Syracuse, N.Y. (November 4, 2004) – The University of Connecticut field hockey team took home some serious hardware from the 2004 BIG EAST Field Hockey Awards Banquet on Thursday night.

UConn senior Lauren Henderson (Avondale Harare, Zimbabwe) was chosen as the unanimous 2004 BIG EAST Field Hockey Offensive Player of the Year by the conference head coaches.

Fellow UConn senior, Abby Ostruzka (Riverside, Conn.), was named the Defensive Player of the Year.

Connecticut coach Nancy Stevens was honored as Coach of the Year for the third straight season and the sixth time in her illustrious career.

Henderson, who was named BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive season, is just the second player to be named the league’s top offensive player twice (Laura Klein, Connecticut, 1999 & 2000).

Henderson became Connecticut’s all-time career leader in goals (94) and points (207) in 2004. She led the conference in goals (28) and points (61) this season, while also leading the BIG EAST with six goals and 15 points in conference play.

Ostruzka has helped UConn post six consecutive shutouts to end the regular season. Overall, she led the Huskies to 13 shutouts this year, including a BIG EAST-record four shutouts in conference play. Ostruzka and the UConn defense allowed just nine goals this season.

Stevens was named Coach of the Year for the sixth time in her career. She guided UConn to a 5-0 record in the BIG EAST and an overall mark of 18-1, the Huskies’ best finish since a 19-0 campaign in 1999. Connecticut’s 3-0 win over Syracuse earlier in the year made Stevens the fourth coach in NCAA history to record 400 career wins.

Connecticut led all schools with seven selections to the All-BIG EAST First and Second Teams, including four first-team choices.

UConn's first team All-BIG EAST selections included Henderson, Ostruzka, junior Laura Puddle (London, England) and junior Becky Helwig (Basking Ridge, N.J.).

Henderson and Ostruzka were unanimous first-team All-BIG EAST choices.

Representing the Huskies on the All-BIG EAST second team are senior April Cornell (Ninevah, N.Y.), sophomore Meagan Hoffman (West Granby, Conn.) and freshman Lizzy Peijs (Breda, Holland).

Syracuse senior Betsy Wagner was tabbed as the Goalkeeper of the Year.

No. 1 seed UConn opens play at the 2004 BIG EAST Field Hockey Championship on Friday, Nov. 5 when it faces No. 4 seed Villanova in the semifinals beginning at 5:00 p.m. at J.S. Coyne Field in Syracuse.

Offensive Player of the Year: Lauren Henderson, Connecticut, Sr., F

Defensive Player of the Year: Abby Ostruzka, Connecticut, Sr., B

Goalkeeper of the Year: Betsy Wagner, Syracuse, Sr.

Coach of the Year: Nancy Stevens, Connecticut

ALL-BIG EAST FIRST TEAM
* Betsy Wagner, Syracuse, Sr., GK
* Sabrina Lazzari, Boston College, Jr., F
* Lauren Henderson, Connecticut, Sr., F
Laura Puddle, Connecticut, Jr., F/M
* Kerri Doherty, Boston College, Sr., M
Becky Helwig, Connecticut, Jr., M
Joanne Lombard, Syracuse, Sr., M
* Kristen Madden, Boston College, Jr., B
Bronwen Kelly, Boston College, Jr., B
* Abby Ostruzka, Connecticut, Sr., B
Vanessa Pizzulli, Villanova, Sr., B
* - denotes unanimous selection