Drexel Receives Three of Four CAA Field Hockey Major Awards
Ben Kane
RICHMOND, Va. (Nov. 7, 2024) – Regular season champion Drexel earned three of the four major awards for the 2024 CAA Field Hockey regular season, while Monmouth also earned recognition from the league’s head coaches.
Drexel’s Valentine Van Hellemont (Player of the Year), Pien Elsen (Defender of the Year), and Denise Zelenak (Coach of the Year) took home honors for the Dragons, while Monmouth’s Milla Frye was named Rookie of the Year.
Balloting was conducted at the end of the regular season; coaches were not permitted to vote for their own teams.
A year after collecting CAA Rookie of the Year honors, Drexel’s Valentine Van Hellemont takes home the CAA Player of the Year award after a stellar season in front of goal. The sophomore forward scored a league-high 11 goals including two hat tricks. Van Hellemont has already matched her goal tally from last season, with at least one more game still to play.
Elsen takes home Defensive Player of the Year accolades after anchoring a Drexel defense that allowed a league-low 22 goals. Contributing to five shutouts, the Dutchwoman found the scoresheet nine times, with four goals and five assists. Elsen’s biggest contribution on the offensive end came on the final day of the season, netting the game-winner in double overtime to complete a perfect 6-0 league slate.
Frye’s first season in the CAA proved to be an unforgettable one, earning her Rookie of the Year honors. The German midfielder/forward scored the most goals amongst freshmen in the conference in eight and led her team in tallies.
Zelenak’s 30th season with Drexel is now bookmarked with a CAA Coach of the Year award. Guiding the Dragons to their first regular season title since 2010 with a 6-0 record, Zelenak coached Drexel to three-straight national rankings, with its highest position coming this week at No. 17.
All seven teams were recognized in the All-CAA First Team, with Drexel notching three awards. Northeastern took home the most honorees on the Second Team with three, while three players from Towson took spots on the All-Rookie Team.
Northeastern, Delaware, Drexel, and Monmouth will duke it out for the CAA Championship starting Friday afternoon in Philadelphia. All three games can be found on FloCollege.
2024 All-CAA Field Hockey
Player of the Year: Valentine Van Hellemont, Drexel
Defender of the Year: Pien Elsen, Drexel
Rookie of the Year: Milla Frye, Monmouth
Coach of the Year: Denise Zelenak, Drexel
First Team
| Name |
School |
Cl. |
Pos. |
Hometown |
| Anna Castaldo |
Drexel |
Gr. |
F |
Endicott, N.Y. |
| Pien Elsen |
Drexel |
So. |
D |
Rotterdam, Netherlands |
| Kate Fiest |
Delaware |
So. |
M |
Yorktown, Va. |
| Sofia Fouces |
Monmouth |
Sr. |
M/F |
Parana, Argentina |
| Pyper Friedman |
William & Mary |
Sr. |
M |
Phoenix, Md. |
| Anna Moors |
Monmouth |
So. |
D |
Tilburg, Noord-Brabant, Netherlands |
| Lauren Rowe |
Northeastern |
Gr. |
D/M |
Norwich, England |
| Jess Tucker |
Monmouth |
Sr. |
F/M |
Havelock North, New Zealand |
| Valentine Van Hellemont |
Drexel |
So. |
F |
Lier, Belgium |
| Anouk Westerink |
Towson |
Fr. |
F |
Ede, Netherlands |
| Pieke Roos |
Hofstra |
Jr. |
GK |
Rotterdam, Netherlands |
Second Team
| Name |
School |
Cl. |
Pos. |
Hometown |
| Maria Armaganian |
Northeastern |
Sr. |
M |
Concord, N.H. |
| Milla Frye |
Monmouth |
Fr. |
M/F |
Ratingen, Germany |
| Sarah Hatfield |
Towson |
5th |
F |
Culpeper, Va. |
| Jamie Mc Millan |
Hofstra |
Jr. |
D |
Krefeld, Germany |
| Tara McNally |
Hofstra |
Gr. |
M |
Marmora, N.J. |
| Cameron Medinger |
Delaware |
Jr. |
D |
Baltimore, Md. |
| Alana Poole |
Drexel |
R-Fr. |
GK |
Glen Mills, Pa. |
| Janne Stoetzer |
Delaware |
Fr. |
F |
Nijmegen, Netherlands |
| Kristin Strijdom |
Towson |
5th |
F |
Johannesburg,
South Africa |
| Emmy Stubbs |
Northeastern |
Jr. |
M/F |
Houston, Texas |
| Lara Taylor |
Northeastern |
Sr. |
M |
Norwich, England |
All-Rookie Team
| Name |
School |
Cl. |
Pos. |
Hometown |
| Claire Campen |
Monmouth |
Fr. |
F |
Hawley, Pa. |
| Milla Frye |
Monmouth |
Fr. |
M/F |
Ratingen, Germany |
| Juana Gonzalez-Peyru |
Northeastern |
Fr |
F |
Miami, Fla. |
| Kate Janssen |
Delaware |
Fr. |
M |
Laren, Netherlands |
| Olivia Miller |
Towson |
Fr. |
M |
State College, Pa. |
| Alana Poole |
Drexel |
R-Fr. |
GK |
Glen Mills, Pa. |
| Lilly Ricks |
Monmouth |
Fr. |
F |
Munich, Germany |
| Janne Stoetzer |
Delaware |
Fr. |
F |
Nijmegen, Netherlands |
| Isabella Tassara |
Hofstra |
Fr. |
M |
San Diego, Ca. |
| Fiene Valkenburg |
Towson |
Fr. |
M |
Nijmegen, Netherlands |
| Anouk Westerink |
Towson |
Fr. |
F |
Ede, Netherlands |
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