Field Hockey | 11/22/2021 4:12:02 PM
Eight student-athletes from the Empire 8 were named to the 2021 National Field Hockey Coaches Association Division III Region III teams on Monday, November 22.
Graduate students Bre Socker of St. John Fisher College and Sabrina Whitehouse of Utica College, along with junior Sydney Gagnon of Hartwick College were first team selections. Graduate student Alyssa Andres of St. John Fisher College, seniors Sydney Scaccia and Chloe Williams of Utica College, senior Julie Ruzzi of Hartwick College and freshman Selena Emery of St. John Fisher garnered second team accolades. All eight student-athletes honored were also 2021 All-Empire 8 first team selections.
All eight student-athletes are eligible for All-America honors, which will be announced on Tuesday, December 14.
Socker makes her fourth appearance on the All-Region squad, having previously earned second team honors in 2017 and first team accolades in 2018 and 2019. Socker, the 2017 Empire 8 Rookie of the Year and two-time E8 Player of the Year (Spring 2021 and Fall 2021), became the first five-time All-E8 first team pick in league history. A native of Liverpool, NY, Socker, the Empire 8’s all-time leading scorer, finished the 2021 season with 18 goals, 10 assists and 46 points in 18 games, while leading St. John Fisher to its second straight league title and trip to the 2021 NCAA Tournament.
Socker was named the Empire 8 Championship Tournament Most Valuable Player for the second straight season. Socker has 95 career goals, 41 assists and 236 points. The 95 goals and 236 points are Empire 8 records.
Whitehouse, a native of Greenwich, NY, is a five-time All-Empire 8 selection, including back-to-back first team honors. She finished the 2021 season as the E8's leading goal scorer with 20 goals scored, despite missing three games. She was also first in the conference with 2.81 points per game, and her four game-winners this season were tied for first. Whitehouse concludes her career ranked fourth in program history with 106 points, fifth in career assists (24), and sixth in goals (41).
Gagnon, a native of Chestertown, NY, was the Hawks' offensive MVP this season, leading Hartwick with nine goals, 20 points, 87 shots, and 46 shots on goal. She ranked among the top three in the Empire 8 in goals, shots, and game-winning goals, earning All-Empire 8 first team status for the third straight season to begin her Hartwick career. Gagnon, the 2019 Empire 8 Rookie of the Year, was also a NFHCA All-Region selection that season.
Ruzzi, a native of High Falls, NY, was important in the midfield to Hartwick's defensive effort, which ranked second in the Empire 8, as well as to their offensive attack. She was second on the team in points, one behind Gagnon at 19, and led the Hawks with seven assists. Ruzzi tied for fourth in the conference in assists, was ninth in points, and was tenth in shots.
Emery burst onto the scene in a big way as she helped anchor one of the top defensive units in the league this season. A native of Greene, NY, Emery, who was also named the Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Year, led the conference with 10 defensive saves over 19 games played during her rookie campaign. With Emery on the field, Fisher led the Empire 8 with nine shutouts. The Cardinals' defensive unit surrendered just 34 goals all season despite having played one of the more difficult non-conference schedules in Division III this season.
Andres, a native of Clarence, NY, earned All-Empire 8 first team accolades for the third time in her career after the midfielder produced 11 points over 19 games including four goals and three assists. One of the more versatile players in the league, Andres accounted for 30 shots including 18 on goal, owns two game-winning tallies and finished the year among the leaders on the team with two defensive saves to her credit.
Scaccia, a native of Whitesboro, NY, was named All-Region for the first time in her career after earning All-E8 first team accolades for the first time in her career. She was tied for the conference lead with 12 assists and also ranked third in points (36), and fourth in goals (12). Scaccia set new career highs for goals, assists, and points in a season.
Williams also picked up her first All-Region nod after she finished third in the conference in defensive saves (six) while also finding the back of the net twice. A native of Holland Patent, NY, Williams helped lead the Pioneers defense that allowed just 2.58 goals per game this year.
ABOUT THE EMPIRE 8 CONFERENCE
The members of the Empire 8 Conference are committed first and foremost to the pursuit of academic excellence and the league is regarded as an outstanding NCAA Division III conference. The membership has distinguished itself among its peer group for its quality institutions, spirited and sportsmanlike competition, outstanding services and highly ethical policies and practices. Its commitment to serve the educational needs of its student-athletes is the hallmark of the E8. For more on the Empire 8 visit
www.empire8.com.
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