The William and Mary field hockey team placed four players on the Colonial Athletic Association's all-conference teams in 2012, its most since having four honorees in 2008 as well. The two All-CAA teams as well as all-rookie team were released Wednesday ahead of this weekend's CAA Tournament in Philadelphia, where the Tribe is seed fourth overall.
Leading the way for W&M is senior midfielder
Maria Caro (Martinsville, N.J.), who was selected to the All-CAA first-team. Caro scored two goals and two assists for the Tribe this year while starting all 18 matches, and was named the CAA Player of the Week on Sept. 18. She earned that honor after scoring the game-winning goal against both No. 11 Boston University, and against Miami. This is the second all-conference award for Caro, who was an all-rookie selection in 2009.
The Tribe also had two players named second-team all-conference, in seniors
Christine Johnson (Williamsburg, Va.) and
Leah Zamesnik (Norfolk, Va.). Johnson tied for the team lead with seven goals and five assists in the regular season, starting every match in the central defender's spot. She was named CAA Player of the Week on Aug. 28, after scoring a school-record four goals in the season-opening win against Davidson. Johnson also picked up a defensive save against the Wildcats, and had two game-winning tallies and converted both of her penalty-stroke opportunities this season. Zamesnik started every match in the midfield, and scored one goal and a career-high four assists in 2012. Her lone goal was the game-winner in the shutout of Hofstra on Sept. 23, and she also led the Tribe with 47 shots on the season. This is the third All-CAA selection of Zamesnik's career, after she was named second-team in 2009 and first-team in 2011.
Tribe freshman
Pip Saunders (Mittagong, NSW) was also recognized for her terrific season with a spot on the CAA all-rookie squad. The forward matched Johnson with a team-best seven goals and five assists, including two against Old Dominion one week ago. Her five assists on the season is the third-most ever for a Tribe rookie, and her 19 points is the most for a freshman at W&M since
Cheryl Boehringer '91 had 21 in 1987.
William and Mary opens tournament play on Friday morning, taking on No. 5 seed Delaware at 10:30 a.m. in the first match of the CAA Tournament at Drexel. In the regular season, the Tribe won 4-0 over the Blue Hens in Williamsburg.
