Liberty was picked to finish first in the BIG EAST.
Dykema, Iritxity Irigoyen, Underwood Earn BIG EAST Major Preseason Awards, Liberty Picked 1st
8/17/2023 12:05:00 PM | Field Hockey
LYNCHBURG, Va. – Liberty field hockey's Bethany Dykema, Azul Iritxity Irigoyen and Reagan Underwood all earned major preseason awards, and the Lady Flames were picked to finish first in the 2023 BIG EAST Field Hockey Preseason Coaches' Poll.
Dykema received Preseason Defensive Player of the Year honors for the second straight season. Iritxity Irigoyen was named the BIG EAST Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year, while Underwood garnered Preseason Co-Midfielder of the Year recognition. Joining the trio on the Preseason All-BIG EAST team is Jodie Conolly. Liberty led all teams in the league with four Preseason All-BIG EAST selections.
This is the first year in which BIG EAST Preseason Goalkeeper and Midfielder of the Year awards have been handed out.
This is the second straight year that Liberty has been tabbed to finish first in the BIG EAST's preseason poll. The Lady Flames enter the year as the back-to-back BIG EAST champions. Liberty received six of the eight available first-place votes and 48 points in the poll.
Old Dominion has been picked to finish second, receiving 41 points. Connecticut is third in the poll with the other two first-place votes and 40 points. Rounding out the poll are Temple (fourth, 31 points), Providence (fifth, 21 points), Villanova (sixth, 20 points), Quinnipiac (seventh, 14 points) and Georgetown (eighth, nine points).
Bethany Dykema | Senior (Fifth Year) | Back | Newport News, Va.
• NFHCA All-America second team (2022)
• Three-time NFHCA All-South Region (first team 2021 and 2022, second team 2020)
• Three-time All-BIG EAST team (first team 2021 and 2022, second team 2020)
• Three-time VaSID All-State team (first team 2021 and 2022, second team 2020)
• Two-time BIG EAST All-Tournament team (2021-22)
• BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week (2020)
• Enters final campaign in the top 10 in program history in career assists (tied for third, 34) and points (10th, 76) and ranks 11th in school history with 21 goals
Azul Iritxity Irigoyen | Senior | Goalkeeper | Buenos Aires, Argentina
• NFHCA All-America first team (2021)
• NFHCA All-America second team (2022)
• Two-time NFHCA All-South Region first team (2021)
• BIG EAST Championship Most Outstanding Player and All-Tournament team (2021)
• NCAA Field Hockey Championship All-Tournament team (2021)
• Three-time All-BIG EAST team (first team 2020 and 2021, second team 2022)
• VaSID Defensive Player of the Year (2021)
• Three-time VaSID All-State first team (2020-22)
• BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year (2020)
• BIG EAST Co-Freshman of the Year (2020)
• VaSID Defensive Player of the Year (2020)
• VaSID Co-Rookie of the Year (2020)
• Eight-time BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week, two-time Play Safe/NFHCA Division I Defensive Player of the Week
• Ranked No. 2 in the country in goalie win-loss percentage (.864, 20-3 record and No. 11 in nation in goals-against-average (1.17) in 2021
• Enters senior season first in program history for career shutouts (17), wins (43) and goals-against average (1.15) and second in save percentage (.758)
Reagan Underwood | Senior | Midfielder | Sinking Spring, Pa.
• Elite 90 Award winner (2021)
• Represented USA Field Hockey at the Junior Pan American Championships during the spring, helping USAFH to the gold medal for the first time since 2008
• Three-time NFHCA Scholar of Distinction (2020-22)
• Three-time NFHCA National Academic Squad (2020-22)
• Finished 2022 season with eight assists, eight points, one defensive save and 17 shots (nine on goal)
Jodie Conolly | Senior (Fifth Year) | Back| Pietermartizburg, South Africa
• Three-time NFHCA All-South Region second team (2020-22)
• Three-time All-BIG EAST team (first team in 2020, second team in 2021 and 2022)
• Three-time VaSID All-State team (first team in 2020 and 2022, second team in 2021)
• BIG EAST All-Tournament team (2022)
• Enters final campaign with the Lady Flames ranked 10th in program history for career assists (22) and tied for seventh in game-winning goals (8)
*Note the spring 2021 season is being labeled as 2020 for conference and national awards purposes.
