UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — For the fifth time in her career as the head coach of the Penn State field hockey team, Charlene Morett has been named the 2012 Big Ten Coach of the Year, the conference office announced Thursday morning. Senior Kelsey Amy (Sweet Valley, Pa.) was named the 2012 Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year and junior Brittany Grzywacz (Collegeville, Pa.) was named the 2012 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, as well. This is first time since 2008 that Morett has been named Coach of the Year, and the first time since 2008 that a Nittany Lion has earned Offensive or Defensive Player of the Year honors.
After recording her 400th Penn State win during the 2012 regular season, Morett went on to lead the Nittany Lions to their first Big Ten Conference Title since 2008. Compiling a 15-3 overall record and a 5-1 mark in conference play, the three-time All-American helped her squad to a final regular-season ranking of No. 4, the highest for the Lions in a decade, and a No. 1 seed in the 2012 Big Ten Tournament. Morett was also named Coach of the Year in 1993, 1998, 2005 and 2008.
Amy, the sixth Nittany Lion to win Offensive Player of the Year honors, has tallied 51 points this season on 21 goals and nine assists. The senior forward is ranked first in conference points (20), shots (38) and tied for first in goals with eight. An All-American, Amy is second in overall points and goals in the Big Ten and fifth in the country in both categories. Amy has racked up 167 career points on 73 goals and 21 assists with 25 multi-goal games in her four years as a Lion.
The ninth Nittany Lion to earn Defensive Player of the Year honors, Grzywacz has led a defense that has allowed a conference-best 11 goals in Big Ten play and has recorded five shutouts. The junior notched five defensive saves during the regular season, which ranks first in the conference and fifth in the nation. Grzywacz has tallied 12 goals and one assist for 25 points, and has a perfect six-for-six record in penalty strokes.
Amy and Grzywacz earned spots on the All-Big Ten First Team, with Amy being named unanimously. The duo was joined by fellow Lion sophomore Laura Gebhart (Mount Joy, Pa.), who ended the regular season with six goals and 12 assists. Junior Ashtin Klingler (Selinsgrove, Pa.), who recorded 24 points and four game-winning goals in 2012, was named to the All-Big Ten Second Team, as well.
Recognizing student-athletes that have distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior, the Big Ten honored redshirt senior Hannah Allison (Mifflinburg, Pa.) as a Sportsmanship Award honoree. Allison joins the list of student athletes that are in good academic standing and have demonstrated good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting.
The complete list of All-Big Ten honorees and Sportsmanship Award recipients is below.
2012 All-Big Ten Teams
First Team*
Morgan Fleetwood, Sr., M/F, IND
JESSICA BARNETT, Sr., B, IOWA
Kathleen McGraw, Sr., GK, IOWA
RACHAEL MACK, Jr., F, MICH
Abby Barker, So., F, MSU
Chelsea Armstrong, Sr., F/M, NU
Nikki Parsley, Jr., M, NU
Tara Puffenberger, Jr., M, NU
Paula Pastor-Pitarque, Sr., M, OSU
Kelsey Amy, Sr., F, PSU
Laura Gebhart, So., M, PSU
Brittany Grzywacz, Jr., B, PSU
Second Team*
Hannah Boyer, Jr., B, IND
Audra Heilman, So., M, IND
Sarah Drake, Sr., F, IOWA
Geena Lesiak, Sr., M, IOWA
Marike Stribos, Jr., M/B, IOWA
Haley Jones, Sr., GK, MICH
Leslie Smith, So., B, MICH
Lauren Thomas, Fr., B, MICH
Kristen Henn, Jr., B, MSU
Becky Stiles, So., M, MSU L
Lisa McCarthy, Fr., B, NU
Arielle Cowie, Jr., M, OSU
Danica Deckard, Sr., F, OSU
Berta Queralt, Jr., F, OSU
Ashtin Klingler, Jr., F, PSU
Player of the Year: Kelsey Amy, PSU
Defensive Player of the Year: Brittany Grzywacz, PSU
Freshman of the Year: Lisa McCarthy, NU
Coach of the Year: Charlene Morett, PSU
Sportsmanship Award Honorees
Maggie Olson, IND
Marike Stribos, IOWA
Liesl Morris, MICH
Corey Block, MSU
Amanda Wirth, NU
Laura Napolitano, OSU
Hannah Allison, PSU
Unanimous selections in ALL CAPS
*Additional honorees due to ties