Cooper Named Big Ten Field Hockey Freshman of the Year

November 5, 1998

East Lansing, Mich. - Michigan State field hockey player Bridget Cooper (Winnetka, Ill.) was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year it was announced tonight at MSU, the site of the 1998 Big Ten Field Hockey Tournament. In addition to Cooper's honor, seniors Deirdre McLinden (Flossmoor, Ill.) and Melissa Pryor (Ann Arbor) received First-Team All-Big Ten honors on defense, while freshmen Marleen Tuip (Eindhoven, Netherlands) and Sanne van Nouhuys (Bilthoven, Netherlands) earned Second-Team All-Big Ten recognition as midfielders.

Cooper is just the second Spartan ever (Emma Fernandez-1994) to earn conference freshman of the year honors. She is third on the team with eight goals, including four game-winners. Cooper, who was twice named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week in 1998, missed the final three games of the regular season with a foot injury.

McLinden, who was a Second-Team All-Big Ten honoree in 1997, has scored one goal and contributed a career-high five assists for seven points in 1998. A three-year starter, the Spartan co-captain earned Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors after leading MSU to a shutout victory over No. 8 Ohio State on Oct. 11.

Pryor, who has played every minute of every game this season, has been the backbone of the Spartan defense for three seasons. A Second-Team All-Big Ten pick in 1997, she has scored the first three goals of her career in 1998. The Spartan co-captain leads the team with five defensive saves this season.

Tuip and van Nouhuys have provided much of the scoring for the Spartans, who have 11 rookies on their squad. Tuip leads the team and is fourth in the Big Ten nine goals and 14 assists for 32 points. Her 14 assists equal the MSU single-season record set by Rayna Hiscox in 1996.

van Nouhuys is second on the team and sixth in the Big Ten with eight goals and eight assists for 24 points. van Nouhuys' sister, Marije, a freshman on the Ohio State squad, was named to the Second-Team All-Big Ten squad as a forward.

Michigan State is hosting the 1998 Big Ten Tournament this weekend at Spartan Stadium. The Spartans, who are seeded fourth, will host fifth-seeded Iowa on Friday, Nov. 6 at 11 a.m. MSU is 8-11 overall and finished tied with Iowa for fourth place in the conference with a 4-6 record. The Spartans' four Big Ten wins are the most in school history.

1998 ALL-BIG TEN FIELD HOCKEY

FIRST TEAM

Maegan Galie, So., Penn State - F

Dawn Lammey, Sr., Penn State - F

Kerry Lessard, Sr., Iowa - F

Heather Gorlaski, Sr., Penn State - MF

Tracey Larson, Jr., Penn State - MF

Loveita Wilkinson, Sr., Michigan - MF

Traci Anselmo, So., Penn State * - D

Kate Brown, Sr., Ohio State - D

Deirdre McLinden, Sr., Michigan State - D

Melissa Pryor, Sr., Michigan State - D

Jamie Smith, Sr., Penn State - GK

* unanimous selection

SECOND TEAM

Kelli Gannon, So., Michigan - F

Quan Nim, Sr., Iowa - F

Wendy DeFord, Sr., Northwestern - F (tie)

Marije van Nouhuys, Fr., Ohio State - F (tie)

Marleen Tuip, Fr., Michigan State - MF

Sanne van Nouhuys, Fr., Michigan State - MF

Sonje Volla, Sr., Penn State - MF

Sarah Thorn, Jr., Iowa - D

Ashley Reichenbach, Jr., Michigan - D

Erica Widder, Jr., Michigan - D

Angie Haas, Sr., Penn State - D

Lisa Cellucci, Sr., Iowa - GK

PLAYER OF THE YEAR - Heather Gorlaski, Penn State

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR - Dawn Lammey, Penn State

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR - Traci Anselmo, Penn State

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR - Bridget Cooper, Michigan State

COACH OF THE YEAR - Char Morett, Penn State

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