2023 BIG EAST Field Hockey Preseason Honors
Preseason BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year
Marlon de Bruijne, Old Dominion, Sr., F
Preseason BIG EAST Co-Midfielder of the Year
Reagan Underwood, Liberty, Sr., M
Stella Tegtmeier, Quinnipiac, Gr., M
Preseason BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year
Bethany Dykema, Liberty, Gr., B.
Preseason BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year
Azul Iritxity Irigoyen, Sr., GK
Preseason All-BIG EAST Team
Azul Iritxity Irigoyen, Liberty, Sr., GK ^
Jodie Conolly, Liberty, Gr., B
Bethany Dykema, Liberty, Gr., B
Nicole Fredericks, Old Dominion, Gr., B
Eleonore De Keyser, Providence, Sr., B
Sabine De Ruitjer, Villanova, Sr., B
Reagan Underwood, Liberty, Sr., M
Stella Tegtmeier, Quinnipiac, Gr., M
Sol Simone, UConn, So., M
Tess Muller, Temple, So., F
Meghan Mitchell, Villanova, Sr., F
Marlon de Bruijne, Old Dominion, Sr., F ^
Julia Bressler, UConn, So., F
^ indicates a unanimous selection
2023 BIG EAST Field Hockey Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Liberty – 48 points (6 first-place votes)
2. Old Dominion – 41 points
3. Connecticut – 40 points (2 first-place votes)
4. Temple – 31 points
5. Providence – 21 points
6. Villanova – 20 points
7. Quinnipiac – 14 points
8. Georgetown – 9 points
Liberty will open its 2023 campaign against Kent State (Aug. 25) and Indiana (Aug. 27), next weekend. Both games will be played at the Liberty Field Hockey Field. The Lady Flames finished the 2022 season a 12-8 overall mark and 6-1 BIG EAST record.
Dykema received Preseason Defensive Player of the Year honors for the second straight season. Iritxity Irigoyen was named the BIG EAST Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year, while Underwood garnered Preseason Co-Midfielder of the Year recognition. Joining the trio on the Preseason All-BIG EAST team is Jodie Conolly. Liberty led all teams in the league with four Preseason All-BIG EAST selections.
This is the first year in which BIG EAST Preseason Goalkeeper and Midfielder of the Year awards have been handed out.
This is the second straight year that Liberty has been tabbed to finish first in the BIG EAST's preseason poll. The Lady Flames enter the year as the back-to-back BIG EAST champions. Liberty received six of the eight available first-place votes and 48 points in the poll.
Old Dominion has been picked to finish second, receiving 41 points. Connecticut is third in the poll with the other two first-place votes and 40 points. Rounding out the poll are Temple (fourth, 31 points), Providence (fifth, 21 points), Villanova (sixth, 20 points), Quinnipiac (seventh, 14 points) and Georgetown (eighth, nine points).
Bethany Dykema | Senior (Fifth Year) | Back | Newport News, Va.
