Freibott Named Offensive POTY, Freeman Coach of the Year as Field Hockey Puts Four on All-Ivy League First Team
11/13/2014 12:57:00 PM | Field Hockey
PRINCETON, N.J. – After one of the best seasons in program history, the Columbia field hockey team was rewarded with a pair of major Ivy League honors as the conference handed out its postseason awards Thursday afternoon. Junior midfielder Christina Freibott was the unanimous choice as Offensive Player of the Year while head coach Marybeth Freeman was named Coach of the Year.
Additionally, senior Zoe Blake, sophomore Katie Ruesterholz and senior Lauren Skudalski join Freibott, picking up first team All-Ivy League nods.
This marks the first time the Lions have received either of these high honors from the conference and the most first team All-Ivy League selections in school history.
Freibott led the Ancient Eight in points (41) and assists (21), setting single-season records in both categories. Her 1.24 assists per game is first in the nation and she currently ranks in the top-10 in the NCAA, averaging 2.41 points and 0.59 goals per contest. Freibott was named Ivy League Player of the Week three times and scored in 14 of the Lions' 17 contests on the season.
Freeman guided the Lions to a 12-5 record and a 5-2 mark in Ivy League play, tying the best conference record in program history. Columbia won six-straight games from October 10-November 1 and Freeman led the Lions to their first ever victory over Princeton on October 3. For her career, she has 56 career victories in five seasons and is just seven shy of becoming the Lions' winningest coach.
“I'm honored and humbled to received this award on behalf of the hockey staff and program,” Freeman said. “I am lucky to work with Caroline (Nichols) and Megan (Shea), who are incredibly dedicated and passionate about what we do, and to have a group of women who know what it means to put the team before self. To be recognized for this award is awesome, but it's the team as a whole who deserve the credit.”
Blake finished the year with 13 goals, the second highest total in the Ivy League and the fourth most in school history. The midfielder compiled 33 points to put herself second behind Freibott in scoring and posted four two-goal performances.
There was no sophomore slump for Ruesterholz, who posted 10 goals for the second consecutive season. Her goal total tied her for fourth in the Ivy League and she already ranks fifth on the Columbia all-time goal list. Ruesterholz netted three game-winners, including an overtime strike in the landmark win over the Tigers.
Skudalski takes home her second straight All-Ivy League accolade after earning a spot on the honorable mention list in 2013. The standout back led the Ancient Eight with 10 defensive saves and was tied for second in the nation in that category. The two-time Ivy League Weekly Honor Roll selection also chipped in offensively, posting a game-winner against UMass and handing out seven assists.
2014 IVY LEAGUE FIELD HOCKEY AWARD WINNERS
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
*Christina Freibott, Columbia (Jr., M – Wilmington, Del.)
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Sydney Kirby, Princeton (Sr., M – Cleveland Heights, Ohio)
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Alexa Hoover, Penn (Fr., F – Collegeville, Pa.)
COACH OF THE YEAR
Marybeth Freeman, Columbia
FIRST-TEAM ALL-IVY LEAGUE^
Zoe Blake, Columbia (Sr., M – West Chester, Pa.)
Kyla Cordrey, Harvard (So., M – Summit, N.J.)
Allison Evans, Princeton (Sr., F – Macungie, Pa.)
*Christina Freibott, Columbia (Jr., M – Wilmington, Del.)
Alexa Hoover, Penn (Fr., F – Collegeville, Pa.)
*Sydney Kirby, Princeton (Sr., M – Cleveland Heights, Ohio)
Meghan O'Donnell, Brown (Sr., F – Winchester, Mass.)
Shannon McSweeney, Brown (Sr., GK – Boxborough, Mass.)
Katie Ruesterholz, Columbia (So., F – New York)
*Ali Savage, Dartmouth (Sr., F – Orange, New South Wales, Australia)
*Marisa Siergiej, Cornell (Jr., D – Harrison City, Pa.)
Lauren Skudalski, Columbia (Sr., D – Wyoming, Pa.)
SECOND-TEAM ALL-IVY LEAGUE
Cat Caro, Princeton (So., M – Bridgewater, N.J.)
Emily Corcoran, Penn (Sr., F – Bryn Mawr, Pa.)
MaryRose Croddick, Penn (Sr., D – Fair Haven, N.J.)
Issy Davies, Harvard (Jr., GK – Worcester, England)
Annabeth Donovan, Princeton (So., D – Unionville, Pa.)
Kate Ferrara, Princeton (Jr., D – Spring City, Pa.)
Janine Leger, Dartmouth (Sr., M – Johannesburg)
Sam McILwrick, Cornell (Fr., D – Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada)
Kelsey Nolan, Yale (So., M – Lancaster, Pa.)
Noel Painter, Harvard (Sr., F – Los Gatos, Calif.)
Katy Weeks, Cornell (So., M – Kenilworth, Ill.)
HONORABLE MENTION
Katarina Angus, Brown (So., D – Martinsville, N.J.)
Marissa Balleza, Harvard (So., F – Severna Park, Md.)
Ellie Cookson, Harvard (Fr., M – Oakville, Ontario, Canada)
Ann DiPastina, Cornell (Sr., M – Contoocook, N.H.)
Alex Iqbal, Penn (Sr., M – Darien, Conn.)
Krysten Mayers, Cornell (Fr., F – Parsippany, N.J.)
Ryan McCarthy, Princeton (Fr., F – Madison, N.J.)
Heather Schlesier, Yale (Sr., GK – San Diego)
Nicole Wells, Yale (Jr. M – Bryn Mawr, Pa.)
KEY
* Unanimous Selection
^ Due to ties in the voting, the All-Ivy first team was expanded from 11
