West Chester's Rachal Toppi Named PSAC Field Hockey Athlete of the Year
LOCK HAVEN, Pa. --- West Chester junior Rachal Toppi has been named the 2016 PSAC Field Hockey Athlete of the Year and teammate Maya Guillksen earned PSAC Field Hockey Freshman of the Year by a vote of the league’s head coaches, the conference office announced Wednesday in conjunction with the release of the all-conference field hockey teams.
East Stroudsburg’s Sandy Miller earns the PSAC Coach of the Year award for the third time in her career (1996 & 2001). The Warriors earned the No. 1 seed in the PSAC Field Hockey Championship after posting a 15-3 overall record and 9-1 conference mark.
Toppi is a three-time All-PSAC representative and was named the 2014 PSAC Freshman of the Year. The junior leads the conference by a landslide in goals (23) and points (51). Toppi is the third WCU athlete to earn the award and first since Kelsi Lykens in 2013. Toppi is tied for second in the conference in game-winning goals (4) and eighth in assists (5).
Guillksen is the second Golden Ram to win PSAC Freshman of the Year (Toppi, 2014). The freshman has scored six goals while dishing out four assists and has started and appeared in 18 contests and is a second-team back representative. Guillksen, Toppi and the Golden Rams earned the No. 3 seed and battle No. 2 Shippensburg Friday at 12 PM in a semifinal.
East Stroudsburg’s Emily Howell claims the PSAC Defensive Athlete of the Year and is the first Warrior to accomplish the feat. She appears on the All-PSAC First-Team for the second time in her career while ESU is the No. 1 seed. The Warrior defense has allowed 13 goals all season (0.72/game).
Shippensburg goalie Ally Mooney earned first-team recognition after allowing a measly five goals in 18 contests. Mooney leads the league in shutouts (12), save percentage (.926) and goals allowed (5). The Raiders boast a 16-2 record overall.
WCU’s Dayle Paustian and ESU’s Desiraye Mack land on an all-conference team for the third time in their careers.
Millersville’s Taylor Parker and ESU’s Emily Howell highlight the All-PSAC First-Team Backs for the second time.
Shippensburg pace the conference with seven selections while Bloomsburg and Millersville land six each.
WCU and ESU occupy five slots each while Kutztown has four. IUP has three representatives while Slippery Rock has two and Mansfield has one.
PSAC Field Hockey Athlete of the Year: Rachal Toppi, West Chester
PSAC Field Hockey Defensive Athlete of the Year: Emily Howell, East Stroudsburg
PSAC Field Hockey Freshman of the Year: Maya Gulliksen, West Chester
PSAC Field Hockey Coach of the Year: Sandy Miller, East Stroudsburg
PSAC Field Hockey First-Team All-Conference
F – Rachal Toppi*^, West Chester
F – Robin Stevenson, East Stroudsburg
F – Sam Peters
+, Bloomsburg
F – Aliza Mizak*, Millersville
MF – Dayle Paustian*
+, West Chester
MF – Desiraye Mack*
+, East Stroudsburg
MF – Margaret Thorwart
+, Millersville
MF – Courtney Ueberroth^, Kutztown
B – Emily Howell*, East Stroudsburg
B – Taylor Parker*, Millersville
B – Morgan Firestine
+, East Stroudsburg
B – Taylor Fisher^, Shippensburg
GK – Ally Mooney^, Shippensburg
PSAC Field Hockey Second-Team All-Conference
F – Marnie Kusakavitch*, West Chester
F – Megan McKay*, Slippery Rock
F – Madison Stewart, Kutztown
F – Emily Barnard^, Shippensburg
MF – Brooke Sheibley, Shippensburg
MF – Tali Wehner, Bloomsburg
MF – Sydney McCarthy, East Stroudsburg
MF – Haley Fidler
+, IUP
B – Eleanor Kirby, Bloomsburg
B – Maya Gulliksen, West Chester
B – Jessica Strohecker, Kutztown
B – Suzanne Muller
+, Shippensburg
GK – Lindsay Cassel^, Bloomsburg
PSAC Field Hockey Third-Team All-Conference
F – Katelyn Grazan
+, Shippensburg
F – Olivia Hershey
+, Millersville
F – Selena West, IUP
F – Ali McKay, Bloomsburg
MF – Courtney Konowal^
+, Kutztown
MF – Kylie Huffman^, Shippensburg
MF – Katie Lipski, Mansfield
MF – Courtney Weaver, Millersville
B – Emma Smiley, IUP
B – Kayla Mack, Slippery Rock
B – Mackenzie Mlkvy, West Chester
B – Alexis Carroll
+, Bloomsburg
GK – Samantha Rumler
+, Millersville
* Indicates previous All-PSAC first team selection
^ Indicates previous All-PSAC second team selection
+ Indicates previous All-PSAC third team selection