• NFHCA All-America second team (2022)
• Three-time NFHCA All-South Region (first team 2021 and 2022, second team 2020)
• Three-time All-BIG EAST team (first team 2021 and 2022, second team 2020)
• Three-time VaSID All-State team (first team 2021 and 2022, second team 2020)
• Two-time BIG EAST All-Tournament team (2021-22)
• BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week (2020)
• Enters final campaign in the top 10 in program history in career assists (tied for third, 34) and points (10th, 76) and ranks 11th in school history with 21 goals
Azul Iritxity Irigoyen | Senior | Goalkeeper | Buenos Aires, Argentina
• NFHCA All-America first team (2021)
• NFHCA All-America second team (2022)
• Two-time NFHCA All-South Region first team (2021)
• BIG EAST Championship Most Outstanding Player and All-Tournament team (2021)
• NCAA Field Hockey Championship All-Tournament team (2021)
• Three-time All-BIG EAST team (first team 2020 and 2021, second team 2022)
• VaSID Defensive Player of the Year (2021)
• Three-time VaSID All-State first team (2020-22)
• BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year (2020)
• BIG EAST Co-Freshman of the Year (2020)
• VaSID Defensive Player of the Year (2020)
• VaSID Co-Rookie of the Year (2020)
• Eight-time BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week, two-time Play Safe/NFHCA Division I Defensive Player of the Week
• Ranked No. 2 in the country in goalie win-loss percentage (.864, 20-3 record and No. 11 in nation in goals-against-average (1.17) in 2021
• Enters senior season first in program history for career shutouts (17), wins (43) and goals-against average (1.15) and second in save percentage (.758)
Reagan Underwood | Senior | Midfielder | Sinking Spring, Pa.
• Elite 90 Award winner (2021)
• Represented USA Field Hockey at the Junior Pan American Championships during the spring, helping USAFH to the gold medal for the first time since 2008
• Three-time NFHCA Scholar of Distinction (2020-22)
• Three-time NFHCA National Academic Squad (2020-22)
• Finished 2022 season with eight assists, eight points, one defensive save and 17 shots (nine on goal)
Jodie Conolly | Senior (Fifth Year) | Back| Pietermartizburg, South Africa
• Three-time NFHCA All-South Region second team (2020-22)
• Three-time All-BIG EAST team (first team in 2020, second team in 2021 and 2022)
• Three-time VaSID All-State team (first team in 2020 and 2022, second team in 2021)
• BIG EAST All-Tournament team (2022)
• Enters final campaign with the Lady Flames ranked 10th in program history for career assists (22) and tied for seventh in game-winning goals (8)
*Note the spring 2021 season is being labeled as 2020 for conference and national awards purposes.
2023 BIG EAST Field Hockey Preseason Honors
Preseason BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year
Marlon de Bruijne, Old Dominion, Sr., F
Preseason BIG EAST Co-Midfielder of the Year
Reagan Underwood, Liberty, Sr., M
Stella Tegtmeier, Quinnipiac, Gr., M
Preseason BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year
Bethany Dykema, Liberty, Gr., B.
Preseason BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year
Azul Iritxity Irigoyen, Sr., GK
Preseason All-BIG EAST Team
Azul Iritxity Irigoyen, Liberty, Sr., GK ^
Jodie Conolly, Liberty, Gr., B
Bethany Dykema, Liberty, Gr., B
Nicole Fredericks, Old Dominion, Gr., B
Eleonore De Keyser, Providence, Sr., B
Sabine De Ruitjer, Villanova, Sr., B
Reagan Underwood, Liberty, Sr., M
Stella Tegtmeier, Quinnipiac, Gr., M
Sol Simone, UConn, So., M
Tess Muller, Temple, So., F
Meghan Mitchell, Villanova, Sr., F
Marlon de Bruijne, Old Dominion, Sr., F ^
Julia Bressler, UConn, So., F
^ indicates a unanimous selection
2023 BIG EAST Field Hockey Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Liberty – 48 points (6 first-place votes)
2. Old Dominion – 41 points
3. Connecticut – 40 points (2 first-place votes)
4. Temple – 31 points
5. Providence – 21 points
6. Villanova – 20 points
7. Quinnipiac – 14 points
8. Georgetown – 9 points
Liberty will open its 2023 campaign against Kent State (Aug. 25) and Indiana (Aug. 27), next weekend. Both games will be played at the Liberty Field Hockey Field. The Lady Flames finished the 2022 season a 12-8 overall mark and 6-1 BIG EAST record.
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