Field Hockey Lands Five All-Americans
11/23/2009 7:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Nov. 23, 2009
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Five members of the Maryland field hockey team were named Longstreth/NFHCA All-Americans on Monday. Junior Katie O'Donnell and senior Emma Thomas were both named to the First Team, while seniors Nicole Muracco and Alicia Grater were named to the Second Team. Senior Alexis Pappas earned a spot on the Third Team. These awards cap off one of the most successful seasons in Maryland field hockey history.
For junior Katie O'Donnell, this award is the latest in a year filled with accolades and accomplishments. She was announced as one of the four Honda Award nominees earlier this week. On Monday, she was also named National Player of the Year and Offensive Most Valuable Player according to womensfieldhockey.com. Earlier this month, she earned the ACC's Offensive Player of the Year award for the third consecutive year, ACC Tournament Most Valuable Player honors, and was named the All-Mid Atlantic Region's Player of the Year. A three-year First Team All-American selection, she finished the year ranked first in the conference in points (87), and first in assists (31) second in goals (28).
Over the course of the 2009 season, O'Donnell broke an unprecedented number of school, conference, and national records. She became the school's single-season and career points leader. She broke the ACC and Maryland career assist records and now has 74 career assists. She is the first player in Maryland history to break 25 goals and 30 assists in a season. With her performance this year, she earned her 200th point, making her the 24th player in NCAA history to break the 200-point mark. In the NCAA semifinals round, she recorded a new Tournament record - nine points in a championship round game.
Senior Emma Thomas was one of the strongest defensive threats in the country, but was a force on the offensive side of the ball as well. She was named the nation's Defensive Most Valuable Player according to womensfieldhockey.com, the ACC's Defensive Player of the Year and an All-ACC Tournament selection.
Thomas finished the season ranked fifth in the ACC in points (59), fifth in goals (24), ninth in assists (11) and tied for second in game-winning goals (6). She finished the year second in the ACC in defensive saves with three.
The most potent scorer in Maryland field hockey history, senior Nicole Muracco broke both the school's single-season and career goals records this year. She is the only Terrapin to ever record over 30 goals in a season and more than 80 career goals. She finished this year with 31 goals over the course of the 2009 season and 85 career scores over her four years.
A 2006 First Team All-American selection and ACC Rookie of the Year, she finished the year leading the ACC in goals with 31. She is third all-time in ACC history for career goals. Muracco was also named to the 2009 NCAA All-Tournament and All-ACC teams. On Monday, she was also named a Second Team All-American according to womensfieldhockey.com.
Senior goalkeeper Alicia Grater caps off an impressive five-year career with the Terrapins with her Second Team selection. A Third Team selection in 2008, she also finished the 2009 season with 105. She led the ACC in saves and was second in saves per game (4.70). Her save percentage of .795 was the highest of all of the conference's goalkeepers. She was an All-ACC selection in 2008 and she is the only Terp to have been a part of three national championship teams (2005, 2006, 2008). She was also named a First Team All-American this year according to womensfieldhockey.com.
Senior Alexis Pappas earned a spot on the Third Team for the first time in her career. Also named to the All-ACC team for the second straight year, she was second in the league and on the team in assists. Her 26 assists this year tie her for third all-time in single season assists. Pappas also played on the 2009 U.S. Under-21 national team, along with O'Donnell and senior Brianna Davies, in the Junior World Cup. Pappas was also named a Third Team All-American according to womensfieldhockey.com.
The 2009 Terrapin squad finished the season with a program-best 23-1 record. This year's seniors of Thomas, Grater, Muracco, Pappas, Davies, Ameliet Rischen and Kristina Foster make up one the most successful classes in program history. Over their four years, they won two ACC and NCAA titles, earned an overall record of 85-8 and a winning percentage of .914.
