Sykes Named Field Hockey Coach of the Year to Highlight ECAC Awards
ECAC RELEASE
DANBURY, CONN. – University at Albany head coach Phil Sykes added ECAC Coach of the Year to his resume, the Eastern College Athletic Conference announced Thursday. Paula Heuser, Maxi Primus and Fiori Van Rijswijk were also selected to All-Star Teams.
In his 11th season, Sykes was named the NFHCA Northeast Region Coach of the Year. He is in the running to be named NFHCA National Coach of the Year, set to be announced in mid-January. Sykes became the first coach all-time to guide a UAlbany team to the NCAA Semifinals, picking up the program's first NCAA win on the way.
He led the Great Danes to a program record 20 wins, as well as an all-time best 14-game winning streak. UAlbany defeated three national top-10 opponents in 2014, including its first all-time win over a top-10 opponent on Sept. 14 at No. 8 Stanford. The week of Sept. 15, the Purple & Gold catapulted to an all-time best No. 7 ranking.
En route to a historic year, Sykes's squad ranked top-10 throughout the season in assists per game, goals against average, save percentage and shutouts per game. The Great Danes spent seven weeks as the national runner-up in points per game.
Winning his fourth America East Tournament and league regular season championship, Sykes and his assistants were named the America East Coaching Staff of the Year for the third time.
Heuser was named to the ECAC All-Star First Team as the first all-time UAlbany recipient of the Honda Sport Award. The sophomore was selected as the NFHCA National Player of the Year and Northeast Region Player of the Year. She is the first underclassman all-time to be named D-I Player of the Year, and the first Great Dane to be a Division I All-American. Heuser is a two-time NFHCA All-American and America East Midfielder of the Year. The Germany native was also selected to the NCAA All-Tournament Team.
In 2014, Heuser broke the all-time single-season UAlbany record in goals (29) and points (69). She led the nation in total goals and points, ranking top-two in the nation in goals per game and points per game for six consecutive weeks to end the season. Heuser tallied an all-time league tournament best nine points in two games en route to the America East title, earning Most Outstanding Performer honors.
Primus also earned All-Star First Team status as the first UAlbany goalkeeper to earn NFHCA All-America honors. She was a third team selection after ranking top-10 in the nation throughout the season in goals against average and save percentage. She shutout two nationally ranked opponents this season, in No. 8 Stanford (Sept. 14) and No. 20 Maine (Oct. 25). The sophomore was the unanimous America East Goalkeeper of the year and a four-time America East Defensive Player of the Week awardee this season. Primus was also an America East All-Tournament team selection.
With 20 wins and 10 shutouts to her credit this season, she is the all-time winningest single-season goalie in UAlbany program history, and tops the UAlbany Division I ranks in single-season shutouts.
Van Rijswijk was named a Second Team All-Star after earning her second NFHCA All-Region nod this season. She tallied four points in the NCAA First & Second rounds this season against two nationally-ranked opponents. The penalty corner specialist was a unanimous selection to the America East All-Conference First Team with seven goals and 18 assists. Five of her goals in 2014 were game-winners.
