NORFOLK, Va. – Marlon de Bruijne of the Old Dominion field hockey team was tabbed as the Preseason Co-BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year, the league announced on Thursday afternoon. Joining de Bruijne on the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team is teammate Delphine Le Jeune, who was an unanimous selection. The Monarchs were picked to finish third in the BIG EAST Preseason Coaches' Poll, as Connecticut and Liberty were selected ahead of ODU.
de Bruijne (Den Bosch, Netherlands) was last season's BIG EAST Co-Rookie of the Year, as she was the leading freshman goal scorer (15) in NCAA Division I. She also led all freshmen in points (32) a season ago, which garnered her NFHCA Second Team All-American honors. Among all NCAA Division I players last season, de Bruijne tied for fifth nationally in goals and eighth nationally in points.
Le Jeune, a junior from Ghent, Belgium, was one of three unanimous First Team All-BIG EAST selections last season. She started in all 14 games for the Monarchs last year, as she ranked third on the team in points (14) and assists (6) and was fourth in goals (4). Le Jeune also earned VaSID First Team All-State, as well as NFHCA Second Team All-South Region accolades last season.
A season ago, the Monarchs logged a 9-5 record, including an 8-3 mark in BIG EAST play and reached their second-consecutive BIG EAST final, while finishing the year ranked 16th by the NFHCA.
Old Dominion will commence the season by hosting Delaware on August 27 at 1:00 p.m. at the L.R. Hill Sports Complex.
Preseason Co-BIG EAST Offensive Players of the Year
Jill Bolton, Liberty, F
Marlon de Bruijne, Old Dominion, F
Preseason BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year
Azul Iritxity Irigoyen, Liberty, GK
Preseason All-Conference Team
Azul Iritxity Irigoyen, Liberty, GK
Kourtney Kennedy, UConn, B
Claire Jandewerth, UConn, B
Jodie Conolly, Liberty, B
Nienke Oerlemans, Temple, B
Abby Gooderham, UConn, M ^
Delphine Le Jeune, Old Dominion, M ^
Nora Goddard-Despot, Providence, M
Jess Dembrowski, UConn, F
Jill Bolton, Liberty, F ^
Daniella Rhodes, Liberty, F
Marlon de Bruijne, Old Dominion, F
* There are 12 members of the preseason All-BIG EAST team due to a tie in voting
^ indicates a unanimous selection
BIG EAST Field Hockey Preseason Coaches' Poll
- Connecticut (4) – 46
- Liberty (4) – 45
- Old Dominion – 38
- Temple – 31
- Providence – 22
- Villanova – 20
- Quinnipiac – 15
- Georgetown – 7
First-place votes in ()