LATHAM, N.Y. - The United East Conference is proud to announce the 2024 Field Hockey All-Conference Teams. Each All-Conference Teams are made up of twelve student-athletes comprising seven offensive players, four defensive players, and one goalkeeper. Four major awards have been handed out including Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, and Coach of the Year.
Five out of the six institutions that sponsored Field Hockey in 2024 are represented in this year’s All-Conference team. St. Mary’s College of Maryland led the way with nine individuals on the All-Conference teams: with four on the First Team and five on the Second Team. Additionally, St. Mary’s (Md.) swept the major awards with the Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, and Rookie of the Year, respectively, as well as Coach of the Year.
Penn State Harrisburg landed six individuals on the All-Conference teams in their first season of varsity competition. Keystone College saw four All-Conference awards while Wilson College had three individuals named All-Conference: with all three on the First Team. Cedar Crest College saw two student athletes pick up All-Conference awards.
Major Award Winners
Player of the Year - Emma Watkins (St. Mary’s College of Maryland)
Defensive Player of the Year - Charlotte Horn (St. Mary’s College of Maryland)
Rookie of the Year - Sophia Kent (St. Mary’s College of Maryland)
Coach of the Year - Jessica Lanham (St. Mary’s College of Maryland)
St. Mary’s College of Maryland Emma Watkins (Jr. / Frederick, Md.) has been named the 2024 United East Player of the Year after leading the Seahawks to an unbeaten conference season, and a regular season championship. The junior led the United East in Goals (7), Points (14), Goals per Game (1.400), and Points per Game (2.80) within league play. Nationally, Watkins was named the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Division III Offensive Player of the Week for the week of October 23 after scoring five goals in a 3-0 week. Watkins was named United East Player of the Week for the weeks of October 21, 2024, and September 16, 2024.
Charlotte Horn (Sr. / Schnecksville, Pa. ) rounded out an impressive senior season for St. Mary’s College of Maryland by being named the 2024 United East Defensive Player of the Year. The defender led the Seahawks to an unbeaten conference season and a regular season championship in 2024. Horn led the defensive unit to a dominant season where a goal was not allowed in conference play. This is the third Defensive Player of the Year award for Horn, who was previously honored for 2022 and 2023 seasons, respectively, in which St. Mary’s (Md.) played as an associate member in the Atlantic East Conference. Additionally, Horn won the Atlantic East Rookie of the Year in 2021 and earned NFHCA All-Region honors in her previous three collegiate seasons.
St. Mary’s College of Maryland goalkeeper Sophia Kent (FY / Chesterville, Md.) was dominant in her debut season enroute to being named the 2024 United East Rookie of the Year. This season, Kent led all league goalkeepers with a 0.00 Goals Against Average as the Seahawks did not give up a goal in league play. Additionally, Kent had three shutouts in five games and had a perfect 1.000 Save Percentage. Kent was named United East Defensive Player of the Week on October 14, 2024, after making four saves in a 1-0 overtime win at Penn State Harrisburg.
Jessica Lanham has been voted United East Coach of the Year after guiding St. Mary’s College of Maryland to a perfect 5-0 record in the United East and a regular season championship in 2024. This is the program’s first United East championship as the Seahawks played in the Atlantic East Conference as an associate member and won regular season championships in 2021 and 2022 before winning the tournament and the automatic qualifier in 2023. This season, Lanham saw a team that had nine all-conference players and all three major award winners. This is the third Coach of the Year award for Lanham, who previously won for the years of 2021 and 2022.
FIRST TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE
SECOND TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE
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The United East boasts 17 NCAA Division III full member institutions which include: Bryn Athyn College, Cairn University, Cedar Crest College, Clarks Summit University, Gallaudet University, Keystone College, Lancaster Bible College, Notre Dame of Maryland University, Penn College, Penn State Abington, Penn State Berks, Penn State Harrisburg, Rosemont College, Saint Elizabeth University, St. Mary's College of Maryland, University of Valley Forge, and Wilson College. For more information, please visit gounitedeast.com.