SELINSGROVE, (Pa.) — Off its best season in program history, the Susquehanna University field hockey team placed five players on its MAC Commonwealth Conference All-Star Team. Six other Crusader fall sports athletes, besides the football team's 10 picks announced earlier this week, made their respective conference All-Star teams.
Freshman inner Leah Bailor (Richfield/Middleburg H.S.) recently became the program's first All-American yesterday, earning third-team honors on 1999 AstroTurf/National Field Hockey Coaches Association NCAA Division III All-American Team, and was also a first-team Commonwealth Conference All-Star and Rookie of the Year. Joining Bailor on the first-team are senior sweeper Amanda Reigle (Middleburg/Middleburg H.S.), junior wing Ali Hughes (Reading/Muhlenberg H.S.), both tri-captains, and sophomore goalkeeper Kylie Cook (Huntingdon/Huntingdon H.S.). Junior tri-captain and center midfielder Danielle Wenger (Hamburg/Hamburg H.S.) made the second-team All-Stars.
The men's soccer team also had a pair of first-team All-Star selections after posting its first winning season since 1993 — finishing 9-8 — as senior forward and co-captain Chris Yearicks (National Park, N.J./Gateway H.S.) earned All-Star honors for the third-straight season, while fellow senior midfielder/back Josh Steffen (Selinsgrove/Selinsgrove Area H.S.) joined him on the first-team. Yearicks was a first-team pick as a sophomore and senior, making the second-team as a junior. Sophomore forward Aaron Littzi (Kingsdton/Wyoming Valley West H.S.) also repeated as a second-team All-Star.
Two players were second-team and first-time conference All-Stars from the women's soccer team as senior co-captain and sweeper Nicole Forino (Sinking Spring/Reading Holy Name H.S.) and sophomore forward Kim Anderson (Orefield/Parkland H.S.) were honored.
Sophomore outside hitter Sarah Lauro (Collegeville/Villa Maria Academy) also repeated as a second-team All-Star in women's volleyball.
A 1998 all-state selection as a prep senior, Bailor was also a first-team All-South Atlantic Region selection in addition to being All-American. She started all 19 games and led the team in scoring this season with 12 goals and nine assists for 33 points (1.74 points per game) — marking the second-most points and assists in a season at Susquehanna, and the fourth-most goals (Records: 15 goals, 10 assists, 40 points, Cheryl Irvine, 1992). She finished second in MAC Commonwealth assists per game (0.44), was third in scoring, and fourth in goals per game (0.63 per game). Bailor helped lead the team in its NCAA win vs. Gwynedd-Mercy, notching one goal and one assist. She was MAC Commonwealth Conference Player of the Week on September 20. She also led the team in shots on goal with 79.
"Leah has the uncanny ability to control the ball in the face of a defender. Her stickhandling skills are tremendous," said 25th-year Crusader head coach Connie Harnum.
A liberal arts major, she is the daughter of Mark and Jane Bailor.
Reigle has been a fixture on the Crusader defensive front throughout her collegiate career. She is the first Susquehanna player to start and play every game of her collegiate career — 71 games over her four seasons. She was once again a defensive stalwart this season, leading a defense that posted a team goals-against average of 0.97. Ironically, in the last regular-season home game of her career, she scored both her first goal and her first point of any kind at Susquehanna. Reigle converted a penalty stroke against visiting Muhlenberg in a 2-1 win, allowing her to finish her senior season with one goal for two points. That converts to a season points per game average of 0.11.
"She's a natural (on defense). She's very coachable and I felt very confident with her heading our defense," said Harnum.
A psychology major, she is the daughter of Joseph and Debra Reigle.
Hughes was second on the team and fifth in the MAC Commonwealth Conference in assists per game with seven for 0.39 per game, also adding five goals to finish fourth on the team in scoring with 17 points (0.94 per game). She was fourth on the team in shots on goal with 44. Hughes is the school record holder in career assists, now with 15 entering her final season. She also has 17 goals for 49 points in 47 career games (1.04 points per game) — tying for third on the school's all-time list, ranking sixth in career goals. Hughes played her best collegiate game in the NCAA Tournament win over Gwynedd-Mercy, tallying her first career "hat trick,"with an assist for seven points.
"Ali really helped to lead our team with her play-making ability. She is a gifted athlete who often beats opponents with her speed and athleticism," said Harnum.
A psychology major, she is the daughter of Michael and Carol Hughes.
Cook, who never played as a goalkeeper before last season, led the conference in both goals-against average and save percentage, finishing with a 1.05 goals-against mark and .838 save clip. She made 88 saves and allowed just 17 goals in the 17 games she played this season. For her two-year career, Cook now has a 1.10 goals-against mark and .855 save percentage.
"I can't say enough what Kylie's been able to accomplish since deciding to help us out and become a goalkeeper. She's obviously got some natural ability in goal, but a lot of what she's accomplished has come through her work ethic," said Harnum.
