FOREST, Va. --- Hornets dominate the 2024 All-ODAC Field Hockey Awards with league coaches selecting10 players from the University of Lynchburg and eight more from the Shenandoah University among a strong population of talent on the sport's three all-conference teams. Shenandoah garnered an additional four special individual honors.
SU mentor
Ashley Smeltzer-Kraft earned ODAC Coach of the Year honors powered by a roster that includes ODAC Offensive Player of the Year,
Farren Winter, three-time ODAC Defensive Player of the Year,
Elise Velasquez, and ODAC/Virginia Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete of the Year,
Mairead McKibbin.
Virginia Wesleyan University goalkeeper
Berkley Miller collected the remaining special individual honor as the ODAC Rookie of the Year.
The ODAC's awards lists of 40 stars includes 23 standouts that received 2023 all-conference plaudits. That includes eight members each on the All-ODAC First Team and All-ODAC Third Team and seven honorees on the All-ODAC Second Team.
Winter, a graduate-student from Gloucester, Va., is the fourth Shenandoah player to earn ODAC Player or Offensive Player of the Year awards since SU joined the ODAC in 2012. Winter is among the ODAC leaders in all offensive categories, including her perch atop the conference assists rankings with eight. She is second in points (36) and tied for second in goals scored (14). She is tied for third in game-winning goals (4). Winter, who has featured in every minute played by SU this season, has registered at least one point in 14-of-20 games played this season. Winter's efforts have helped Shenandoah enter the NCAA postseason having scored a league-best 75 goals for a 3.75 goals per-game average, which also leads the ODAC.
Velasquez, a graduate student from Herndon, Va., is the first three-time winner of the ODAC Defensive Player of the Year award since the award was first bestowed in 2019. Velasquez anchors the SU defense from her centerback position, helping the Hornets allow just 17 goals across 20 games so far this season. SU boasts a league-best 0.85 opponent's scoring average which, when combined with their offense, has led to the conference's best average scoring margin at 2.90 goals per game. The Hornets defense has registered eight shutouts. Velasquez, who has been on the field for every minute for SU for the second straight season, got forward to register one assist.
Smeltzer-Kraft is in the midst of her 12th season guiding the Shenandoah field hockey program. This is her third ODAC top-coaching award, joining plaques she received in 2013 and 2016. Shenandoah enters the Division III field hockey championship field as the eighth-ranked team in the country in the latest rankings published by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA). SU has already set a program-record for wins with an 18-2 mark before hosting NCAA first round action against Westfield State University on Wednesday. Smeltzer-Kraft owns a current career win-loss record of 160-66 (.708) after defeating Lynchburg, 4-1, on Saturday to don the program's second ODAC crown.
Miller, a first-year goalkeeper from Chesapeake, Va., has been at the forefront of Virginia Wesleyan's resurgence this season. The Marlins finished at 12-6 overall, marking their first double-figure win total since 2006 and culminating in their first ODAC tournament appearance since 2016. Miller earned three ODAC Defensive Player of the Week awards as part of her stellar first season in Virginia Beach. She posted a .732 save percentage while making 71 stops in 17 games played. She recorded three clean sheets, helping her to a 1.773 goals against average in 880.03 of game time guarding VWU's cage. Twice she recorded 12 saves in a game to mark her season-high.
McKibbin, a senior from Magnolia, Del., is the fourth player from Shenandoah to earn the ODAC/VAFB scholar-athlete award. In the classroom, McKibbin maintains a 3.92 grade point average as a health and physical education major with a minor in coaching. Currently in the midst of her student-teaching assignment, McKibbin has been a mentor at local Orchard View Elementary for the past two years. The three-time ODAC All-Academic Team honoree earned NFHCA Scholar of Distinction status in 2023. A four-year member and secretary of SU's SAAC, McKibbin has helped lead several initiatives including Community Safety Fair, Concerned Hotline Golf Outing, Bright Futures Meal Packing, Winchester Rescue Mission Meal Serving, Warren County Coalition Celebrate Kids Day, Girls on the Run Mentor, and Special Olympics Virtual Workouts.
