Eight Field Hockey Players Named All Region
CHANDLER, Ariz. – The Longstreth/National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) announced its
NCAA Division III All-Region teams on Wednesday afternoon with a grand-total of 196 student-athletes receiving either first- or second-team honors across six regions of voting. The Empire 8 had eight student-athletes appear in the announcement for the North Atlantic Region as three players were first team selections and fivewere second team.
St. John Fisher College's Emily Markarian, Stevens Institute of Technology's Victoria Alvarez and Washington and Jefferson's Rachel Buyan landed on the first team. W&J's Karlie Baran, Fisher's Lindsay Scott and Brianna Socker, Hartwick College's Maria Stalder and Utica College's Rylee Meelan were named to the second team.
Markarian repeats as a first team honoree, while Alvarez and Buyan were both second team honorees a year ago.
Markarian capped off a record setting four-year career by being named the Empire 8 Conference Player of the Year for the second consecutive season. She posted a conference-high 23 goals, and 50 points, as well as finishing second in the conference in both shots (11) and game-winning goals (4). The Orchard Park native finished her Cardinal career as the all-time program leader in goals (76), assists (21), points (173), shots (402), goals in a season (23), and points in a game (8).
Alvarez led the Ducks in goals and points, and was second in the conference in both categories with 18 and 38, respectively. She added two assists and netted four game-winners this year to lead the team in that category as well. She finished 20th in the nation in scoring and 29th in points per game. This marks the third year she was a First- Team All-Empire 8 selection. She was an all-conference performer in each of her four seasons on Castle Point.
Buyan's 12 goals and 29 points were both team bests and each ranked fifth in the E8. She tallied at least three points in five games this season and scored four game-winning goals. During the two-game E8 Championship Tournament, Buyan scored three goals and assisted on two more scores to earn Tournament MVP honors, en route to leading the Presidents to their first E8 title since 2011.
Baran did not miss a second of action as the Presidents' goalkeeper in 2017, compiling a 0.74 goals against average in 1321:42 of action. She totaled 58 saves during the season and allowed one or fewer goals in 15 of W&J's 18 matches, including eight shutouts.
Meelan, who was selected first team All-Conference, led Utica this season with career highs in goals (12), assists (six), and points (30). She also scored all three goals for the Pioneers in the Empire 8 Conference Tournament, earning her All-Tournament team nods.
Scott started all 19 games in the 2017 season and notched six goals, four assists and 16 points. The Webster native was counted on to be an all-around force from the midfield position as well as the penalty shot position finishing the season 2-3 from the penalty spot.
Socker was named the Empire 8 Conference's Rookie of the year and posted a conference-high five game-winning goals, 133 shots, and 86 shots on goal, while capping off her freshman season with 13 goals and 32 points. The Liverpool native already currently sits fourth in program history in total shots and seventh in both goals and points.
Stalder was selected to the Empire 8 Conference First Team. She scored four goals and tied for the team lead in assists with seven this season. Within the conference, Stalder ranked sixth in the Empire 8 in both game-winning goals and assists. She has nine goals and 10 assists in two seasons with the Hawks.