Terriers Claim Three Major Awards as Six Earn All-PL honors
November 1, 2022 | Field Hockey
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Boston University field hockey team earned three major awards and had a total of six student-athletes earn All-Patriot League recognition as the year-end honors were announced on Tuesday in advance of the Patriot League tournament.
Sophomore Payton Anderson was named Defensive Player of the Year, freshman Martu Coulo was selected as Rookie of the Year and for the sixth time in the past eight seasons, Sally Starr earned Coach of the Year honors.
Anderson was joined by junior Thalia Steenssens on the All-Patriot League First Team while Coulo, senior Rachel Borzymowski, junior Tess Csejka and senior Caroline Kelly all received second-team accolades.
Anderson had a seamless transition to center back after spending her rookie year as a forward. The New Zealand native anchored a defense that allowed just seven goals in Patriot League play while scoring nine goals on the other end, including four game-winners. She finished off the regular season with five goals in three games and enters the postseason with 19 points (9g, 1a). She is the first underclassman in Patriot League history to earn the Defensive Player of the Year award and this marks the sixth time a Terrier has received the honor.
Coulo has provided a spark to the BU offense from day one, utilizing her speed and skill to pose a consistent threat to opposing defenses. She tallied eight points (3g, 2a) during the regular season with all but one coming in league play as she scored two goals against Colgate and one against Holy Cross – providing the game-winner in each – while adding an assist versus Holy Cross. She is the third BU freshman to receive Patriot League Rookie of the Year status, joining Amanda Cassera (2013) and Jodie Conolly (2019).
Starr is receiving the 12th conference coach of the year honor of her distinguished career, which now includes 505 victories. The Terriers were picked fifth in the Patriot League Preseason Coaches' Poll and put together a 5-1 conference record, including wins against the other three teams that qualified for the league tournament. Starr and the Terriers closed out the regular season with five wins in their final seven games, including victories over two ranked teams.
Steenssens has been an impactful sparkplug in the midfield all season for the Terriers, making her presence felt on both ends of the field. She is tied for the team lead in assists with nine, which ranks third in the PL, and has added a goal for 11 points. Her goal was an overtime winner against Northeastern and she helped the Terriers defeat then-No. 23 Maine with a four-assist performance, one shy of the program's single-game record.
For the second time in as many years, Borzymowski has earned a spot on the All-PL Second Team. She has been the veteran leader of the team's defensive unit for the past two seasons and also been on option on corners, scoring two goals in win over Holy Cross earlier this season. She has nine career defensive saves and was an NFHCA All-Region pick last year as a junior.
Kelly has put together an impressive season in goal for the Terriers, as her .791 save percentage is the program's highest in 10 years. She has three performances of 12 saves or more this fall, including a career-high 13 against then-No. 21 Boston College. A three-time PL Goalkeeper of the Week honoree, Kelly has a 1.83 goals-against average this season and has earned seven wins, including one shutout.
Csejka has been the breakout player of the year on offense for the Terriers, leading the team in both points (21) and goals (10). She started off the season with a goal in six of the first eight games and she had her first multi-goal game in a win over then-No. 23 Maine. Csejka also scored goals in league victories over Lehigh, American and Bucknell.
2022 Patriot League Field Hockey Major Award Winners
Offensive Player of the Year – Lily Neilson, Bucknell, So., F
Defensive Player of the Year – Payton Anderson, Boston University, So., D
Goalkeeper of the Year – Bryn Underwood, American, Jr., GK
Rookie of the Year – Martu Coulo, Boston University, Fr., F
Coach of the Year – Sally Starr, Boston University
2022 First Team All-Patriot League Field Hockey
Bryn Underwood, American, Jr., GK
Federica Turina Dellamaggiore, American, So., F
Charllene Boshoff, American, Sr., D
Payton Anderson, Boston University, So., D
Thalia Steenssens, Boston University, Jr., M
Lily Neilson, Bucknell, So., F
Kayla Kisthardt, Bucknell, Sr., M
Simone Hefting, Lafayette, Sr., D
Lineke Spaans, Lafayette, So., M
Sarah Bonthuis, Lehigh, Sr., A
Julia Gatelein, Lehigh, Jr., D/M
2022 Second Team All-Patriot League Field Hockey*
Lotta Curanz, American, Fr., D
Rachel Borzymowski, Boston University, Sr., D
Martu Coulo, Boston University, Fr., F
Tess Csejka, Boston University, Jr., F
Caroline Kelly, Boston University, Sr., GK
Mackenzie Kile, Bucknell, Sr., F
Kira Leclercq, Bucknell, Fr., D
Rachel Alderfer, Colgate, Jr., D
Ella Murphy, Colgate, Jr., M
Meggan Fourie, Holy Cross, So., A
Gabby Venezia, Holy Cross, Sr., D
Sinead Walsh, Holy Cross, Sr., M
Molly McAndrew, Lafayette, Sr., F
Maddie Kahn, Lehigh, Sr., GK
Kiki Mes, Lehigh, Fy., M
*15 student-athletes selected to the second team due to ties in the voting
Sophomore Payton Anderson was named Defensive Player of the Year, freshman Martu Coulo was selected as Rookie of the Year and for the sixth time in the past eight seasons, Sally Starr earned Coach of the Year honors.
