University of Massachusets Athletics
Photo by: THOM KENDALL FOR UMASS ATHLETICS
Weinberg, van Tonder Highlight Atlantic 10 Postseason Awards
November 04, 2021 | Field Hockey
Weinberg claims co-Coach of Year, while van Tonder garners Defensive Player of Year
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Head coach Barb Weinberg, was named the Atlantic 10 co-Coach of the Year, while graduate student goalkeeper Marlise van Tonder tabbed A-10 Defensive Player of the Year to headline a total of nine postseason awards for the University of Massachusetts field hockey team, the league announced on Thursday afternoon.
Weinberg and van Tonder collect their respective honors for the first time in their career. Weinberg is only the fourth head coach in program history to receive the Coach of the Year award and first since 2013, when former head coach Carla Tagliente picked up the accolade for the second time, while van Tonder is the sixth overall player to garner Defensive Player of the Year for the program, with the last time coming in 2017 when Melanie Kreusch lauded the accolade.
In addition, van Tonder was also named to the league's All-Conference First Team alongside graduate student midfielder Georgie McTear. Juniors Jess Beech, Josie Rossbach and Steph Gottwals earned placement on the All-Conference Second Team, and freshman forward Dempsey Campbell landed on the A-10 All-Rookie Team.
Beech was recognized for her efforts spanning on the pitch and classroom with an All-Academic Team nod, as well.
Weinberg led the Maroon and White to a 13-5 season overall, including a 5-2 mark in conference play. In four seasons at the helm, she has amassed a 40-32 overall record and a 21-8 conference record, and made three Atlantic 10 Championship appearances.
van Tonder closed out the regular season with a 13-5-0 record across 1,121:15 minutes of play in 18 games. She earned six shutouts and finished with a .852 save percentage and a conference-leading .910 goals-against-average. The Pretoria, South Africa, native also leads the conference in saves with 98 total.
McTear produced a team-best six goals, six assists and 18 points, in all 18 matches for UMass. Beech tallied four goals and two assists for 10 points in the regular season, while Gottwals recorded seven points on three goals and one assist. Rossbach notched three goals and one assist, as well, for seven points, and has been the centerpiece for the Massachusetts defense, with a league-leading four defensive saves.
van Tonder, McTear and Beech all had A-10 weekly honors this season, as van Tonder earned Defensive Player of the Week twice, while McTear and Beech each tabbed Offensive Player of the week.
Campbell picked up her first collegiate goal and added an assist for three points, while taking 19 shots with 13 on target.
Massachusetts will take on VCU on Friday, November 5 in Atlantic 10 Semifinal play in Merion Station, Pa.
Fall 2021 Atlantic 10 Field Hockey Awards
Offensive Player of the Year: Manu Ghigliotti, Saint Joseph's
Defensive Player of the Year: Marlise van Tonder, Massachusetts
Rookie of the Year: Sol Borensztein, Saint Joseph's
Co-Coach of the Year: Barb Weinberg, Massachusetts / Lynn Farquhar, Saint Joseph's
All-Conference First Team
Georgie McTear, Massachusetts
Marlise van Tonder, Massachusetts
Steffie Bongers, Richmond
Lindsey Frank, Richmond
Cassidy Atchison, Saint Joseph's
Katy Benton, Saint Joseph's
Manu Ghigliotti, Saint Joseph's
Freke van Tilburg, Saint Joseph's
Litiana Field, VCU
Maite Sturm, VCU
Janne Wetzel, VCU
All-Conference Second Team
Tatum Johnson, La Salle
Sofia Pla, La Salle
Martina Spangenberg, Lock Haven
Jess Beech, Massachusetts
Steph Gottwals, Massachusetts
Josie Rossbach, Massachusetts
Olivia Frazier, Richmond
Sol Borensztein, Saint Joseph's
Anna Miller, Saint Joseph's
Sasha Elliott, VCU
Svea Sturm, VCU
All-Academic Team
Izzy Moody, Davidson
Tatum Johnson, La Salle
Tori Wright, La Salle
Jess Beech, Massachusetts
Cassidy Atchison, Saint Joseph's
Nicholl Fenton, Saint Joseph's
Jordan BeSore, Saint Louis
Maite Sturm, VCU
Svea Sturm, VCU
Janne Wetzel, VCU
Mackenzie Williams, VCU
All-Rookie Team
Macy Curtis, Davidson
Sofia Pla, La Salle
Jasmine Miller, Lock Haven
Zhao Rodrigo, Lock Haven
Dempsey Campbell, Massachusetts
Sol Borensztein, Saint Joseph's
Aiden Drabick, Saint Joseph's
Manu Ghigliotti, Saint Joseph's
Lotte Teunissen, Saint Joseph's
Camila Rosenbrock, VCU
Carolina Mujica-Robles, VCU
Weinberg and van Tonder collect their respective honors for the first time in their career. Weinberg is only the fourth head coach in program history to receive the Coach of the Year award and first since 2013, when former head coach Carla Tagliente picked up the accolade for the second time, while van Tonder is the sixth overall player to garner Defensive Player of the Year for the program, with the last time coming in 2017 when Melanie Kreusch lauded the accolade.
