NORFOLK, Va. -- Senior defender Katelyn Smither (Suffolk, Va.), a Second Team All-South Region and First Team All-CAA selection, was named First Team All-State by the Virginia Sports Information Directors (VaSID) Association. Goalkeeper Kelly Driscoll (West Chester, Pa.) was a Second Team All-State honoree.
Smither was named to the All-State First Team for the second straight season. She led ODU in scoring during the 2008 campaign with 11 goals, tying her for eighth in the CAA in goals per game. The two-time First Team All-Conference pick and CAA Preseason Player of the Year also adding in three assists to total 25 points on the year. Smither tied for third in the CAA in game-winning goals (3) in games with Boston University, Hofstra, and Virginia Commonwealth.
Defensively, Smither helped the Lady Monarchs to four shutouts against conference opponents Northeastern, Towson, Hofstra, and Virginia Commonwealth. Smither also tied for first in the CAA in defensive saves stopping five opponent shots from reaching the back of the Lady Monarch cage.
Driscoll, a member of the Second Team All-South Region, was named to her third All-State squad and selected to the second team for the second straight season. The Lady Monarchs' netminder, led the CAA in saves (168) and was second in the league in save percentage (.800). She also posted a 1.90 goals against average and captured four shutouts against CAA competition - Northeastern, Towson, Hofstra, and Virginia Commonwealth. Driscoll made double figure saves in games with No. 6 Penn State, No. 11 Virginia, No. 5 North Carolina, and No. 6 James Madison, including recording a career-high 14 saves against James Madison in the CAA Championship Game.
The Old Dominion field hockey team finished the 2008 season with a 10-13 overall record and reached the championship game of the CAA Tournament. The Lady Monarchs played a challenging schedule that featured nine teams ranked in the NFHCA Top 20 Poll. Head coach Beth Anders became the first Division I and second collegiate coach overall to amass 500 career wins during the 2008 campaign.
First Team:
Kelsey Cutchins, JMU
Wesley Drew, W&M
Traci Ragukas, Virginia
Paige Selenski, Virginia
Inge Kaars Sijpesteijn, Virginia
Katelyn Smither, ODU
Melissa Stefaniak, JMU
Megan Thompson, Richmond
Ashley Walls, JMU
Lauren Walls, JMU
Melissa Walls, JMU
Second Team:
Carla Binneweis, Longwood
Cara Bunner, Longwood
Jenny Eakin, JMU
Kelly Driscoll, ODU
Tara King, JMU
Alex Malatesta, Richmond
Lucy Meyers, Virginia
Katelin Peterson, Richmond
Dolores de Rooij, JMU
Michelle Vittese, VirginiaFloor Vogels, Virginia