Last week we released the Regional High School Preseason Players to Watch for the 2016 High School season, which included our preseason top 20 players for each region (top 30 for PA/NJ region). The following five standouts are our preseason favorites to make the most noise in their respective regions. Later in the week we will announce our Preseason National Player of the Year, who will be selected from these five Regional Preseason Players of the Year. Make sure to let us know what you think and cast your vote in the poll below!
2016 NEW ENGLAND REGION PRESEASON PLAYER OF THE YEAR
KOURTNEY KENNEDY
Watertown High School
Watertown, Massachusetts
Senior – Midfield
Kennedy in 2015:
MAX Field Hockey’s New England Region Player of the Year
Harrow Sports/NFHCA Second Team All-American
Boston Globe Division 2 Player of the Year
Middlesex League MVP & 3-time Middlesex League All-Star
Our 2015 New England Region Player of the Year, Kennedy led the Boston-area in scoring with 31 goals and 20 assists. She helped Watertown capture their 7th straight Massachusetts State Championship and claim the all-time High School national unbeaten streak (now at 160 games). The senior returns for her final season with 69 goals and 66 assists.
2016 NORTHEAST REGION PRESEASON PLAYER OF THE YEAR
FUSINE GOVAERT
Rye High School
Rye, New York
Senior – Midfield
Govaert in 2015:
MAX Field Hockey All-Northeast Region
NFHCA Third Team All-American, NFHCA All-New York Region
1st Team All-State, All-Section I
Originally from Holland, Govaert has made her presence known very well in the U.S., especially in New York’s Section I and the Northeast Region. The Third Team All-American and center midfielder is one of the top play-makers and goal scorers in the region. She will be looking to help her Rye team get over the hump and past the always dominant Lakeland High School to advance out of Section I and to the state tournament in 2016. If Rye ever has a chance, this is the year with the extremely talented Govaert on their side.
2016 PA/NJ REGION PRESEASON PLAYER OF THE YEAR
MEREDITH SHOLDER
Emmaus High School
Emmaus, Pennsylvania
Senior – Forward
Sholder in 2015:
MAX Field Hockey’s PA/NJ Region Player of the Year
Harrow Sports/NFHCA First Team All-American
Eastern Pennsylvania Conference MVP
One of, if not the most prolific goal scorer in the High School game right now, Sholder returns for her senior season coming off of a 63 goal, 40 assist 2015 campaign. She is the difference maker every time she steps on the field and only seems to take her game to yet another level when it counts the most. She scored the game-winner in overtime of the state title game last Fall to win her Emmaus team the AAA State Championship. The First Team All-American and reigning MAX Field Hockey PA/NJ Player of the Year will put up some big numbers again in 2016 en route to another state title against some of the toughest competition in the country.
2016 MID-ATLANTIC REGION PRESEASON PLAYER OF THE YEAR
LEAH CROUSE
Frank W. Cox High School
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Junior – Forward
Crouse in 2015:
MAX Field Hockey All-Mid-Atlantic Region
NFHCA All-South Region
1st Team All-State 6A, 1st Team All-Coastal Conference
The only junior on our list, Crouse is a dynamic forward on a talented Frank W. Cox team. While her stats from last season don’t necessarily standout like some other player’s might, her explosive play certainly does and she should be a difference maker for the Mid-Atlantic Preseason #1 ranked Frank W. Cox this Fall as they look to claim their 19th state title.
2016 MID-ATLANTIC REGION PRESEASON PLAYER OF THE YEAR
MEGAN RODGERS
Serra High School
San Diego, California
Senior – Forward
Rodgers in 2015:
MAX Field Hockey’s West/Mid-West Region Player of the Year
San Diego Section Player of the Year
Serra Tournament MVP
Our reigning West/Mid-West Region Player of the Year, Rodgers broke the San Diego Section season scoring record last Fall, scoring an impressive 60 goals (she also added 17 assists). She led her Serra team to a 26-1 finish and San Diego Section Open Division Championship in 2015 and we expect the senior leader to do much of the same in 2016.
LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!
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