University of Connecticut Athletics
FH Lands Eight NFHCA All-Region Honorees
11/27/2017 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
CHANDLER, Ariz. - Eight student-athletes from the 2017 National Champion University of Connecticut field hockey team were tabbed to the Longsteth/ National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Division I All-Region squad as announced on Monday.
The Huskies placed Amanda Collins, Karlie Heistand, Nina Klein, Casey Umstead and Charlotte Veitner to the First Team, while Svea Boker, Amelia Iacobucci and Margot van Hecking Colenbrander garnered Second Team accolades.
Connecticut headlined the list with eight honorees in the Mideast Region and was one of seven schools to have at least five players make an All-Region team.
The 2017 BIG EAST Player of the Year, Charlotte Veitner earned her fourth-consecutive All-Mideast Region selection. The senior concluded her stellar four-year campaign as the nation's leader in points (80) and goals (34) and was named the NCAA Division I Field Hockey Championships Most Valuable Player. In 92 career games, the forward accrued an impressive 299 points, 120 goals and 63 assists, topping the UConn record book in all three offensive categories. The Huskies have won four-straight BIG EAST Regular Season and Tournament Championships during her time at Connecticut and was a part of two National Championships, 2014 and 2017, respectively.
Classmate and 2017 BIG EAST Defensive player of the Year, Casey Umstead provided yet another scoring threat on the UConn offense with 15 goals and 16 assists for 46 points. A force on both sides of the ball, Umstead helped UConn turn in a NCAA-leading 3.57 scoring margin. The two-time All-Mideast Regional First Team selection will finish her career fifth all-time in assists (40) and tied for sixth in career points (160) and goals (60).
In goal, senior Nina Klein adds All-Region performer to her resume for the third consecutive year of her career. Klein led the NCAA with a mere 0.68 goals against average and perfect 1.000 win percentage this fall. The redshirt-freshman has played in every possible game of her career and her 87 career wins and 37 lifetime shutouts are both programs records.
Senior Karlie Heistand and junior Amanda Collins round out the First Team honorees. Heistand served as a consistent piece in the Huskies success over the past four years. The midfielder never missed a game for UConn, playing in all 93 career games since her arrival on campus. She accumulated six tallies and six assists for 18 points, including a goal this season. Collins boasted 44 points this season (12g, 20a) and was awarded the BIG EAST Tournament's Most Valuable Player after notching one goal and two assists in two games. The junior started all 23 games played and her 0.87 assists per game ranked third in the nation.
Second Team selections Svea Boker and Margot van Hecking Colenbrander combined for 63 points this season. Boker posted six tallies and 13 goals while Van Hecking Colenbrander's 39 points came off 14 goals and 11 helpers. Junior Amelia Iacobucci collected three goals this fall, helping UConn outscore its opponents 101-16 in 2017.
The All-Region lists included the Mid-Atlantic, Mideast, Northeast, South and West. The All-Region squads consisted of 63 seniors, 49 juniors, 25 sophomores and 23 freshmen, based on year of eligibility during the 2017 season
The Longstreth/NFHCA Division I Regional Players of the Year will be announced on Tuesday, with the All-America squad coming out on Dec. 5 and the National Player of the Year on Dec. 14.
Mideast Region
First Team
Name School Class Position
Amanda Collins Connecticut Jr. F
Katie Dembrowski Penn State Jr. M
Maeve Doherty Columbia Sr. D
Skyler Fretz Penn State Sr. D
Erin Gillingham Syracuse Sr. M
Karlie Heistand Connecticut Sr. M
Laura Hurff Syracuse Sr. M/F
Nina Klein Connecticut Sr. GK
Lies Lagerweij Syracuse Sr. D
Sam McILwrick Cornell Sr. D/M
Aurelia Meijer Penn State Jr. M/F
Moira Putsch Penn State Jr. F
Jenny Rizzo Penn State Jr. GK
Casey Umstead Connecticut Sr. D
Charlotte Veitner Connecticut Sr. F
Roos Weers Syracuse Jr. D
Second Team
Name School Class Position
Lauren Belskie Quinnipiac Sr. D
Svea Boker Connecticut So. F
Gini Bramley Penn State Jr. M
Erin Buckley Fairfield Sr. D
Ellen Colbourne Lafayette Sr. M
Cori Conley Penn State Jr. D
Stephanie Dressler Bucknell Sr. D
Amelia Iacobucci Connecticut Jr. F/M
Maria Krull Colgate Sr. GK
Krysten Mayers Cornell Sr. F
Carol Middough Yale Sr. F/M
Hannah Pike Fairfield Sr. F/M
Nichole Tolli Sacred Heart Sr. M
Borg van der Velde Syracuse Fr. GK
Margot van Hecking
Colenbrander Connecticut Fr. D
Claire Webb Syracuse So. D
