University of New Hampshire Athletics
Verleg's Rookie of the Year Highlights Seven UNH Conference Awards
11/6/2019 7:10:00 PM | Field Hockey
BOSTON – The University of New Hampshire field hockey team received a total of seven awards, highlighted by Maura Verleg (Geldrop, Netherlands) as the Rookie of the Year, that were handed out by America East on Wednesday.
Verleg, a freshman back, is the third UNH player feted as the conference's Rookie of the Year; the previous recipients were Amy Agulay (1997) and Katie White (2002). She was also named to both the America East East Division All-Conference First Team and All-Rookie Team.
Sophomore midfielder Bloem van den Brekel (Eindhoven, Netherlands) was also a First Team honoree.
The Wildcats also had two representatives on the East Division All-Conference Second Team with senior captains Kayla Sliz (Ajax, Ontario) and Bailey Fanikos (Lynnfield, Mass.) earning that recognition. Sliz was also voted to the All-Academic Team for the second consecutive year.
UNH (8-9 overall, 2-3 America East) begin America East Championship tournament play with a Nov. 6 quarterfinal against Cal. Start time at Monmouth University's So Sweet A Cat Field is 11 a.m.
Verleg is one of just four Wildcats – and the only freshman – to start all 17 regular-season games. She played 1040 of a possible 1066 minutes, which was more than any 'Cat, to anchor UNH's defensive unit. Her stick skills and passing skills have been a vital component in New Hampshire transitioning from defense to offense. Verleg has been an instrumental part of the both penalty corner units, including one of the stick-stops on offense. She is tied for the team lead in assists with three.
van den Brekel has started all 14 games in which she has played and has tallied nine points on three goals and three assists. She is a dangerous option for the Wildcats at the top of the circle on penalty corners either with a shot or distributing the ball to a teammate. On the attack, van den Brekel is adept at either the forehand or the reverse stick. Her season highlights include one-goal, one-assist effort against both nationally-ranked UAlbany and Holy Cross.
Sliz is another lynchpin in New Hampshire's midfield who has started all 17 games and played 970 minutes. She ranks second on the team in both goals (five) and points (12), and she's recorded a team-high 41 shots. Sliz tallied a career-high five points at Dartmouth College with a personal-best two goals and one assist. Her other season highlights included a goal and assist in the 3-2 win vs. nationally-ranked Stanford.
Fanikos has started all 11 games in which she has played. She is tied for second on the UNH leaderboard with five goals and also has an assist for 11 points. Fanikos made an immediate impact in her return to the lineup, as she tallied an assist in the win at Dartmouth and followed that with a goal in the victory vs. Bryant. Fanikos scored a goal in back-to-back games against Providence College and UMass Lowell.
Verleg, a freshman back, is the third UNH player feted as the conference's Rookie of the Year; the previous recipients were Amy Agulay (1997) and Katie White (2002). She was also named to both the America East East Division All-Conference First Team and All-Rookie Team.
Sophomore midfielder Bloem van den Brekel (Eindhoven, Netherlands) was also a First Team honoree.
The Wildcats also had two representatives on the East Division All-Conference Second Team with senior captains Kayla Sliz (Ajax, Ontario) and Bailey Fanikos (Lynnfield, Mass.) earning that recognition. Sliz was also voted to the All-Academic Team for the second consecutive year.
UNH (8-9 overall, 2-3 America East) begin America East Championship tournament play with a Nov. 6 quarterfinal against Cal. Start time at Monmouth University's So Sweet A Cat Field is 11 a.m.
Verleg is one of just four Wildcats – and the only freshman – to start all 17 regular-season games. She played 1040 of a possible 1066 minutes, which was more than any 'Cat, to anchor UNH's defensive unit. Her stick skills and passing skills have been a vital component in New Hampshire transitioning from defense to offense. Verleg has been an instrumental part of the both penalty corner units, including one of the stick-stops on offense. She is tied for the team lead in assists with three.
van den Brekel has started all 14 games in which she has played and has tallied nine points on three goals and three assists. She is a dangerous option for the Wildcats at the top of the circle on penalty corners either with a shot or distributing the ball to a teammate. On the attack, van den Brekel is adept at either the forehand or the reverse stick. Her season highlights include one-goal, one-assist effort against both nationally-ranked UAlbany and Holy Cross.
Sliz is another lynchpin in New Hampshire's midfield who has started all 17 games and played 970 minutes. She ranks second on the team in both goals (five) and points (12), and she's recorded a team-high 41 shots. Sliz tallied a career-high five points at Dartmouth College with a personal-best two goals and one assist. Her other season highlights included a goal and assist in the 3-2 win vs. nationally-ranked Stanford.
Fanikos has started all 11 games in which she has played. She is tied for second on the UNH leaderboard with five goals and also has an assist for 11 points. Fanikos made an immediate impact in her return to the lineup, as she tallied an assist in the win at Dartmouth and followed that with a goal in the victory vs. Bryant. Fanikos scored a goal in back-to-back games against Providence College and UMass Lowell.
Players Mentioned
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