Field Hockey | 11/14/2019 9:56:00 AM
St. John Fisher College senior forward Lindsay Scott was named Player of the Year, as the Empire 8 Conference announced its 2019 Field Hockey All-Conference awards on Thursday, November 14. The awards are voted on by the league's head coaches and sports information directors. First-year standout forward Sydney Gagnon of Hartwick College earned Rookie of the Year honors, while Victoria Bothner and her staff from St. John Fisher was named E8 Coaching Staff of the Year.
Scott, who was previously the 2016 Empire 8 Rookie of the Year, and a 2017 All-E8 first team pick, enjoyed an incredible season for the Cardinals in 2019, setting an E8 single-season record with 19 assists to go along with nine goals for 37 points. On Oct. 18, Scott set the Empire 8 single-game record with seven assists. Scott, who helped lead the Cardinals to a perfect 7-0 mark in E8 regular season play, tallied 21 points on five goals and 11 assists in conference action.
Gagnon led Hartwick to its first Empire 8 Championship since the tournament format was introduced in 2017. She led her team in scoring with and was fourth in the league with 14 goals and fifth with 34 points in 20 games this season. Gagnon also tallied an Empire 8 best six game-winning goals. She had six goals in seven E8 regular season games, including game-winning tallies versus Elmira, Nazareth, Sage and Washington & Jefferson.
Bothner and her staff of assistant coaches Elizabeth Cusack, Ashley Maynard and Rebekah Adler, led the Cardinals to a 7-0 record in Empire 8 regular season play and the top-seed in the league tournament. Fisher out-scored opponents, 34-6 in seven league games and finished the season with a 15-5 overall record. It is the second time Bothner and her staff earned E8 Coaching Staff of the Year honors (also named in 2016). Bothner is now 88-33 in six seasons with the Cardinals, including four consecutive years with at least 15 wins.
Regular season champion St. John Fisher led all institutions with five first team selections, while 2019 E]8 Champion Hartwick College had four on the top team. Empire 8 semifinalist Utica College had two first team picks, while Caitlin Jennings of Houghton was also a first team selection.
Bre Socker of St. John Fisher joined Scott as a three-time All-E8 first team selection. Socker led all Empire 8 players in scoring with 28 goals and 62 points in 2019. Fellow Cardinals Alyssa Andres, Reghan Amoroso and Megan McDonald were first team picks. Gagnon, 2019 E8 Championship Tournament Most Outstanding Player Brooke Singer, defender Rebecca Bonini and goalkeeper Allyson Osborne represented Hartwick on the first team. Seniors Josie Sgarlata and Ricki Haab garnered first team honors for Utica, while Jennings earned her third consecutive All-E8 accolade for the Highlanders of Houghton.
One member of each team was named that institution's representative on the 2019 Field Hockey Sportswoman of the Year Team. The Empire 8 Conference emphasizes that "Competing with Honor and Integrity" is an essential component of a student-athlete's experience in conjunction with an institution's educational mission. These honorees have distinguished themselves and consistently exhibit the critical traits as outstanding sportswomen.
2019 Empire 8 Field Hockey Award Winners
Player of the Year: Lindsay Scott, Sr., F, St. John Fisher
Rookie of the Year: Sydney Gagnon, Fr., F, Hartwick
Coaching Staff of the Year: St. John Fisher, led by Victoria Bothner
Empire 8 First Team
Sydney Gagnon, Fr., F, Hartwick
Lindsay Scott, Sr., F, St. John Fisher
Bre Socker, Jr., F, St. John Fisher
Brooke Singer, So., M, Hartwick
Caitlin Jennings, Jr., M, Houghton
Alyssa Andres, Jr., M, St. John Fisher
Josie Sgarlata, Sr., M, Utica
Rebecca Bonini, Sr., D, Hartwick
Reghan Amoroso, Sr., D, St. John Fisher
Megan McDonald, Gr., D, St. John Fisher
Ricki Haab, Sr., D, Utica
Allyson Osborne, Jr., GK, Hartwick
Empire 8 Second Team
Jennifer Hilts, Sr., F, Nazareth
Sydney Scaccia, Jr., F, Utica
Sabrina Whitehouse, Jr., F, Utica
Natalie L’Hommedieu, Jr., M, Nazareth
Danila Casseri, Sr., M, St. John Fisher
Sofiya Bobrovnikova, Jr., M, Washington & Jefferson
Hannah Daniels, Jr., D, Houghton
Abbey Szumloz, Jr., D, Nazareth
Reghan Dunn, Jr., D, Washington & Jefferson
Tina O’Donnell, Sr., GK, Elmira
Empire 8 Honorable Mention
Katie Meuse, So., F, Hartwick
Sara O’Connor, So., F, Sage
Gianna Palma, So., F, St. John Fisher
Lindsay Diggan, Fr., F, Washington & Jefferson
Alexandra Livesey, Sr., M, Nazareth
Cortney Conley, So., M, Sage
Jeslyn Files, Jr., M, Utica
Liz Shephard, Jr., D, Elmira
Brooke Perry, So., D, Sage
Jenny Robbins, Jr., D, Utica
Amanda Chuttey, So., GK, Nazareth
Empire 8 Sportswoman of the Year
Janie Kempf, Jr., M, Elmira
Abby White, Sr., M/F, Hartwick
Sydney Jameson, Sr., D, Houghton
Mya Maloof, So., M/D, Nazareth
Hayley Mato, Sr., M/F, Sage
Kelly Bergamo, Sr., GK, St. John Fisher
Abbey Fitzgerald, Sr., M, Utica
Sofiya Bobrovnikova, Jr., M, Washington & Jefferson