Full GNAC Field Hockey All-Conference Release

WINTHROP, Mass. – Sophomore forward Sydney Gonyea was named the 2022 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Offensive Player of the Year, announced by the league on Tuesday. Leading the conference in goals and points, Gonyea headlined seven field hockey players selected to the All-GNAC squad following the program's best season in its history.

Not only was Gonyea the GNAC's goal and point leader, she also was amongst the top-five in the nation in all offensive categories as she led a Shark team that was fourth in scoring average. Towards the end of the regular season, she surpassed her collegiate career single-game high in a 10-0 shutout over the University of St. Joseph (Conn.), registering three goals and two assists for eight points. It was the fourth time all season she recorded six or more points in a game.

Gonyea became the first Shark to earn GNAC Offensive Player of the Year honors since Julie Saltamartini in 2015 while also eclipsing Saltamartini's single-season program record in goals and points.

Joining Gonyea on the All-GNAC first team is graduate senior Riley Lambert and senior defender Haley Dover. Lambert, who was also named to the GNAC All-Tournament Team, finished the season with 17 goals and nine assists for 43 points. In the quarterfinals of the GNAC playoffs against seventh-seed Anna Maria, Lambert registered a career single-game high scoring four goals and an assist for nine points. Additionally, she was selected as the Sharks All-Sportsmanship Team representative.

Dover was selected to the All-GNAC first team for the first time her collegiate career. The Western Massachusetts native anchored a Shark defense that registered 13 shutouts in 2022 – second most amongst all of the NCAA.

Sophomores Anna Tedeschi and Hannah Groves claimed spots on the All-GNAC third team along with senior goalkeeper Sarah Arenberg.  

A year removed from earning All-Rookie Team accolades in 2021, Tedeschi also experienced a prolific year, offensively. Second on the team in goals and points, she was amongst the conference's top five leaders in goals and points. Late in the season, Tedeschi recorded her first collegiate career hat-trick in an 8-1 win over Dean then duplicated the feat in the Sharks first post-season game against Anna Maria, where she also recorded a career high with eight points .

Groves joined Tedeschi on the All-GNAC third team, recording a career year of her own with eight goals and 12 assists for 28 points. In the team's quarterfinal match up against seventh seed Anna Maria, she tied her career single-game best with two goals and five points.

Arenberg rounded out the trio on the third team as she led the conference with an .857 save percentage. Posting an 8-0 record in goal she was second amongst conference goalkeepers registering, a career single-season best, five shutouts

First-year defender Zoe Schmaling was named to the GNAC All-Rookie Team. Offensively, she registered five goals and three assists for 13 points on the season, while helping the Sharks shutout opponents 13 times this season.