Fall Scholar-Athletes Feature Four Seniors

Field Hockey

All six Fall 2011 Scholar-Athletes are first-time recipients. From L-R: Hayley Green, Marit Westenberg, Liam Paddock, Angelina Cords, Amy Keding, Eric Speakman

Fall Scholar-Athletes Feature Four Seniors

Updated: February 02, 2012 4:02 pm (ET)
by America East Communications

Fall 2011 Scholar-Athlete Release (PDF)

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Six student-athletes who demonstrated excellence both on the field and in the classroom last semester are the America East Fall 2011 Scholar-Athletes as announced Thursday afternoon by the conference office. Four seniors highlight the group and include Boston University’s Angelina Cords (women’s soccer), Fairfield University’s Marit Westenberg (field hockey), Stony Brook University’s Hayley Green (women’s cross country) and University of New Hampshire’s Amy Keding (volleyball). Rounding out the award winners are Stony Brook sophomore Eric Speakman (men’s cross country) and UMBC junior Liam Paddock (men’s soccer).

The Scholar-Athletes were members of teams in the six championship sports which America East sponsored in the fall season including men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s soccer, field hockey and volleyball. Member institutions of America East Conference for the 2011 fall season included University at Albany, Binghamton University, Boston U., University of Hartford, University of Maine, UMBC, New Hampshire, Stony Brook and University of Vermont. Fairfield was an associate member in the sport of field hockey, while Providence College competed as an associate member in volleyball.

A committee of athletic administrators and NCAA Faculty Athletics Representatives chose an honoree in each of the six fall championship sports. Each America East Scholar-Athlete was a starter or prominent reserve and carries a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.30. Each honoree will automatically be eligible for the America East Female or Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year award to be announced this summer.

Cords (Leonardtown, Md./Leonardtown) was the America East Defender of the Year, America East Championship Most Outstanding Player Award winner and an NSCAA Third-Team All-American during a successful fall on the field which included a school-record 19 wins and NCAA second-round appearance for the Terriers women’s soccer program. Cords anchored the backline which allowed just 13 goals in 23 games and ranked 12th nationally with a goals against average of 0.56. The senior is also an economics & biochemistry and molecular biology major with a 3.56 GPA. Cords was named to the America East Commissioner’s Honor Roll last week to add to her academic award resume which also includes NSCAA First-Team Scholar All-American and the Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-District Second Team.

Westenberg (The Hague, Netherlands) capped off her Stags field hockey career with first-team All-Conference and second-team All-Region recognition. Among the program’s career leaders in several categories, Westenberg led the team in scoring in 2011 with 20 points on eight goals and four assists and ranked 10th among America East leaders in goals and points per game. She participated in the 2011 NFHCA North-South All-Star Game, scoring a goal. With a 3.89 GPA in international studies, Westenberg garnered unanimous America East All-Academic Team selection and claimed the 2010-11 Fairfield University Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year award.

Green (Wellington, New Zealand/Samual Marsden Collegiate), the 2011 America East Cross Country individual champion, earned All-Conference, All-Region and All-America honors last fall while leading the Seawolves to the America East team championship. She qualified for the NCAA Championship with a fourth-place finish at the NCAA Northeast Regional, and finished 33rd at the Division I national meet. Green is a psychology major with a 3.90 GPA and is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa and Golden Key International Honour societies.

Keding (Northbrook, Ill./Glenbrook North) was a 2011 America East All-Conference First Team selection and led the Wildcats to the second seed at the America East Volleyball Championship. She was the top scorer for New Hampshire with 3.34 kills per set, ranking fifth in the conference, and registered 12 double-doubles throughout the season. A chemistry and physics teaching major with a 3.59 GPA, Keding was selected to the 2011 America East All-Academic Team and the Fall 2011 America East Commissioner’s Honor Roll.

Speakman (Napier, New Zealand/Taradale) was Stony Brook’s top finisher at the 2011 America East Cross Country Championship, crossing the finish line third in 24:35.76 to earn All-Conference honors. The sophomore went on to finish 25th at the NCAA Northeast Regional to also earn All-Region status. Speakman is a business management and economics major holding down a 3.82 GPA and earned a spot on the America East Fall 2011 Commissioner’s Honor Roll.

Paddock (Worcestershire, England/Chase Technology College), a junior on the UMBC men’s soccer team, was a 2011 America East First-Team All-Conference selection. Playing fullback for the Retrievers, he started 17 games despite suffering a painful rib injury during league play and has now started all 55 games he has dressed for during his career. Paddock has a 3.91 GPA with a psychology/sociology major and has recorded four consecutive semesters with a 4.00 GPA. He earned a place on the Fall 2011 America East Commissioner’s Honor Roll.

Back to Field Hockey