Gunson, Maroney Headline Eight BU AE All-Conference Honorees
October 31, 2012 | Field Hockey
Oct. 31, 2012
America East All-Conference Release
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - Headlined by Midfielder of the Year Ella Gunson and Co-Goalkeeper of the Year Jess Maroney, eight members of the Boston University field hockey team earned America East All-Conference honors, the conference announced on Wednesday.
Three Terriers were named to the first team, including unanimous selections Gunson and senior back Jacinda McLeod. McLeod earned first-team honors for the fourth straight year, becoming just the second player in league history to achieve that feat. Maroney shared top-squad honors and the Goalkeeper of the Year award with Albany's Kristi Troch.
Junior forward Ysi Schieb and senior midfielder Nicole van Oosterom were each second-team honorees, while freshman forwards Rachel Coll and Sofi Laurito were both unanimously chosen to the All-Rookie Team. Maroney and classmate Tabi Hatch earned spots on the All-Academic Team.
Gunson, a junior transfer and 2012 Olympian from New Zealand, has enjoyed a standout season, leading the Terriers in goals (9) and assists (7). She led all America East players in both points (11) and goals (5) in league play and all nine of her tallies this season have come in the last eight contests. Gunson becomes the third Terrier in the five-year history of the award to be named Midfielder of the year, joining Allie Dolce (2009) and van Oosterom (2010).
Maroney peaked in her senior season as the former walk-on currently leads the nation in save percentage at .825. She has been named America East Defensive Player of the Year three times this season and her 1.26 goals-against average is the 11th-best in the country entering this week. Earlier today she was named to the roster for the NFHCA Division I Senior Game. The Goalkeeper of the Year award was also instituted in 2008, when Kim Kastuk became the only other BU player to earn the honor.
One of the top backs in league history, McLeod recorded seven goals, including three game-winners, in 15 games this season to finish with 72 career points on 30 goals and 12 assists. She was the anchor for a defense that boasted a 1.44 goals-against average this year and ends her career as the only two-time America East Defensive Player of the Year.
For the third straight season, van Oosterom was named to one of the all-conference teams. The 2010 AE Midfielder of the Year tallied nine points on three goals and three assists this season and was also selected to participat in the NFHCA Division I Senior Game.
Schieb became a full-season starter this fall and has been an important part of the team's corner unit. This is her first year-end accolade since being named to the All-Rookie Team two seasons ago.
Coll and Laurito immediately became important members of the team's strikers as freshmen. Coll tallied eight points on two goals and four assists while Laurito added a pair of late-season goals.
Hatch, who boasts a 3.70 cumulative grade-point average (GPA), ranks third on the team in goals (6) and points (13). Maroney has a 3.67 cumulative GPA.
