Liberty League announces 2023 Field Hockey Awards

Following a vote by the conference's eight head coaches, the Liberty League has announced the 2023 Field Hockey Major Awards and All-League teams.
 
LIBERTY LEAGUE OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Maeve Fogarty, Sophomore, Forward, University of Rochester
 
University of Rochester sophomore forward Maeve Fogarty was selected as the Liberty League Offensive Player of the Year. It is the third straight year a player from Rochester has earned the recognition. Fogarty, the 2022 Liberty League Rookie of the Year, continued her offensive prowess for the Yellowjackets, leading the team and conference in goals (13), game-winning goals (3), and total points (33). She handed out a team-high seven assists and was tops on the team in minutes played (1257). Fogarty was second among league leaders in shots on goal (50, 2.38 per game) and third in shots (79), and shots per game (3.76)
 
LIBERTY LEAGUE DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Bella McCollister, Junior, Defender, Ithaca College
 
Ithaca College junior defender Bella McCollister was named the Liberty League Defensive Player of the Year. McCollister has played every minute for the Bombers this season, including four overtime games. She spearheads the Bomber defense that holds opponents to one goal a game (20 total), ranking them second in the conference. Against league opponents, Ithaca's defense was even stingier, tying for a league-low five goals allowed in seven games (0.714 per game). The Bombers were the Liberty League regular season champions for the second time since 2021 and advanced to the championship game.
 
LIBERTY LEAGUE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Maddie Greco, Forward, Union College
 
Union College forward Maddie Greco was recognized with Liberty League Rookie of the Year honors. She made an immediate impact for the Garnet Chargers, playing and starting in all 19 games this season. Greco tallied a team-best 13 goals and added two assists to tie for a team-high 28 points. She also tied for a team-best three game-winning goals, recording the game winners in victories against Utica, St. Lawrence, and RPI. The three-time Liberty League Rookie of the Week selection finished among the conference's top five in goals (T-1st), game-winning goals (T-2nd), goals per game (3rd, .684), points (3rd), and points per game (T-4th, 1.47). Greco's 13 goals are second in Division III among first-year players, and she tied for eighth in single-season goals all-time at Union.
 
LIBERTY LEAGUE CO- COACHING STAFF OF THE YEAR: Ithaca College – Kaitlyn Wahila, Head Coach; Assistant Coaches Mo Ordnung and Victoria Tredinnick
 
LIBERTY LEAGUE CO- COACHING STAFF OF THE YEAR: Union College – Kelly Harchetts, Head Coach; Assistant Coaches Katie Rich and Alicia Aragosa
 
Ithaca's coaching staff and Union's coaching staff both earned Liberty League Coaching Staff of the Year as voted by the league's head coaches.
 
Ithaca head coach Kaitlyn Wahila along with her assistant coaches Mo Ordnung, and Victoria Tredinnick directed the Bombers to a 14-6 overall record and a 6-1 mark against conference opponents. They had one of the stingiest defenses, holding opponents to one goal per game (20 total) while producing 40 goals on the year (2.0 per game). Ithaca was the Liberty League regular season champions and earned the top seed in the conference tournament for the second time in three seasons. They advanced to the title game and earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Championship. It will be Ithaca's first appearance in the national tournament since 2000 with the Bombers taking on Endicott in the first round.
 
Union College head coach Kelly Harchetts as well as assistant coaches Katie Rich and Alicia Aragosa guided the Garnet Chargers to an 11-8 overall record (4-3 Liberty League). Union reached the 11-win plateau for the second straight season and for the first time since 2007-08. As the fifth seed in the Liberty League tournament, Union returned to the postseason for the first time since 2010. The Garnet Chargers had the league's most potent offense this season, averaging 3.05 goals per game with 58 goals in 19 games. They also paced the league in assists per game (1.78), and points per game (7.89).