Eight Eagles Named to All-Patriot League Field Hockey Teams

Nov. 4, 2008

CENTER VALLEY, Pa. - After clinching its sixth-consecutive Patriot League Regular Season Championship, eight American University field hockey student-athletes were named to the All-Patriot League Teams, as announced by the league on Tuesday, Nov. 4. Christine Fingerhuth, Anne-Meike De Wiljes and Irene Schickhardt were all named to the first team, while Tatum Dyer, Savannah Graybill, Kirstin Gebhart, Alyssa Poorman and Anne van Erp were second team honorees.

Fingerhuth, a sophomore forward, earns her first all-league award after posting a 20-point regular season. She scored nine goals and two assists, including three goals in conference play despite missing a game to play for her native Chile in the Junior Pan American Games. Fingerhuth ranks second on the team in points.

De Wiljes, a junior defender, played and started all 17 matches for the Eagles this year. She scored two goals and recorded eight assists for 12 points, including a goal and team-high five assists in league play. She also helped lead the American defense to a 0.20 goals against average against conference opponents and was credited with a defensive save. She was twice named PL Defensive Player of the Week (9/15 and 10/6). This is de Wiljes' first time being named to the first team, after being a second-team selection a year ago.

Schickhardt earns her fourth All-PL honor and third straight first team selection. The senior forward leads the team in scoring with 36 points on 14 goals and eight assists. She has tallied seven game-winners and ranks first in the league and 20th in the nation in points per game (2.12) and first in the league and 22nd in the nation in goals per game (0.82). She tallied seven goals, including four game-winners, and four assists in league play. Schickhardt was named PL Offensive Player of the Week once this season (10/6).

Dyer, named Rookie of the Week five times this season, had a stellar freshman campaign. She was a part of an Eagles defense that recorded seven shutouts. Dyer started all 17 games on the American back line, playing all but six minutes during the season, and helped the American defense limit Patriot League foes to just 31 shots. She had one defensive save.

Graybill, named to the second team for a second time, was a 17-game starter for the Eagles offense. The junior is third on the team in scoring with five goals and two assists for 12 points, including two goals, one being a game-winner, in conference play.

Gebhart earns her first all-league selection in her sophomore season. The midfielder has scored two goals, one a game-winner and the other in conference play. She has started all 17 games for the Eagles this season.

Poorman, named to the second team for two straight years, had a stand-out year in goal for AU, recording six shutouts. She ranks second in the league and 19th in the nation in goals against average (1.41) and second in the league and 17th in the nation in save percentage (.753). Poorman was named Goalkeeper of the Week five times during the 10-week season. She allowed just one goal in five Patriot League games.

Lastly, van Erp earned her first all-conference award. The sophomore defender ranks fifth on the team in scoring with two goals and five assists. She scored both goals against league opponents and also added two assists. Van Erp was named Defensive Player of the Week once this season (9/2). She was credited with one defensive save and started all 17 games.

The top-seeded Eagles will host the 2008 Patriot League Tournament, starting on Friday, Nov. 7 at Jacobs Field. They will play in the first semifinal game at 11 a.m. against the fourth-seeded Colgate Raiders.