Dec. 11, 2007

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Maryland's Katie O'Donnell was voted the ECAC's Division I Rookie of the Year, the ECAC recently announced. She earns the award after a successful freshman campaign, which led to first team All-American honors and ACC Offensive Player of the Year nods.

Katie O'Donnell (Blue Bell, Pa.) led the nation with 2.52 points per game, while helping Maryland to an 18-3 record and advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

O'Donnell was also ranked fourth in the nation with 0.86 goals per game and 0.81 assists per game. A starter in every game, she also was named to the All-ACC team, after being selected ACC Player of the Week three times, the most of any player in the league.

A finalist for the Honda Award, O'Donnell was also the ECAC's Player of the Week on Oct. 10. That week, she also swept national player and rookie of the week honors from www.womensfieldhockey.com.

The ECAC is the nation's largest athletic and the only multi-divisional conference, with a membership of 320 Division I, II, and III colleges and universities stretching from Maine to North Carolina. The ECAC honors more than 3,000 student-athletes during the academic year through its all-star and player of the week programs. Each week, the conference has recognized six field hockey athletes, including a player and goalkeeper, in Divisions I, II and III.

-TERPS-