Three Wildcats Earn All-Big Ten Distinction

11/2/2016 1:25:00 PM | Field Hockey

By: Nick Brilowski

EVANSTON, Ill. – Senior Isabel Flens and junior Sophia Miller are first-team All-Big Ten selections while senior Dominique Masters is a second-team pick as announced by the Conference office Wednesday.

Flens was a second-team honoree a year ago while this is the first all-league recognition for both Miller and Masters.

A native of Hattem, Netherlands, Flens leads the Wildcats with 15 goals and 38 points this season while ranking tied for third on the squad with eight assists. She has two hat tricks to her credit this season in wins over Colgate (9/11) and Drexel (10/2). Her 49 career goals rank her seventh among all active Division I players.

Miller, a native of Medford, New Jersey, has been the steadying force on Northwestern's back line of defense, helping the Wildcats rank among the league and nation's leaders with a 1.63 goals-against average. Offensively, she has contributed a team-leading 11 assists.

A native of Canterbury, United Kingdom, Masters caps her NU career with her first All-Big Ten accolade. A versatile player who has aided the Wildcats both in the back and on the attack this season, she ranks third on the team in both goals (11) and assists (8). Her 50 career goals rank fifth in school history and sixth among all active Division I players.

In addition, junior Maggie Fitzgerald was recognized as Northwestern's recipient of the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award. The students chosen are individuals who have distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior. These students must also be in good academic standing and have demonstrated good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting.

Northwestern (12-7) is the No. 4 seed for this week's Big Ten tournament in College Park, Maryland. The 12^th-ranked Wildcats open tourney play at 4:30 p.m. Central time against fifth-seeded and 15^th-ranked Iowa in a quarterfinal round matchup. The contest is being televised live by Big Ten Network.

2016 All-Big Ten Teams

First Team
WELMA LUUS, F, Sr., MD
NATALIE CAFONE, F, Sr., IOWA
Isabel Flens, M, Sr., NU
Kate Barber, M, Sr., IND
Aurelia Meijer, M, So., PSU
Katie Trombetta, D, Jr., MICH
Moira Putsch, F, So., PSU
Grace Balsdon, D, Sr., MD
Simone Vagnoni, D, Jr., MSU
Sophia Miller, D, Jr., NU
Noëlle Rother, GK, So., IND

Second Team
Maddy Humphrey, F, Jr., OSU
Alyssa Bull, M, Sr., RU
Katie Birch, D, Fr., IOWA
Carly Bennett, F, Jr., MICH
Kendal Anderson, F, Jr., MSU
Lein Holsboer, M, Jr., MD
Dominique Masters, M, Sr., NU
Skyler Fretz, D, Jr., PSU
Chandler Ackers, D, Sr., IOWA
Mollie Getzfread, M, Sr., IND
Sam Swenson, GK, Jr., MICH

Player of the Year: Welma Luus, MD
Offensive Player of the Year: Natalie Cafone, IOWA
Defensive Player of the Year: Grace Balsdon, MD
Freshman of the Year: Katie Birch, IOWA
Coach of the Year: Charlene Morett-Curtiss, PSU

Sportsmanship Award Honorees
Mollie Getzfread, IND
Sophie Plasteras, IOWA
Brooke Adler, MD
Casie Ammerman, MICH
Kristin Matula, MSU
Maggie Fitzgerald, NU
Liz Tamburro, OSU
Kirsten Gochnauer, PSU
Devon Freshnock, RU

Unanimous selections in ALL CAPS

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