Parker Tabbed CAC Rookie of the Year; Skiest, Puzak Named All-CAC

York, Pa. - St. Mary's College of Maryland's Lauriann Parker (Woodbine, Md./Glenelg) was voted as the 2009 Capital Athletic Conference Field Hockey Rookie of the Year as conference commissioner, Tom Byrnes, released this year's All-CAC selections Thursday afternoon.  Parker became the first-ever Seahawk to earn rookie of the year since the award's inception in 1997.

Parker was one of three Seahawks to earn postseason honors as junior Allie Skiest (Arnold, Md./Seton Keough) was picked as a first team All-CAC midfielder while senior Julia Puzak (Arnold, Md./Broadneck) nabbed a spot on the second team.

Parker had a stellar freshman campaign, leading St. Mary's in scoring with team-highs of 13 goals, including four game-winners, five assists, and 31 points.  The 5-7 forward set the school single-season record for points in a season at 31, breaking the previous mark of 29 by Marianne Wood '08 in 2006.  Parker's 13 goals also matched the school's single-season record for goals in season originally established Wood in 2005.

Nationally, Parker finished the season ranked 48th in Division III in points per game with a 1.94 average.  She ranked second in the conference in points per game, third in goals per game (0.81), fourth in goals, fifth in points, eighth in assists per game and tied for 10th in assists.  St. Mary's October Athlete of the Month, Parker scored at least one goal in six consecutive games, including career-bests of three goals and seven points in a 4-1 win at Virginia Wesleyan.

This is Skiest's second consecutive all-conference award but her first nod for first team All-CAC as she was named to the second team last season.  She started all 16 games in 2009 and finished tied for fifth in scoring with six points on a goal and second-best four assists.

This is Puzak's second straight all-league selection but first All-CAC Second Team nod after earning first team honors a year ago.  A team captain this season, she led the team with nine defensive saves, ranking her tied for second in the league.  The 5-7 defender tied the school's all-time record for defensive saves with 15 during her four-year career, matching the career effort of Mia Oliver '04.  Puzak also notched her first career points as a senior as she tallied a goal and an assist in a 4-0 win at Stevenson.

In her four years, Puzak helped guide the team to a four-year mark of 40-27 (16-8 CAC) record and two consecutive appearances in the CAC championship game (2007, 2008).  She played in 55 games with 50 starts, notching a goal and an assist as well as 15 defensive saves.

The Seahawks finished the 2009 season with an 8-8 (2-4 CAC) record, falling 3-2 in overtime to Wesley in the first round.