Rischen Named MAC Co-Player of the Year, McGowan Freshman of the Year

MUNCIE, Ind. - Two Kent State field hockey players took home top conference honors tonight at the Mid-American Conference field hockey banquet in Muncie, Ind., site of this weekends MAC tournament. Sophomore midfielder Berber Rischen (Rotterdam, The Netherlands) was named the MAC Co-Player of the Year while freshman sensation Kate McGowan (Portstewart, Ireland) took home Freshman of the Year honors. Rischen and McGowan also were named to the All-MAC first team while freshman back Amy McGowan (Fr., Portsewart, Ireland) was the lone representative from the second team.

Rischen shared Player of the Year honors with Miami goalkeeper Kerri Orr. Rischen helped lead the Golden Flashes to the regular season co-championship with a conference record of 8-2 and a 10-7 mark overall. Rischen paced KSU with 19 points on five goals and a team-best nine assists.

Rischen is just the fifth Golden Flash in program history to garner Player of the Year honors and the fourth under head coach Kerry De Vries. Helen Jerdan was the last Golden Flash to receive the award in 2002. Rischens first team honor is her second in as many years.

Kate McGowan led the Flashes in goals (14), points (33) and shots (104) and is the ninth Golden Flash to receive freshman of the year honors and the sixth under DeVries. Tess Meuleman was the last one to win it in 2002.

Amy McGowan was a main anchor in the Kent State defensive backfield in 2004. She helped Kent State record two shutouts and tallied two goals and one assist from her backfield position. With McGowan in the backfield, Kent State gave up just 13 goals in 10 conference games and only seven goals in KSUs eight MAC wins.

Kent State, the No. 2-seed in this years MAC tournament, will play tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. vs. No. 6-seed Miami.

2004 All-MAC First Team
Chantelle Isaac#, Ball State
Lindsay Quay, Ball State
Jen Strodel, Ball State
Kristy Reed*, Central Michigan
Erica Takach, Central Michgian
Kate McGowan, Kent State
Berber Rischen*, Kent State
Kim Hughes#, Louisville
Jessica Javelet, Louisville
Lisa Wasser, Louisivlle
Taylor Florence, Miami
Kerri Orr, Miami
Kristen Hann, Ohio
Lindsay Rothenberger#, Ohio

All-MAC Second Team
Carla Chiampi, Ball State
Kim Ferris, Central Michigan
Amy McGowan, Kent State
Marie-Claire Heller, Louisville
Suzanne Irwin, Louisville
Rachel Overton, Louisville
Keri Von Kalinowski, Miami
Amanda Aronld, Ohio
Kara Webster, Ohio

Co-Players of the Year:
Berber Rischen, Kent State
Kerri Orr, Miami

Freshman of the Year - Kate McGowan, Kent State

Coach of the Year - Pam Bustin, Louisville

* 2003 All-MAC First-Team Selection
# 2003 All-MAC Second-Team Selection

Rischen Named MAC Co-Player of the Year, McGowan Freshman of the Year

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