Nov. 2, 2006
Iowa City, Ia –
The Big Ten honored five Iowa field hockey players today. Senior Heather Schnepf was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and a unanimous first team selection. Junior Kadi Sickel and sophomore Caitlin McCurdy were both named to the second team. Freshman Meghan Beamesderfer was named freshman of the year while senior Kara Zappone is Iowa’s sportsmanship nominee.
This marks the second year in a row Schnepf is both a unanimous first team selection and the Defensive Player of the Year. Schnepf is only the third player in conference history to earn Defensive Player of the Year in back-to-back years. She not only is the backbone of the Hawkeye defense she has also recorded four goals and six assists this season.
Sickel earns her first conference honor in being named to the second team. She has a team high ten assists and three goals.
McCurdy is a two-time second team selection. This season, she leads the Hawkeyes with nine goals and two assists. During her freshman season, McCurdy was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year.
Beamesderfer is the third Hawkeye to garner the Big Ten Freshman of the Year honor (Tiffany Leister ’99 and McCurdy ’05) and the second in as many years. Beamesderfer has had a tremendous impact on the Hawkeyes, starting all 17 games and making many crucial defensive stops. Along with her outstanding defensive play, she also has collected two assists.
For the second year in a row, Zappone was Iowa’s sportsmanship nominee. Along with showing great sportsmanship, Zappone has played great this season, scoring four goals, including two during the Ohio State overtime loss.
The Hawkeyes will play No. 15 Michigan on Friday at 11:30 a.m. (CT) at the Big Ten Tournament held in Ann Arbor, MI.
2006 All-Big Ten Teams
First Team
Haley Exner, Jr., goalkeeper, IND
Morgan Miller, Sr., defense, IND
Lydia Schrott, Sr., forward, IND
#Heather Schnepf, Sr., defense, IOWA
Lucia Belassi, Jr., forward, MICH
#Mary Fox, Sr., midfield, MICH
#Yesenia Luces, Jr., midfield, OSU
#Saskia Mueller, Sr., defense, OSU
Curlyne Wynn, Sr., forward, OSU
Shaun Banta, Sr., forward, PSU
Annelise Legel, Sr., midfield, PSU
Kiersten Wood, Jr., midfield, PSU
Second Team
Caitlin McCurdy, So., forward, IOWA
Kadi Sickel, Jr., defense, IOWA
Kara Lentz, Sr., defense, MICH
Paige Laytos, Fr., forward, MICH
Beth Riley, Sr., goalkeeper, MICH
Ashley Pernicano, Sr., midfield, MSU
Floor Rijpma, Fr., forward, MSU
Amanda Care, Jr., midfield, NU
Meghan Small, Sr., midfield, NU
Linda Haussener, Sr., midfield, OSU
Lauren Kruse, Sr., forward, OSU
Jen Long, So., defense, PSU
# unanimous selection
* Additional honorees due to ties
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Saskia Mueller, OSU
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Yesenia Luces, OSU
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Heather Schnepf, IOWA
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Meghan Beamesderfer, IOWA
COACH OF THE YEAR: Anne Wilkinson, OSU
Sportsmanship Award Honorees
Rachel Telian, Jr., IND Lauren Przyborowski, Sr., NUKara Zappone, Sr., IOWA Florencia Stier, Sr., OSU Jill Civic, Sr., MICH Casey Maser, Sr., PSU Amy Schneider, Jr., MSU