In addition, van Tonder was also named to the league's All-Conference First Team alongside graduate student midfielder Georgie McTear. Juniors Jess Beech, Josie Rossbach and Steph Gottwals earned placement on the All-Conference Second Team, and freshman forward Dempsey Campbell landed on the A-10 All-Rookie Team.
Beech was recognized for her efforts spanning on the pitch and classroom with an All-Academic Team nod, as well.
Weinberg led the Maroon and White to a 13-5 season overall, including a 5-2 mark in conference play. In four seasons at the helm, she has amassed a 40-32 overall record and a 21-8 conference record, and made three Atlantic 10 Championship appearances.
van Tonder closed out the regular season with a 13-5-0 record across 1,121:15 minutes of play in 18 games. She earned six shutouts and finished with a .852 save percentage and a conference-leading .910 goals-against-average. The Pretoria, South Africa, native also leads the conference in saves with 98 total.
McTear produced a team-best six goals, six assists and 18 points, in all 18 matches for UMass. Beech tallied four goals and two assists for 10 points in the regular season, while Gottwals recorded seven points on three goals and one assist. Rossbach notched three goals and one assist, as well, for seven points, and has been the centerpiece for the Massachusetts defense, with a league-leading four defensive saves.
van Tonder, McTear and Beech all had A-10 weekly honors this season, as van Tonder earned Defensive Player of the Week twice, while McTear and Beech each tabbed Offensive Player of the week.
Campbell picked up her first collegiate goal and added an assist for three points, while taking 19 shots with 13 on target.
Massachusetts will take on VCU on Friday, November 5 in Atlantic 10 Semifinal play in Merion Station, Pa.
Fall 2021 Atlantic 10 Field Hockey Awards
Offensive Player of the Year: Manu Ghigliotti, Saint Joseph's
Defensive Player of the Year: Marlise van Tonder, Massachusetts
Rookie of the Year: Sol Borensztein, Saint Joseph's
Co-Coach of the Year: Barb Weinberg, Massachusetts / Lynn Farquhar, Saint Joseph's
All-Conference First Team
Georgie McTear, Massachusetts
Marlise van Tonder, Massachusetts
Steffie Bongers, Richmond
Lindsey Frank, Richmond
Cassidy Atchison, Saint Joseph's
Katy Benton, Saint Joseph's
Manu Ghigliotti, Saint Joseph's
Freke van Tilburg, Saint Joseph's
Litiana Field, VCU
Maite Sturm, VCU
Janne Wetzel, VCU
All-Conference Second Team
Tatum Johnson, La Salle
Sofia Pla, La Salle
Martina Spangenberg, Lock Haven
Jess Beech, Massachusetts
Steph Gottwals, Massachusetts
Josie Rossbach, Massachusetts
Olivia Frazier, Richmond
Sol Borensztein, Saint Joseph's
Anna Miller, Saint Joseph's
Sasha Elliott, VCU
Svea Sturm, VCU
All-Academic Team
Izzy Moody, Davidson
Tatum Johnson, La Salle
Tori Wright, La Salle
Jess Beech, Massachusetts
Cassidy Atchison, Saint Joseph's
Nicholl Fenton, Saint Joseph's
Jordan BeSore, Saint Louis
Maite Sturm, VCU
Svea Sturm, VCU
Janne Wetzel, VCU
Mackenzie Williams, VCU
All-Rookie Team
Macy Curtis, Davidson
Sofia Pla, La Salle
Jasmine Miller, Lock Haven
Zhao Rodrigo, Lock Haven
Dempsey Campbell, Massachusetts
Sol Borensztein, Saint Joseph's
Aiden Drabick, Saint Joseph's
Manu Ghigliotti, Saint Joseph's
Lotte Teunissen, Saint Joseph's
Camila Rosenbrock, VCU
Carolina Mujica-Robles, VCU
Players Mentioned
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