University of North Carolina Athletics
Van Sickle Named ACC Defensive Player Of The Year
November 3, 2010 | Field Hockey
Nov. 3, 2010
GREENSBORO, N.C. - North Carolina sophomore Caitlin Van Sickle has been named 2010 Atlantic Coast Conference Field Hockey Defensive Player of the Year and is one of four Tar Heels named to the All-ACC Team, announced Wednesday by the conference. Joining Van Sickle in earning All-ACC honors were senior goalkeeper Jackie Kintzer, sophomore midfielder Kelsey Kolojejchick and freshman back Marta Malmberg.
Van Sickle is the second Carolina player to earn the defensive honor, following Rachel Dawson, the award's recipient in 2004 and 2007. A back from Wilmington, Del., Van Sickle has started every game in the past two seasons and this year anchors a UNC defense that boasts a goals-against average of 0.63, the best in the nation. She ranks second on the team with 10 goals and also has five assists.
Maryland's Katie O'Donnell was named Offensive Player of the Year for the fourth year in a row. Terp teammate Jill Witmer was named Freshman of the Year and UM coach Missy Meharg was honored as coach of the year for the sixth time. Maryland won the regular-season ACC title, finishing 5-0 in league play to claim the top seed in the conference championship, which begins Thursday in Winston-Salem, N.C.
The 17-member All-ACC team includes five selections from Maryland - the most by any league team. North Carolina has four student-athletes recognized, while Virginia has three. Duke and Wake Forest each have two, with Boston College earning one selection to round out the list.
Kintzer and Kolojejchick, both of whom also were named to the preseason All-ACC team, earned All-ACC honors for the second year in a row. The all-conference nod is the first for Malmberg and Van Sickle.
The third through sixth seeds play in first-round games at Wake Forest. As the No. 2 seed in the field, UNC earned a first-round bye and will begin play Friday at 6:30 against the winner of Thursday's matchup between No. 3 Virginia and No. 6 Duke. The semifinal winners will meet on Sunday at noon for the 2010 ACC crown.
For more on the tournament, check out the official championship website at www.theACC.com.
2010 All-ACC Field Hockey Team
Name - Yr. - Pos.- School
Emily Kozniuk, Sr., M, Boston College
Tara Jennings, Jr., M, Duke
Rhian Jones !, Jr., D, Duke
Jemma Buckley, Jr., D, Maryland
Megan Frazer, So., M, Maryland
Katie O'Donnell ^, Sr., A, Maryland
Harriet Tibble, So., D, Maryland
Jill Witmer, Fr., A, Maryland
Jackie Kintzer !, Sr., GK, North Carolina
Kelsey Kolojejchick !, So., M, North Carolina
Marta Malmberg, Fr., D, North Carolina
Caitlin Van Sickle, So., D, North Carolina
Elly Buckley, Fr., M, Virginia
Paige Selenski #, Jr., A, Virginia
Michelle Vittese !, Jr., D, Virginia
Lauren Greenwald, Jr., D, Wake Forest
Lizzie Rae, So., F, Wake Forest
Offensive Player of the Year: Katie O'Donnell, Maryland
Defensive Player of the Year: Caitlin Van Sickle, North Carolina
Freshman of the Year: Jill Witmer, Maryland
Coach of the Year: Missy Meharg, Maryland
! - Two-time selection # - Three-time selection ^ - Four-time selection
