Providence, R.I. - Members of the top three seeds of the BIG EAST Field Hockey Championship have earned all four of the major honors as the Conference announced its 2009 field hockey award winners and all-conference teams at the league's annual awards banquet. The banquet was held in conjunction with the BIG EAST Field Hockey Championship to be played Nov. 7-8 at the Friar Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex in Providence, R.I.

Connecticut senior forward Loren Sherer was named Offensive Player of the Year, while teammate junior midfielder Melissa Gonzalez was named Defensive Player of the Year. Louisville senior goalkeeper Heather Bustanoby was named Goalkeeper of the Year and Syracuse head coach Ange Bradley was named Coach of the Year.

Sherer has dominated all offensive categories, both in the BIG EAST and nationally. She led the BIG EAST in goals, goals per game, game-winning goals, points and points per game for eight consecutive weeks; led in shots and shots per game for six consecutive weeks; led in assists for seven weeks and assists per game six weeks. Sherer led the nation in points and goals per game for five and four consecutive weeks, respectively. The senior finished the regular season with 28 goals, seven game-winning goals, 17 assists, 73 points and 121 shots, all tops in the BIG EAST. She set BIG EAST records for most consecutive times named Offensive Player of the Week (four) and for most times any player has received a weekly honor (six). This marks the sixth time a UConn player has won the award.

Gonzalez anchored a Connecticut defense which was tops in the BIG EAST in shutouts (seven), goals against average (1.02), defensive saves (six) and scoring margin (2.96). The Huskies held opponents to 153 shots, while allowing only 20 goals. In BIG EAST play, Connecticut's defense allowed a league-low seven goals and earned a BIG EAST-high two shutouts. In addition to being a constant defensive threat, Gonzalez tallied six goals and two assists for 14 points over 19 games this season. This marks the fourth straight year a Husky has won the defensive award.

Bustanoby and Louisville earn their first BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year award. Over 19 games, the senior held opponents to 28 goals on 107 shots. She boasted a 1.54 goals against average overall and a 1.97 average in BIG EAST play. Bustanoby has made 79 saves and helped to keep five opponents scoreless. The 2009 Preseason Co-Defensive Player of the Year made a league-high 19 saves in a double-overtime performance against then-No. 5 Connecticut on Sept. 26.

In her third season as head coach of the Orange, Bradley led Syracuse to a 16-2 mark and 6-0 record in league play, winning the BIG EAST regular-season title for the second consecutive year. SU faced one of the toughest schedules in the country as all but two nonconference opponents were either in the top-20 or received votes. The Orange knocked off a league-high seven ranked opponents in 2009. Bradley's Syracuse teams have a combined 50-11 record over three seasons. This marks the second time in three years she has won the award.

Syracuse, the No. 1 seed in the BIG EAST Championship, totaled the most All-BIG EAST First Team selections with four. Sophomore midfielder/forward Martina Loncarica was the Orange's only unanimous pick and accompanied junior back Maggie Befort, junior forward Lindsey Conrad and freshman midfielder/forward Amy Kee. Loncarica tallied a Syracuse-best 13 assists, including a team-high five in conference play. She ranked fifth in the BIG EAST in assists in overall games and fourth in conference-only games. Loncarica also finished the regular season tied for first in game-winning goals with two. Befort ranked third on SU in points, registering 25 points off nine goals and seven assists. She also anchored a Syracuse defense which boasted a 1.22 goals against average, second-best in the BIG EAST in overall games. Conrad was the Orange's top scorer, notching 38 points off 15 goals and eight assists. In overall games she ranked fourth in total points and third in goals. In BIG EAST play she ranked second in points (17), second in goals (six) and fourth in assists (five). Kee is the only freshman who earned postseason recognition this year following a sound first year in the BIG EAST. The midfielder/forward was the only player to earn both defensive (Sept. 14) and offensive (Oct. 19) player of the week honors this season. She was Syracuse's second-leading scorer, tallying 28 points off nine goals and 10 assists in overall games and 16 points off six goals and four assists in BIG EAST contests.

