Full GNAC 2016 Field Hockey All Conference Teams

WINTHROP, Mass. – For the first time in program history, Mount Ida College has had a player selected to the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Field Hockey All-Conference teams, as both Sarah Hemstock (Northford, Conn.) and Lexi Minicucci (Westfield, Mass.) were voted to this year's squads, announced Tuesday by the conference office.

Hemstock, a sophomore, and Minicucci, a junior, were both selected to the Second Team, which was voted on by coaches from across the conference. The accolades should come as no surprise for a Mount Ida team which had its most successful season in its three-year program history, finishing the year 10-8 and earning the #5 seed in the postseason tournament.

The pair of honorees were tied for the team lead with 11 goals apiece, putting them level for sixth in the conference this season, with Hemstock adding seven assists and Minicucci tallying six helpers as well.

A junior midfielder, Minicucci had four multi-goal games this season, including a hat trick in a 10-0 win over Daniel Webster and game-winning goals against Bay Path, Rivier and New England College. Minicucci also scored against Anna Maria to put Mount Ida up 2-0 in a game that eventually clinched them the fifth seed.

Hemstock's 29 points are good for fifth in the conference, and she netted the lone goal in a 1-0 win over Elms College which was part of a program-record five-game win streak. The sophomore forward had four goals and two assists during that streak, and also had her own streak of goals in four straight and five of the first six games to start the year.

Junior defender Emily McConnell (Lowell, Mass.) was also selected by the Mount Ida coaching staff for recognition as the Sportsmanship Team representative from the Mustangs.