WORCESTER, Mass. – The Holy Cross field hockey team had four student-athletes earn All-Patriot League recognition, as voted on by the conference's head coaches. Freshman goalkeeper Marcia LaPlante and junior forward Maureen Connolly earned first team All-Patriot League honors, while sophomore midfielder Emily Loprete and senior midfielder Lauren Sutherland were named second team All-Patriot League. In addition, LaPlante was named the Patriot League's Goalkeeper of the Year and Rookie of the Year.

LaPlante becomes just the second player in school history to earn multiple major season awards since Ali Roberts in 1998, who earned Offensive Player and Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors that season. She is also the first Crusader to receive a major award since Erin Singleton was named Goalkeeper of the Year in 2008. LaPlante has had a stellar season in net for the Crusaders, holding an 8-7 record in the regular season with a save percentage of .801 and a goals against average of 1.86. Her save percentage is the best in the nation, while her saves per game of 7.56 rank seventh nationally.

Connolly has been named All-Patriot League for the second time in her career, as she was also a first team selection in 2015. She led the Crusaders in scoring throughout the entirety of the regular season, notching 37 points on 15 goals and seven assists while sitting atop the league's leaderboards for the majority of the year. Her 2.06 points per game and .833 goals per game are both the highest in the league. Connolly currently ranks ninth overall in program history in career goals with 31 and career points with 79.

Following another strong season at midfield, Loprete makes her first appearance on the All-Patriot League team. She ranks second on the team with 17 points, including seven goals and three assists on the year. She has also notched a pair of overtime game-winning goals this season, both of which came in 2-1 overtime victories over Colgate and Quinnipiac. She ranks seventh overall in the Patriot League with .389 goals per game and ninth overall with 0.94 points per game.

A key starter at midfield in the Holy Cross lineup, Sutherland also makes her first appearance on the All-Patriot League team. The senior captain notched six points on the season with one goal and four assists. Her lone goal on the season sparked a come-from-behind 2-1 victory over Sacred Heart early on in the season. She also tallied assists in wins over Colgate, Fairfield and most recently set up Connolly for the difference-maker in the win over Bryant on Sunday. Sutherland has also played a key role in driving Holy Cross' possession, which has helped to maintain a team goals against average of 1.96 on the year.

The Crusaders are back in action on Friday, Nov. 4, as they make their first Patriot League Tournament appearance since 2006 when they take on American at 4:00 p.m. at Boston University's New Balance Field.

Offensive Player of the Year:
Hester van der Laan, Boston University, Sr., M 

Defensive Player of the Year:
Ellie Landsman, Boston University, Sr., D

Goalkeeper of the Year:
^Marcia LaPlante, Holy Cross, Fr., GK

Rookie of the Year:
Marcia LaPlante, Holy Cross, Fr., GK 

Coach of the Year:
Sally Starr, Boston University

^Tie for First Team All-League goalkeeper broken by amount of first team votes

All-Patriot League First Team

Natalie Konerth, American, Sr., F*

Rafaela Rubas, American, So., M*

Angela Virtu, American, Jr., D

Taylor Blood, Boston University, Sr., M

Ellie Landsman, Boston University, Sr., D*

Hester van der Laan, Boston University, Sr., M*

Amy Mucelli, Bucknell, Sr., M*

Anna Wills, Bucknell, Sr., D

Maureen Connolly, Holy Cross, Jr., F*

Amanda Magadan, Lafayette, Sr., M*

Marcia LaPlante, Holy Cross, Fr., GK^

Cammy Jensen, Boston University, Sr., GK^

All-Patriot League Second Team

Leah DiGiandomenico, American Jr., F

Rachel Stefano, American, Jr., F

Amanda Cassera, Boston University, Sr., F

Brittany Willwerth, Bucknell, Fr., F

Emily Loprete, Holy Cross, So., M

Lauren Sutherland, Holy Cross, Sr., M

Ellen Colbourne, Lafayette, Jr., M

Lisa van der Geest, Lafayette, Fr., D

Marissa Glatt, Lehigh, Sr., F

Jackie Renda, Lehigh, Jr., M

* Unanimous first team selection
^ Due to tie in voting for the First Team All-League goalkeeper, no goalkeeper is selected to the second team