NCAC Release

CLEVELAND -- Three members of the Allegheny College field hockey team were recognized by the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) with year-end awards, as announced by the conference office in a release on Monday.

For the second time in program history, a Gator has been named the NCAC Newcomer of the Year. Goalkeeper Rowan O'Toole (Glen Burnie, Md./Archbishop Spalding) took home the honor as the league's top player in their first year of collegiate competition. She joins teammate Bella Cowen (Louisville, Ky./Kentucky Country Day School), crowned the 2021 Newcomer of the Year, as the second Allegheny student-athlete to earn the award.

One of three Gators to receive All-NCAC honors, O'Toole was named to the All-NCAC First Team following her stellar debut season. She was joined by Jenna Cassani (Belgrade, Maine/Messalonskee) and Caroline Smith (Colorado Springs, Colo./Liberty), who were selected to the All-NCAC Second Team.

Not only did O'Toole play every minute in the cage as a first-year goalie, but she set multiple team records along the way. Her 179 saves nearly doubled the previous record for saves in a season, and the 20 saves she made against Rhodes College on September 15 are the most by a Gator goalie in a single game. Nationally, O'Toole ranks 15th in Division III in saves per game (10.53). All three shutout victories came against conference opponents, and O'Toole sported a 1.99 goals-against average with a .824 save percentage against NCAC competition.

Cassani made her mark on both ends of the field in her senior season. A defender by trade, she was also responsible for inserting penalty corners. As a result, she finished the year with career highs in points (6) and goals (2). Cassani scored the game-winning goals in Allegheny's 1-0 victory over Washington and Jefferson College on September 18 and a 2-1 triumph over the College of Wooster on October 16. Cassani also earned two defensive saves this season.

O'Toole's only competition for the Newcomer of the Year Award was her teammate, Smith. The conference recognized Smith's outstanding debut season with a spot on the All-NCAC Second Team. She led all Gators with four goals and was tied for the team lead in points with eight. Not only did Smith score in her first-ever game against Juniata College, but she netted the game-winner in overtime against Transylvania University and scored twice in a 3-2 overtime win at Earlham College.