AU Field Hockey Garners Four Major Awards At Patriot League Banquet

Nov. 6, 2008

WASHINGTON - The American University field hockey team received four of five major awards given at the 2008 Patriot League Banquet on Thursday night in Mary Graydon Center on the AU campus. Irene Shickhardt was named Offensive Player of the Year, Anne-Meike De Wiljes earned Defensive Player of the Year Honors and Tatum Dyer was awarded Rookie of the Year. Steve Jennings took home League Coach of the Year plaudits for the fifth time in his tenure. Additionally, for her work both on and off of the field, Schickhardt was named Patriot League Field Hockey Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

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).

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.

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.

Jennings continues to add to his resume, after managing the U.S. National Field Hockey Team in the Beijing Olympics and being named the first-ever United States Citizen to receive the title of FIH Coach - High Performance, he earns his fifth Coach of the Year award. Jennings led the Eagles to their sixth-straight PL Regular Season Championship, going undefeated in conference play and being ranked all 10 weeks in the National Field Hockey Coaches Association Poll.

The top-seeded Eagles will host the 2008 Patriot League Tournament, opening up play tomorrow at Jacobs Field. They will play in the first semifinal game at 11 a.m. against the fourth-seeded Colgate Raiders. The winners will advance to the championship game, held Saturday at 1:30 p.m.