BETHLEHEM, Pa.– Senior Simone Hefting of the Lafayette field hockey team was tabbed the 2022 Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year, the league office announced on Thursday morning. Hefting earned a place on the 2022 Preseason All-Patriot League Team alongside classmate Molly McAndrew and sophomore Lineke Spaans.

Additionally, the squad overall was predicted to finish second in the preseason poll in a vote of the conference coaches with five first-place votes (65 points). The Leopards trail American and respectively lead Bucknell, Lehigh, Boston U., Colgate and Holy Cross.

Hefting ended the previous season with two goals and five assists for nine points, alongside two defensive saves. The Den Bosch, Netherlands native helped Lafayette's defensive unit limit opponents to a total of 178 shots over the 18 games in regular-season play for only 9.9 shots per game.

The International Affairs and Psychology major is no stranger to impressive laurels, both academic and athletic: 2021-22 Patriot League Fall Academic Honor Roll, National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) 2021 Division I National Academic Squad, Second-Team NFHCA All-Mideast Region, First-Team All-Patriot League and multiple Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week awards (Sept. 13, Oct. 4 and Nov. 1).

Senior forward McAndrew totaled nine goals (four game-winners) and four assists, good for 22 points and second place on the team last year. The Cherry Hill, N.J. native was placed on the Second-Team All-Patriot League list for her offensive efforts.

The Economics major earned 2021-22 Patriot League Fall Academic Honor Roll status as well as a selection to the NFHCA 2021 Division I National Academic Squad.

Sophomore midfielder Spaans had a remarkable rookie season, tallying 16 points on seven goals and four assists for 18 points. Two goals hoisted the Leopards over their opponents as overtime game-winners against Yale (Sept. 10) and Brown (Oct. 10).

The Noord-Holland, Netherlands native was a first-team NFHCA All-Mideast Region honoree, the 2021 Patriot League Rookie of the Year, First-Team All-Patriot League and the Patriot League's Rookie of the Week on Oct. 11 and Nov. 1. The International Affairs major was named to the 2021-22 Patriot League Fall Academic Honor Roll and was a selection to the NFHCA 2021 Division I National Academic Squad.

Lafayette will open the 2022 season by hosting Temple at 4 p.m. on Aug. 26 at Rappolt Field, with league play beginning Sept. 17 against American.

2022 Patriot League Field Hockey Preseason Major Awards
Offensive Player of the Year – Lily Neilson, Bucknell, So., F
Defensive Player of the Year – Simone Hefting, Lafayette, Sr., D
Goalkeeper of the Year – Bryn Underwood, Americana, Jr., GK
 
2022 Patriot League Field Hockey Preseason All-League Team
Bryn Underwood, American, Jr., GK
Charllene Boshoff, American, Sr., D
Rachel Borzymowski, Boston University, Sr., M
Payton Anderson, Boston University, So., F
Lily Neilson, Bucknell, So., F
Mackenzie Kile, Bucknell, Sr., F
Sinead Walsh, Holy Cross, Sr., M
Lineke Spaans, Lafayette, So., M
Simone Hefting, Lafayette, Sr., D
Molly McAndrew, Lafayette, Sr., F
Sarah Bonthuis, Lehigh, Sr., M
 
2022 Patriot League Field Hockey Preseason Poll
1. American (9 first-place votes), 69 points
2. Lafayette (5), 65
3. Bucknell, 44
4. Lehigh, 42
5. Boston University, 40
T6. Colgate, 17
T6. Holy Cross, 17