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Rijpma Named Offensive Player of the Year, van de Kerkhof Named Coach of the Year
Nov. 5, 2009 Tournament Banquet Photo Gallery EAST LANSING, Mich.- After a season which saw them finish a perfect 6-0 in conference play and take home their first outright Big Ten Regular Season Title in school history, seven Spartan field hockey players were honored by the Big Ten at the Conferences' annual postseason banquette. Leading the Spartans' honorees were senior Floor Rijpma (Bunnik, Netherlands) and head coach Rolf van de Kerkhof. Rijpma was unanimously named Offensive Player of the Year while van de Kerkhof took home Coach of the Year honors. Rijpma, who was also named an All-Big Ten first team unanimous selection, becomes the second Spartan to win Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year, joining Bridget Cooper who took home the award in 2001. Rijpma, a four-time Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week (11/2,10/26, 9/28, 9/7), finished the regular season with an impressive 39 points on 18 goals and three assists. Rijpma, who ranks third on MSU's all-time goals list, finished Big Ten regular season play as the conferences' leading goal scorer and point getter for the second consecutive season. Van de Kerkhof becomes the second coach in MSU field hockey history to take home Big Ten Coach of the Year honors, joining Michelle Madison who won the award in 2001. This season, van de Kerkhof has led the Spartans to a 15-3 (6-0 Big Ten) record and the schools' first ever outright Big Ten Regular Season Championship. In addition to the awards won by Rijpma and van de Kerkhof, five other Spartans garnered accolades from the Big Ten. Senior Jeamie Deacon (Wexford, Ireland) joined classmate Rijpma as an All-Big Ten first team selection. Deacon, who takes home first team honors for the third consecutive season, has tallied 20 points on seven goals and six assists.
Three Spartans, senior Elissa Unger (Reading, Pa.), junior Jantine Steinmetz (Amstelveen, Netherlands) and freshman Manouk Vernij (Bleiswijk, Netherlands), were members of the All-Big Ten second team. Unger, a two-time Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week (10/12, 9/28), finished the regular season with a Big Ten leading 1.32 goals against average. Steinmetz, who has recorded 19 points (nine goals, one assist) on the season, was also an All-Big Ten second team selection a season ago. While Vernij, a three-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week (9/28, 9/14, 8/31), recorded an impressive 26 points on eight goals and a team-leading 10 assists. Rounding out the Spartan award winners was junior Julie Mackay (Houston, Texas) who took home the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award. The Sportsmanship Award is given to individuals who have distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior. The student-athlete must be in good academic standing and demonstrate good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting. The Spartans return to action tomorrow (Friday, Nov. 6) at 12:15 p.m. when they host Iowa in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals. The game will be covered live by the Big Ten Network starting at noon EST. |
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