Anderson was joined by junior Thalia Steenssens on the All-Patriot League First Team while Coulo, senior Rachel Borzymowski, junior Tess Csejka and senior Caroline Kelly all received second-team accolades.
Anderson had a seamless transition to center back after spending her rookie year as a forward. The New Zealand native anchored a defense that allowed just seven goals in Patriot League play while scoring nine goals on the other end, including four game-winners. She finished off the regular season with five goals in three games and enters the postseason with 19 points (9g, 1a). She is the first underclassman in Patriot League history to earn the Defensive Player of the Year award and this marks the sixth time a Terrier has received the honor.
Coulo has provided a spark to the BU offense from day one, utilizing her speed and skill to pose a consistent threat to opposing defenses. She tallied eight points (3g, 2a) during the regular season with all but one coming in league play as she scored two goals against Colgate and one against Holy Cross – providing the game-winner in each – while adding an assist versus Holy Cross. She is the third BU freshman to receive Patriot League Rookie of the Year status, joining Amanda Cassera (2013) and Jodie Conolly (2019).
Starr is receiving the 12th conference coach of the year honor of her distinguished career, which now includes 505 victories. The Terriers were picked fifth in the Patriot League Preseason Coaches' Poll and put together a 5-1 conference record, including wins against the other three teams that qualified for the league tournament. Starr and the Terriers closed out the regular season with five wins in their final seven games, including victories over two ranked teams.
Steenssens has been an impactful sparkplug in the midfield all season for the Terriers, making her presence felt on both ends of the field. She is tied for the team lead in assists with nine, which ranks third in the PL, and has added a goal for 11 points. Her goal was an overtime winner against Northeastern and she helped the Terriers defeat then-No. 23 Maine with a four-assist performance, one shy of the program's single-game record.
For the second time in as many years, Borzymowski has earned a spot on the All-PL Second Team. She has been the veteran leader of the team's defensive unit for the past two seasons and also been on option on corners, scoring two goals in win over Holy Cross earlier this season. She has nine career defensive saves and was an NFHCA All-Region pick last year as a junior.
Kelly has put together an impressive season in goal for the Terriers, as her .791 save percentage is the program's highest in 10 years. She has three performances of 12 saves or more this fall, including a career-high 13 against then-No. 21 Boston College. A three-time PL Goalkeeper of the Week honoree, Kelly has a 1.83 goals-against average this season and has earned seven wins, including one shutout.
Csejka has been the breakout player of the year on offense for the Terriers, leading the team in both points (21) and goals (10). She started off the season with a goal in six of the first eight games and she had her first multi-goal game in a win over then-No. 23 Maine. Csejka also scored goals in league victories over Lehigh, American and Bucknell.
2022 Patriot League Field Hockey Major Award Winners
Offensive Player of the Year – Lily Neilson, Bucknell, So., F
Defensive Player of the Year – Payton Anderson, Boston University, So., D
Goalkeeper of the Year – Bryn Underwood, American, Jr., GK
Rookie of the Year – Martu Coulo, Boston University, Fr., F
Coach of the Year – Sally Starr, Boston University
2022 First Team All-Patriot League Field Hockey
Bryn Underwood, American, Jr., GK
Federica Turina Dellamaggiore, American, So., F
Charllene Boshoff, American, Sr., D
Payton Anderson, Boston University, So., D
Thalia Steenssens, Boston University, Jr., M
Lily Neilson, Bucknell, So., F
Kayla Kisthardt, Bucknell, Sr., M
Simone Hefting, Lafayette, Sr., D
Lineke Spaans, Lafayette, So., M
Sarah Bonthuis, Lehigh, Sr., A
Julia Gatelein, Lehigh, Jr., D/M
2022 Second Team All-Patriot League Field Hockey*
Lotta Curanz, American, Fr., D
Rachel Borzymowski, Boston University, Sr., D
Martu Coulo, Boston University, Fr., F
Tess Csejka, Boston University, Jr., F
Caroline Kelly, Boston University, Sr., GK
Mackenzie Kile, Bucknell, Sr., F
Kira Leclercq, Bucknell, Fr., D
Rachel Alderfer, Colgate, Jr., D
Ella Murphy, Colgate, Jr., M
Meggan Fourie, Holy Cross, So., A
Gabby Venezia, Holy Cross, Sr., D
Sinead Walsh, Holy Cross, Sr., M
Molly McAndrew, Lafayette, Sr., F
Maddie Kahn, Lehigh, Sr., GK
Kiki Mes, Lehigh, Fy., M
*15 student-athletes selected to the second team due to ties in the voting
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