NFHCA announces 2022 NFHCA Division I Regional Players of the Year

GENEVA, N.Y. — Five student-athletes were selected to represent their respective region as the NFHCA Division I Regional Player of the Year. Each regional award winner is now in the running for NFHCA National Player of the Year honors.
Mid-Atlantic Region
Beth Yeager, Princeton University, So., Midfielder (Greenwich, Connecticut)
- Named to NFHCA Division I Mid-Atlantic Region, First Team
- Unanimous selection as the Ivy League’s Offensive Player of the Year
- Unanimous First-Team All-Ivy League selection for the second straight year
- Second Ivy League field hockey player ever to win an Ivy Player of the Year award as a first-year and sophomore
- Led the Ivy League in goals (12) and points (32)
Mideast Region
Sophia Gladieux, Penn State University, Jr., Forward (Boyertown, Pennsylvania)
- Named to NFHCA Division I Mideast Region, First Team
- Big Ten Player of the Year
- Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year
- Unanimous All-Big Ten First-Team selection
- 2022 NCAA All-Tournament Team
- Finished the season with a team best 49 points on 23 goals and two assists
Northeast Region
Alison Smisdom, University at Albany, So., Midfielder (Edegem, Belgium)
- Named to NFHCA Division I Northeast Region, First Team
- America East Midfielder of the Year
- America East All-Conference First Team
- Selected to the 2022 America East All-Championship Team
- Led the Great Danes with 39 points on 15 goals and nine assists
South Region
Erin Matson, University of North Carolina, Sr., Forward (Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania)
- Named to NFHCA Division I South Region, First Team
- ACC Offensive Player of the Year
- All-ACC First-Team selection
- 2022 ACC All-Tournament team
- 2022 NCAA Tournament MVP
- Became ACC career points leader (337)
- Led UNC and the nation in scoring during the season with 28 goals and 10 assists
- Became the all-time leader in career points and goals (23) in NCAA Tournament history
West Region
Bente Baekers, Northwestern University, 5th year, Forward (Rijswijk, The Netherlands)
- Named to NFHCA Division I West Region, First Team
- All-Big Ten First-Team selection
- 2022 NCAA All-Tournament team
- Three-time Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week and one-time NFHCA Offensive Player of the Week
- Ranked second in the nation with goals (25) and points (58)
- Became the second player in Northwestern history to surpass the 80 career goal mark
The NFHCA Division I Regional Player of the Year announcement is the second in a list of postseason awards from the NFHCA. Last week the 2022 NFHCA Division I All-Region teams were announced. The Division I All-American teams will be announced on December 13 and the NFHCA National Player of the Year on December 15.
Mid-Atlantic photo credit: Shelley Szwast
Mideast photo credit: Penn State Athletics
Northeast photo credit: Brent Warzocha/UAlbany Athletics
South photo credit: University of North Carolina Athletics
West photo credit: Northwestern University Athletics