FHOC All-Big Ten Honors Announced

Nov. 5, 2014

ROSEMONT, Ill. (Nov. 5, 2014) -The Big Ten Conference released its field hockey 2014 all-conference teams on Wednesday, and Rutgers had two players recognized. Sophomore back Sofia Walia (Surrey, British Columbia) led the way for the Scarlet Knights as a Second Team All-Big Ten selection. Senior midfielder Jenn Staab (Marmora, N.J.) was also recognized as the Sportsmanship Award honoree.

Walia was a force for the Scarlet Knights this season, contributing at both the offensive and defensive ends. She tied for the team lead with six assists and was second on the team with 20 points. She had two game-winning goals, including one with 2:12 left in the 2-1 win over Indiana that clinched Rutgers' first ever Big Ten Tournament appearance and the other on a penalty stroke in a 3-2 road victory at William and Mary.

On the defensive end, she tied for the team lead with three defensive saves, and was a major part of a back line that allowed just 2.33 goals per game. She played in 15 of the team's 18 games, with Rutgers holding a 9-6 record with her in the lineup. After being named to the 2013 All-BIG EAST Second Team as a freshman, she set new career highs in goals (6), assists (6), points (20), game-winning goals (2) and defensive saves (3).

"Sofia is very deserving of this honor," head coach Meredith Long explained. "She has been an impact player for our team, both on attack and defense this season. Her play certainly stood out in the conference this season."

The athletes chosen for the Big Ten Conference Sportsmanship Award have distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior, in addition to demonstrating good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting. Staab, in her second season as a team captain, has been a fixture in the Rutgers starting lineup as a defensive midfielder. She is the Scarlet Knights' active career leader with 71 games played, 69 starts and five defensive saves.

"Jenn Staab is so deserving of this honor," said Long. "She is really the example of sportsmanship within our program. It speaks a lot about her character, both on and off the field. I'm very proud of her for being selected for this award."

The full list of All-Big Ten honorees can be found here.

Rutgers will begin postseason play Thursday at the Big Ten Conference Tournament in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The No. 7 seed Scarlet Knights will face No. 2 seed Michigan in a quarterfinal matchup at 3 p.m. The match will be broadcast live on BTN Plus.

Follow Rutgers Athletics on Facebook (www.facebook.com/RutgersAthletics) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/RUAthletics) for all of the latest news and updates. For specific updates regarding Rutgers field hockey, follow the program on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/RUFieldHockey), Twitter(@RUFieldHockey) and Instagram (@rutgersfieldhockey). Fans can receive timely information, including special offers and giveaways throughout the year on both social media outlets along with www.ScarletKnights.com.

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Players Mentioned

Sofia Walia

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