Dykema and Iritxity Irigoyen Selected as Field Hockey All-Americans
12/13/2022 3:17:37 PM | Field Hockey
2022 NFHCA Division I All-American Teams
Liberty field hockey’s Bethany Dykema and Azul Iritxity Irigoyen were tabbed 2022 National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) All-America honorees. Dykema and Iritxity Irigoyen both garnered second team distinction.
This is the third time in the last four years that Liberty has featured two or more All-Americans in a season. The program is up to 12 All-Americans in its 12-year existence, with 10 of those coming in the last six years. The Lady Flames have featured at least one All-American in each of the past eight years.
Dykema earns her first career All-American award, while Iritxity Irigoyen is the third player in program history to receive two or more All-American accolades. Iritxity Irigoyen, who earned first team honors last fall, joins Jill Bolton (2019, fall 2020, fall 2021) and Agueda Moroni (2017, 2018).
Dykema and Iritxity Irigoyen led Liberty to its second straight BIG EAST crown this fall. The Lady Flames finished the year with a 12-8 overall mark. Liberty, the No. 2 seed at the BIG EAST Championship, bested No. 3 seed Connecticut 2-1 and top-seeded Old Dominion 3-1 to claim the title. The Lady Flames faced No. 3 national seed/No. 2 Maryland in the NCAA Field Hockey Championship Sweet 16, falling 2-1 in double overtime. Liberty finished the year ranked No. 13 in the final Penn Monto/NFHCA Division I National Coaches Poll and No. 20 in the NCAA Field Hockey RPI listing.
The NFHCA honored 48 Division I student-athletes with first, second or third team All-America recognition. Penn State led the charge with four selections, followed by North Carolina, Northwestern and Syracuse with three each.
The NFHCA National Player of the Year award will be announced on Thursday.
Liberty Field Hockey All-Americans
2022 – Bethany Dykema (second team)
2022 – Azul Iritxity Irigoyen (second team)
2021 – Jill Bolton (first team) (Fall 2021 season)
2021 – Azul Iritxity Irigoyen (first team) (Fall 2021 season)
2021 – Daniella Rhodes (second team) (Fall 2021 season)
2020 – Jill Bolton (first team) (Spring 2021 season)
2019 – Ashley Dykema (second team)
2019 – Jill Bolton (third team)
2018 – Agueda Moroni (first team)
2017 – Agueda Moroni (second team)
2016 – Serena Barr (second team)
2015 – Natalie Barr (third team)
Bethany Dykema (NFHCA All-America first team)
Dykema earned NFHCA All-South Region first team honors this fall, her third career all-region award and second straight first team accolade. The senior defender from Newport News, Va. earned All-BIG EAST first team recognition for a third straight season and was selected to the BIG EAST Championship All-Tournament team. Dykema scored what proved to be the game-winning goal in the 54th minute of the championship game against ODU.
Dykema, who hails from Newport News, Va., ended the year with a team-best and career-high 12 assists. Her 12 assists are tied for the third most in a season in program history. The senior added eight goals and finished second on the squad with 28 points while starting all 20 games. Dykema and the Liberty defensive unit established a new school record with 10 shutouts this fall. She was selected to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll three times (Aug. 30, Sept. 20, Oct. 4) during the year.
Dykema is in the top 10 in program history for career assists (tied for third, 34) and points (10th, 76) and ranks 11th in school history with 21 goals.
Azul Iritxity Irigoyen (NFHCA All-America second team)
Iritxity Irigoyen, a junior goalkeeper from Buenos Aires Argentina, earned her second straight first team region honor this fall. The netminder was tabbed the BIG EAST Field Hockey Championship Most Outstanding Player in leading Liberty to the crown. She made 13 saves in the BIG EAST Tournament against No. 14 UConn and No. 13 Old Dominion. Iritxity Irigoyen was an All-BIG EAST second team honoree this fall, her third straight year earning all-conference honors.
After the BIG EAST Championship, Iritxity Irigoyen was named NFHCA Division I Defensive Player of the Week (Nov. 10) for the second time in her career. The junior earned her eighth career BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week honor this season (Sept. 27) and garnered inclusion on the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll two times (Oct. 11, Oct. 18), this fall.
Iritxity Irigoyen started all 20 games in goal for the Lady Flames, compiling a 12-8 record, 1.10 goals-against-average (GAA), eight shutouts, a .761 save percentage and 70 saves. She became the program record holder for career shutouts (17) and wins (43). In seven BIG EAST regular season contests this fall, Iritxity Irigoyen posted a 6-1 record and led the league in goals-against-average (0.14), shutouts (6) and save percentage (.947). Iritxity Irigoyen matched a career high with 12 saves in Liberty’s NCAA Championship Sweet 16 match at No. 2 Maryland. For the second straight NCAA Tournament, the netminder made a save on a penalty stroke attempt. This time, she saved a shot from the Terrapins’ Hope Rose late in the fourth period (56:15 mark), helping send the game to overtime.