Sherer and Gonzalez were No. 2 seed UConn's two unanimous selections to the All-BIG EAST First Team. Sophomore back Rayell Heistand joins them on the first team following a solid season on the Husky defense. Heistand is one of two players to earn defensive player of the week honors twice this season. Connecticut also had two second-team selections in graduate goalkeeper Andrea Mainiero and sophomore Cara Silverman. Mainiero led the BIG EAST in shutouts (six) and save percentage (.800) over 19 games this season. Silverman was second on the team with 30 points off 14 goals and two assists.

Along with Bustanoby, No. 3 seed Louisville saw sophomore back Caitlin Collins and junior forward/midfielder Nicole Youman named to the All-BIG EAST First Team. Collins helped a Cardinals defense hold opponents to only 28 goals over 19 games (1.47 goals per game). Youman, a unanimous selection, ranked second on the team in points with 38 off 12 goals and 14 assists. She led Louisville in points (16), goals (five) and assists (six) in BIG EAST play. In conference action her point and assist totals ranked third and second, respectively. The Cardinals' leading scorer, sophomore midfielder Hayley Turner, earned a spot on the All-BIG EAST Second Team after tallying 41 points off 15 goals and 11 assists. The 41 points ranked second in the conference.

No. 4 Providence earned one All-BIG EAST First Team nod with unanimously selected senior forward Nellie Poulin. The Preseason BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year led the Friars with 14 goals and two assists over 19 games. PC saw four members earn All-BIG EAST Second Team honors, including Preseason Co-Defensive Player of the Year senior goalkeeper Rachel Chamberlain, junior midfielder/back Jaime Lipski, senior back Adrienne Marois and junior midfielder Julie Ruggieri. Chamberlain finished the regular season with two consecutive defensive player of the week honors, helping the Friars close with four straight shutouts. Lipski and Marois anchored the Providence defense which totaled six shutouts, the second most of BIG EAST teams. Ruggieri was third on PC in scoring with 19 points off eight goals and three assists.

Villanova, which finished its season fifth in the conference standings, saw junior forward/midfielder Lauren Wuzzardo and junior forward Dana Ramsden named to the second team for the second consecutive year. Wuzzardo tallied 28 points off eight goals and 12 assists while Ramsden notched 14 goals and added eight assists for 36 points.

Rutgers' junior midfielder Jenna Bull earned All-BIG EAST Second Team recognition for the second straight year. Bull registered 12 points off five goals and two assists over 18 games.

Georgetown's senior forward Kristen Volpe earned All-BIG EAST Second Team honors. Volpe was the leading scorer for the Hoyas, tallying 27 points off 10 goals and seven assists.

BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year
Loren Sherer, F, Sr., Connecticut

BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year
Melissa Gonzalez, MF, Jr., Connecticut

BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year
Heather Bustanoby, GK, Sr., Louisville

BIG EAST Coach of the Year
Ange Bradley, Syracuse (three seasons)

All-BIG EAST First Team
Maggie Befort, B, Jr., Syracuse
Heather Bustanoby, GK, Sr., Louisville
Caitlin Collins, B, So., Louisville
Lindsey Conrad, F, Jr., Syracuse
*Melissa Gonzalez, F/M, So., Connecticut
Rayell Heistand, B, So., Connecticut
Amy Kee, MF/F, Fr., Syracuse
*Martina Loncarica, MF/F, So., Syracuse
*Nellie Poulin, F, Jr., Providence
*Loren Sherer, F, Sr., Connecticut
*Nicole Youman, M, So., Louisville

* - unanimous selection

All-BIG EAST Second Team
Jenna Bull, M, So., Rutgers
Rachel Chamberlain, GK, Jr., Providence
Jaime Lipski, MF/B, Jr., Providence
Andrea Mainiero, GK, Jr., Connecticut
Adrienne Marois, B, Sr., Providence
Dana Ramsden, F/M, R-So., Villanova
Julie Ruggieri, MF, Jr., Providence
Cara Silverman, F, So., Connecticut
Hayley Turner, MF, So., Louisville
Kristen Volpe, F, Sr., Georgetown
Lauren Wuzzardo, M, So., Villanova