(As selected by CAA Field Hockey Coaches)
Name, School Cl. Pos. Hometown/High School
Meghan Bain, James Madison Fr. F Berlin, N.J./Eastern Regional
Kelly Driscoll, Old Dominion So. GK West Chester, Pa./Villa Maria
Reyna Farnum, Hofstra Fr. MF Bridgetown, Barbados/Harrison College
Suzanne Hazelzet, Northeastern Fr. B Rotterdam, Netherlands/Wolfert van Borselen
Jennifer Bolger, Drexel Fr. F Berlin, N.J./Eastern Regional
Christina Boarman, Towson Fr. F Fulton, Md./St. Paul’s School
Tori Karsten, Delaware Fr. MF River Forest, Ill./Oak Park River Forest
Titia Beek, Old Dominion Fr. F Heiloo, Holland/Murmellius Gymnasium
Wesley Drew, William & Mary Fr. MF/D Virginia Beach, Va./Frank W. Cox
Emilie Osinga, VCU Fr. MF Aerdenhout, Netherlands/Stedelijk Gymnasium
