LOCK HAVEN, PA – West Chester University landed six players on the 2021 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) all-league squad, including three first-team All-PSAC selections, it was announced by the conference office Wednesday afternoon. Freshman
Valerie van Kuijck (Denbosch, The Netherlands) was also named the Rookie of the Year in the loop.
West Chester (14-3) finished in third place in the conference standings and defeated Kutztown in the quarterfinals of the PSAC Tournament. The Golden Rams advance to the conference semifinals and will play East Stroudsburg on Friday at 3:30 pm at Shippensburg.
Van Kuijck, who was also named to the first team, was joined by senior
Emma Velez (Coatesville, Pa./Bishop Shanahan) and graduate student
Caitie McNamara (Buderim, Australia) on the top squad. McNamara, an all-league selection all four years at WCU, made her third appearance on the first team. Velez was a third-team pick in 2019. Senior
Dara Spavlik (Hockessin, Del./Conrad) was named to the second team. She earned her first all-league plaudit.
Claudia Jaszczak (Coatesville, Pa./Downingtown West) and
Emily Ingalls (Zionsville, Pa./Emmaus) were each third team honorees making their first appearances on an All-PSAC team.
Van Kuijck is the fourth rookie of the year from West Chester since the Golden Rams reclassified to Division II in 2011. It marks the second straight rookie of the year for the purple & gold. Goalkeeper
Claire Nielsen was named PSAC rookie of the year in 2019. Van Kuijck ranks third in the PSAC in scoring with 14 goals and 41 points in her first season.
Velez played played in 13 of the team's 17 games and scored five goals and registered 12 points. She converted four of five penalty strokes this season. McNamara leads the PSAC in assists with 11 and ranks third on the team with 17 points.
Spavlik enjoyed one of her best college seasons this fall after head coach
Amy Cohen switched her to striker on penalty corners midway through the year. She has eight goals and 22 points placing second on the team in scoring.
Jaszczak was fifth on the Golden Rams in scoring with six goals and 13 points. She has complimented Van Kuijck up top at the forward position very well all season. Ingalls scored her first college goal in the team's regular-season finale against Mansfield. She has been a four-year starter in the midfield responsible for distributing the ball and getting the Golden Rams out in transition.
