University of North Carolina Athletics
Four Tar Heels Named to All-ACC Teams
April 22, 2021 | Field Hockey
GREENSBORO, N.C. – Four Tar Heels have earned All-Atlantic Coast Conference field hockey honors, as announced Thursday afternoon by the league. Erin Matson and senior Eva Smolenaars were named to the first team and Amanda Hendry and Meredith Sholder were named to the second team.
Matson, a junior, was announced Thursday morning as the ACC Offensive Player of the Year for the third year in a row, and it's also her third appearance on the All-ACC first team. Hendry was honored for the second time, after also earning the second-team recognition in 2019. It's the first All-ACC award for Smolenaars and Sholder.
All four honorees have started all 16 games this season for the Tar Heels, who are 15-1 overall and ranked No. 1 in the nation.
Also on Thursday morning, the conference announced that UNC coach Karen Shelton is the 2020-21 ACC Coach of the Year. It's the 11th time Shelton has earned the honor.
The Tar Heels march into postseason play Friday, hosting Wake Forest in a one-game playoff for the ACC's automatic bid into the NCAA Division I Field Hockey Championship. The game is at 1 p.m. at Karen Shelton Stadium and will air live on the ACC Network.
This year's NCAA tournament will feature a 12-team field, consisting of 10 automatic qualifiers and two at-large selections. The complete bracket will be released at 10 p.m. Saturday on ncaa.com.
UNC's Karen Shelton Stadium serve as a host venue throughout the tournament, with first and second round games in Chapel Hill on April 30 and May 2 and the NCAA semifinals and final on May 7 and May 9.
2020-21 All-ACC Field Hockey Teams
First Team
Margo Carlin, Boston College, F, So.
Jonna Kennedy, Boston College, GK, Jr.
Darcy Bourne, Duke, M, Fr
Eva Nunnink, Duke, D, Gr.
Mercedes Pastor, Louisville, M, Sr.
Erin Matson, North Carolina, F, Jr.
Eva Smolenaars, North Carolina, M, Sr.
Eefke van den Nieuwenhof, Syracuse, B, Fr.
Charlotte DeVries, Syracuse, M, So.
Rachel Robinson, Virginia, D, Sr .
Amber Ezechiels, Virginia, D, Jr.
Meike Lanckohr, Wake Forest, M, So.
Second Team
Fusine Govaert, Boston College, B, Sr.
Elizabeth Warner, Boston College, F, Sr.
Alli Bitting, Louisville, D, Sr.
Charlie van Oirschot, Louisville, M, Fr.
Amanda Hendry, North Carolina, GK, Sr.
Meredith Sholder, North Carolina, F, Jr.
Pleun Lammers, Syracuse, F, Fr.
Laura Graziosi, Syracuse, M, Jr.
Lauren Janssen, Virginia, F, So.
Laia Vancells, Wake Forest, M, Jr.
Nat Friedman, Wake Forest, M, So.
Grace Delmotte, Wake Forest, F, Fr.
ACC Offensive Player of the Year
Erin Matson, North Carolina
ACC Defensive Player of the Year
Jonna Kennedy, Boston College
ACC Freshman of the Year
Darcy Bourne, Duke
ACC Coach of the Year
Karen Shelton, North Carolina
Matson, a junior, was announced Thursday morning as the ACC Offensive Player of the Year for the third year in a row, and it's also her third appearance on the All-ACC first team. Hendry was honored for the second time, after also earning the second-team recognition in 2019. It's the first All-ACC award for Smolenaars and Sholder.
All four honorees have started all 16 games this season for the Tar Heels, who are 15-1 overall and ranked No. 1 in the nation.
Also on Thursday morning, the conference announced that UNC coach Karen Shelton is the 2020-21 ACC Coach of the Year. It's the 11th time Shelton has earned the honor.
The Tar Heels march into postseason play Friday, hosting Wake Forest in a one-game playoff for the ACC's automatic bid into the NCAA Division I Field Hockey Championship. The game is at 1 p.m. at Karen Shelton Stadium and will air live on the ACC Network.
This year's NCAA tournament will feature a 12-team field, consisting of 10 automatic qualifiers and two at-large selections. The complete bracket will be released at 10 p.m. Saturday on ncaa.com.
UNC's Karen Shelton Stadium serve as a host venue throughout the tournament, with first and second round games in Chapel Hill on April 30 and May 2 and the NCAA semifinals and final on May 7 and May 9.
2020-21 All-ACC Field Hockey Teams
First Team
Margo Carlin, Boston College, F, So.
Jonna Kennedy, Boston College, GK, Jr.
Darcy Bourne, Duke, M, Fr
Eva Nunnink, Duke, D, Gr.
Mercedes Pastor, Louisville, M, Sr.
Erin Matson, North Carolina, F, Jr.
Eva Smolenaars, North Carolina, M, Sr.
Eefke van den Nieuwenhof, Syracuse, B, Fr.
Charlotte DeVries, Syracuse, M, So.
Rachel Robinson, Virginia, D, Sr .
Amber Ezechiels, Virginia, D, Jr.
Meike Lanckohr, Wake Forest, M, So.
Second Team
Fusine Govaert, Boston College, B, Sr.
Elizabeth Warner, Boston College, F, Sr.
Alli Bitting, Louisville, D, Sr.
Charlie van Oirschot, Louisville, M, Fr.
Amanda Hendry, North Carolina, GK, Sr.
Meredith Sholder, North Carolina, F, Jr.
Pleun Lammers, Syracuse, F, Fr.
Laura Graziosi, Syracuse, M, Jr.
Lauren Janssen, Virginia, F, So.
Laia Vancells, Wake Forest, M, Jr.
Nat Friedman, Wake Forest, M, So.
Grace Delmotte, Wake Forest, F, Fr.
ACC Offensive Player of the Year
Erin Matson, North Carolina
ACC Defensive Player of the Year
Jonna Kennedy, Boston College
ACC Freshman of the Year
Darcy Bourne, Duke
ACC Coach of the Year
Karen Shelton, North Carolina
Players Mentioned
Goalkeeper
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Forward
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Forward
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Midfielder
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