A business major, she is the daughter of Rodney and Pamela Cook.
Wenger started and played in all 19 of Susquehanna's games at center midfielder, scoring a goal with six assists for eight points (0.42 ppg) to finish fifth on the team. Wenger's 22 shots on goal were also fifth best on the team. She also was a key figure on a defense which posted a 0.97 team goals-against average with eight shutouts. She is second in career assists all-time at Susquehanna with 14, also scoring six goals for 26 points in 51 games.
A business major, she is the daughter of Dale and Debra Wenger.
The All-Stars helped Susquehanna achieve its best field hockey season in school history in 1999. The Crusaders finished 15-4, 6-1 and second in the MAC Commonwealth Conference as they made the NCAA Division III Tournament for just the second time in school history and were ranked as high as eighth in the NCAA Division III STX/NFHCA national rankings. They won a NCAA Tournament game for the first time before falling at sixth-ranked Skidmore, 3-2, in the second-round. Along the way, the team broke school records for wins in a season (15), consecutive victories (7, twice), and goals in a season (44).
Yearicks played all but one game at forward this season, missing that game for academic reasons, while starting 15. He tied for the team lead in assists with four, also tying for second in both goals with four, and scoring with 12 points (0.75 ppg). Yearicks was also second on the team in shots on goal with 43.
He finished his career as the school record holder in career assists with 25. He also ranks fourth all-time in points with 57, also scoring 16 goals in his 69 career games (0.83 ppg).
"I thought Chris did very well in the leadership area this season as one of our captains," said second-year Crusader men's soccer head coach Jim Findlay. "In years past, Chris was sort of a one-man show and tried to maybe do too much himself. This season, he had better weapons around him to uitlize more of his talents"
Yearicks is an elementary-education major and the son of Cooper and Lois Yearicks.
Steffen came back this season to use his final year of eligibility and played and started all 17 games — playing both forward and as a midfielder. He scored three goals and one assist to tie for fourth on the team in scoring with seven points this season (0.41 ppg), despite having just 15 shots on goal. More importantly, he keyed a defense which posted a 2.22 team goals-against average — posting four shutouts.
He finished his career with five goals and seven assists for a total of 20 points in 49 games (0.41 ppg) at Susquehanna. He transferred to the school from Division II Lock Haven University.
"Josh kind of filled a couple of roles this season. He started the season in the midfield, but had to move up to forward in several games due to some injuries," said Findlay. "He really got involved in so many ways this season. I'm sure a lot of that was because it was his last season and he really wanted to go out on top — which he did."
Steffen is a communications major and the son of Steve and Rita Steffen.
Littzi started 14 games for the Crusaders at forward, missing the final three due to an injury. He led the team in goals and scoring for a second-straight season, scoring eight goals with four assists for 20 points (1.42 ppg). He was third in MAC Commonwealth scoring, and fourth in goals per-game (0.57).
Littzi is already sixth in career scoring in Susquehanna men's soccer history with 18 goals and 10 assists for 46 points.
He is a liberal arts major and the son of Allan and Marie Littzi.
The men's soccer team posted its best record since 1993 (11-6) while going 9-8, 4-3 and in third place in the MAC Commonwealth Conference. The Crusader won five of their last six matches.
Forino started all 16 games at sweeper for the women's soccer team, leading the defense to a 1.45 team goals-against average. This season's squad also recorded the school record for shutouts in a season with six.
A four-year starter and letterwinner, Forino played in 59 career games — all on defense.
She is a public relations major and the daughter of Anthony and Sandy Forino.
Anderson also started all 16 games at forward for the Crusaders this season, leading the team in both goals and scoring for a second-straight year with six goals and an assist for 13 points (0.81 ppg).
In her rookie season, Anderson set the school single-season records for both goals and scoring with 12 goals and 27 points respectively. She is already second all-time at Susquehanna in both categories with 18 career goals and 40 points.
Anderson is a business major and the daughter of Gwynn and Alan Anderson.
The Crusader women's booters went 7-9 on the season, posting a 3-4 MAC Commonwealth mark in their first season under Findlay.
The 5-11 Lauro played and started in all but two of the team's 106 games this season as a middle blocker. She led the team in both blocks and blocks per game (0.85 per game/73 solo) – ranking fifth in the MAC. Lauro was also second on the squad in kills and kills per game (235 kills/2.26 per game), posting a hitting percentage of .199. She also finished second on the team in service aces with 34 (0.33 per game).
Lauro was named the MAC Commonwealth Conference Player of the Week for the week of September 13. She was also named to the Franklin and Marshall and Coast Guard Academy All-Tournament Teams this season.
She is an elementary-education major and the daughter of James and Louise Lauro.
Under seventh-year head coach Bill Switala, the Crusader women's volleyball team went 17-13 and just missed making the conference post-season tournament for a second-straight season. It finished in a three-way tie for third with a 4-3 conference slate.
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