WINTHROP, Mass. – Simmons College's Lucy McNamara (Brewster, Mass.) was named the Great Northeast Athletic Conference Field Hockey Rookie of the Year and was also selected Second Team All-Conference. McNamara was one of six Sharks to be tabbed to the Second Team, joining Abigail Anderson (South Yarmouth, Mass.), Meghan Fontaine (Westminster, Mass.), Maggie Fuzak (Buffalo, N.Y.), Sammy Rondeau (Franklin, Mass.) and Julie Saltamartini (East Hampstead, N.H.), it was announced today by the league. In addition, Rondeau was also tabbed to the All-Sportsmanship Team.
McNamara becomes the second player in school history to earn top rookie honors and the first since Saltamartini was named following the 2014 campaign. McNamara was named GNAC Rookie of the Week a league-high three times and was also recognized as the Goalkeeper of the Week for the week of September 4-10. She started all 19 matches for Simmons and tied for the most saves among GNAC goalies with 115 stops, while ranking second among all GNAC goalies in total minutes played with 1280:09. The first year posted a .780 save percentage and 1.22 goals against mark in league-only contests to place third in the conference and registered an overall GAA of 1.70 and a .788 save percentage for the entire season. A graduate of Nauset Regional High School, McNamara allowed one or fewer goals on 10 occasions and posted all three of her shutouts in conference play. The rookie recorded eight or more saves six times, including three double-digit efforts and a season-high of 16 at Saint Joseph's College (Maine) in the GNAC Championship Tournament Semifinals on November 1 and was named to the All-Tournament Team.
Anderson earns Second Team honors following her first season of collegiate field hockey in the backfield. The first year defender registered a school-record 11 defensive saves to lead all GNAC players and rank fifth in the nation. The Dennis-Yarmouth Regional High School product started 18 of 19 matches that she appeared in and notched defensive saves in each of her first three career outings and recorded multiple defensive saves on two occasions. The rookie registered two defensive saves in the GNAC Tournament as well, including one in the semifinals.
Fontaine gets the Second Team nod after a breakout season that saw her tally 15 points on five goals and five assists to rank third on the team in assists and fourth for the Sharks in points and goals. The junior was one of the team's main scoring threats in penalty corner situations and was one of five Simmons players to start all 19 matches. Three of her goals were scored in conference play to rank ninth among GNAC leaders, while scoring six points in league play for the 15th-most. The defensive midfielder contributed to multiple goals in three contests and registered a career-high three points with a goal and an assist twice. Fontaine notched a defensive save to open the season at Massachusetts Institute of Technology on September 1 and potted the game-winning score to go with an assist vs. Anna Maria College on October 28 in the GNAC Quarterfinals.
A graduate of Oakmont Regional High School, Fontaine has played in 48 career matches, while making 28 starts. She has 19 points on six goals and seven assists during her tenure, while registering a pair of defensive saves. The Nursing major was tapped to the ZAG Field Hockey/National Field Hockey Coaches Association Division III National Academic Squad in addition to being named to the GNAC All-Academic Team following last season.
Fuzak finds a spot on the Second Team following her first year of collegiate action with the Sharks. The physical midfielder helped Simmons control the middle of the field on both sides of the ball and was just one of two rookies to start all 19 contests for the Sharks. The Williamsville South High School graduate notched an assist for her first collegiate point at Rivier University on October 7 and helped a defensive effort that posted a 1.22 goals against average against GNAC foes to rank third in the conference.
Rondeau earns Second Team honors for the second straight year. The senior enjoyed the best season of her career, racking up 40 points to rank sixth among GNAC players, while scoring 16 goals to stand fifth and recording eight assists for the fourth-most in the league. The forward's four game-winners place her fifth among GNAC leaders. The Franklin High School product's season was one of the best in school history with the fourth-highest point total in school history, the fifth-highest assist count and the sixth-most goals in a season at Simmons. She started all 19 matches for the Sharks and was named the GNAC Player of the Week as well. Rondeau contributed to multiple goals on six occasions, including a school-record 11 points, fueled by a new school standard for goals in game with five at Wheelock College on September 19. Her point total was the third-highest in a game for any player in the nation in 2017 and her goal total was the second-most. A Tri-Captain, Rondeau registered her second hat trick of the season with three goals and an assist vs. Anna Maria in the GNAC Quarterfinals and was named to the All-Tournament Team.
Rondeau finishes her career as one of the best players in school history, ending her tenure just one assist shy of tying the school record with 25. The Exercise Science major has played in all 76 of the team's matches, while making 56 starts and ranks fourth all-time at Simmons with 107 points and 41 goals. She has been named to the NFHCA National Academic Team in each of the first three seasons of her time with the Sharks. She also places 16th among all active NCAA Division III players in points.
Saltamartini lands on the Second Team as one of the most prolific goal-scorers in the nation, averaging 1.24 goals per game to rank 10th among all Division III players. The Senior tied for the league lead with nine goals in six conference matches, while ranking second with 20 points and three game-winning goals in GNAC matches. She also finished the season with a school-record 21 goals, which led the conference, and her 46 points were just one short of tying the school standard, while ranking second among league leaders. The forward also showed a knack for picking up big goals with six game-winners for the most by a Simmons player in a decade-plus. Saltamartini scored multiple goals six times, including a trio of hat tricks and tallied a career-best nine points on four goals and an assist vs. New England College on October 17. She also scored four times in the GNAC Quarterfinals vs. Anna Maria. She put together dominant stretch where she notched at least one point in five straight matches from September 23 to October 7, where she racked up 20 points.
Saltamartini is arguably the greatest offensive player in school history, being named the GNAC Rookie of the Year, the GNAC Offensive Player of the Year twice in addition to being selected All-GNAC First Team three times and being a two-time NFHCA New England East Region First Team selection. The Nursing major will leave the Sharks as the team's career leader in points (162) and goals (73), while standing ninth with 16 assists in 72 career games. She currently ranks seventh among active players in NCAA Division III in goals and ninth in points. The four-year standout is not only one of the all-time greats for the Sharks but also the greatest offensive player in GNAC history with more points (59) and goals (26) than any other player in league annals.
Simmons finished the season with a 12-7 record, including 5-2 in GNAC play. The Sharks advanced to the GNAC Semifinals before bowing to conference champion Saint Joseph's College (Maine).