On the turf, the 2022 ODAC Offensive Player of the Year and 2021 ODAC Rookie of the Year is now a four-time All-ODAC First Team selection. McKibbin enters NCAA play tied for fifth in the ODAC in assists (6), seventh in points (26), and eighth in goals scored (10). She has registered at least one point in 11-of-20 games played six points on three goals scored in SU's two ODAC tournament games.
2024 ALL-ODAC FIELD HOCKEY AWARDS
ODAC Offensive Player of the Year: Farren Winter, Gr., M, Shenandoah
ODAC Defensive Player of the Year: Elise Velasquez, Sr., D, Shenandoah
ODAC Coach of the Year: Ashley Smeltzer-Kraft, Shenandoah
ODAC Rookie of the Year: Berkley Miller, Fy., GK, Virginia Wesleyan
ODAC/Va. Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete: Mairead McKibbin, Sr., F, Shenandoah
| ALL-ODAC FIRST TEAM |
| Anna Dorrestijn |
So. |
F |
Lynchburg |
| Grace Vernarelli * |
Sr. |
F |
Roanoke |
| Mairead McKibbin * |
Sr. |
F |
Shenandoah |
| Cassidy Morrison ^ |
Gr. |
F |
Shenandoah |
| Daphne Daymude * |
Sr. |
M |
Bridgewater |
| Khanyisile Mzizi * |
So. |
M |
Lynchburg |
| Farren Winter * |
Gr. |
M |
Shenandoah |
| Maddy Duggleby * |
Sr. |
M |
Washington and Lee |
| Jade Buckles + |
Jr. |
D |
Bridgewater |
| Allie Freeman |
So. |
D |
Lynchburg |
| Camryn DeLeva ^ |
So. |
D |
Shenandoah |
| Elise Velasquez * |
Gr. |
D |
Shenandoah |
| Taylor Swann + |
Sr. |
GK |
Shenandoah |
|
|
|
|
| ALL-ODAC SECOND TEAM |
| Emily Tyler + |
Sr. |
F |
Bridgewater |
| Jill Pleiter |
Fy. |
F |
Lynchburg |
| Sydney Baggett |
Jr. |
F |
Washington and Lee |
| Betty Boatwright ^ |
Jr. |
F |
Washington and Lee |
| Maddie Schucter |
Fy. |
M |
Lynchburg |
| Alaina McCoy ^ |
Sr. |
M |
Randolph-Macon |
| Claudia Lenahan * |
Jr. |
M |
Shenandoah |
| Zoe Dolfis ^ |
So. |
M |
Washington and Lee |
| Madison Short + |
Jr. |
D |
Shenandoah |
| Olivia Muir |
Jr. |
D |
Lynchburg |
| Jordan Hoover |
Jr. |
D |
Washington and Lee |
| Valentina Ambrogi-Torres ^ |
So. |
GK |
Randolph-Macon |
| Berkley Miller |
Fy. |
GK |
Virginia Wesleyan |
|
|
|
|
| ALL-ODAC THIRD TEAM |
| Madison Mark |
Sr. |
F |
Lynchburg |
| Olivia van Metre + |
Sr. |
F |
Lynchburg |
| Landry Meyer |
So. |
F |
Virginia Wesleyan |
| Mollie Best |
So. |
M |
Bridgewater |
| Aurora Balsamo |
Jr. |
M |
Lynchburg |
| Isabella McNulty + |
Sr. |
M |
Randolph-Macon |
| Natalie Moul |
Fy. |
M |
Randolph-Macon |
| Lauren Hedspeth + |
Sr. |
M |
Virginia Wesleyan |
| Anne Burns Fiveash |
So. |
M |
Washington and Lee |
| Riley Chandler + |
Jr. |
D |
Bridgewater |
| Avery Watkins |
Fy. |
D |
Lynchburg |
| Ashlyn White ^ |
Sr. |
D |
Randolph-Macon |
| Katherine Seal |
Jr. |
D |
Roanoke |
| Gracyn Arruda |
So. |
GK |
Eastern Mennonite |
|
|
|
|
* 2023 All-ODAC First Team (8)
^ 2023 All-ODAC Second Team (7)
+ 2023 All-ODAC Third Team (8) |