Miami Ohio University Athletics
Miami Earns Coach, Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year
10/31/2018 9:02:00 AM | Field Hockey
The RedHawks also placed three players on the All-MAC First Team and three on the All-MAC Second Team.
CLEVELAND – The Mid-American Conference announced its 2018 field hockey awards on Wednesday. Senior midfielder/forward Paula Portugal won MAC Offensive Player of the Year, red-shirt senior back/midfielder Mariona Heras won MAC Defensive Player of the Year and head coach Iñako Puzo won MAC Coach of the Year.
The RedHawks placed three players on the All-MAC Team. Sophomore midfielder Leonor Berlie joined Portugal and Heras on the All-Mac First Team. Freshman midfielder/forward Noor Breedijk, senior midfielder Estel Roig and senior goalkeeper Maddie Passarella were named All-MAC Second Team.
Puzo was named MAC Coach of the Year for the second-straight season and fourth season of his Miami career. He led the team to a perfect 6-0 record in conference play for the second season in program history, the first time being in 2017.
Portugal finished the regular season as the MAC's leading scorer with 48 points. She also led the MAC in goals (22) and goals per game (1.16). Her 1.16 goals per game is tied for fourth among Division I players in the nation. Portugal's 48 points ranks sixth nationally and her points per game (2.53) ranks seventh nationally. She scored four game-winning goals this season and notched three hat tricks. Portugal's ability to create offensive chances helped the RedHawks score 25 goals in conference play. This is Portugal's fourth season making the All-MAC First Team. She was named MAC Freshman of the Year in 2015. Portugal has been named MAC Player of the Week four times this season.
Heras finished the regular season with 13 points, was tied among RedHawk players for second in assists (5) and scored the third-most points on the team. Two of her goals were game-winning goals, both of which came in MAC games. Heras led the most dominant defense in the MAC, only allowing one goal during conference play. Miami's defense only allowed a combined 25 shots, 12 shots on goal and 16 penalty corners during MAC games. Heras was previously named All-MAC First Team in 2016. She has been named MAC Player of the Week twice this season.
Berlie finished the regular season with 17 points, the second-most on the Miami roster. Her six goals and five assists were each tied for second among RedHawk players. Berlie tied for fifth in the conference in points and seventh for both goals and assists. Her ability to maintain and regain possession midfield, paired with her ball control, allowed Miami to control possession. Berlie was named to the All-MAC First Team in 2017, also being named MAC Freshman of the Year. She was named MAC Player of the Week on October 16.
Breedijk finished her inaugural season with seven points. Her five assists tied for second on the Miami roster. Five of Breedijk's points came in conference play. Breedijk played a huge role in Miami's passing game, both midfield and inside the attacking 25, to help set up many offensive chances for the RedHawks. She was named MAC Player of the Week on October 30.
Roig finished the regular season with 11 total points while leading the team with seven assists. Her seven assists also tied for second in the conference. Roig was one of two inserters used on the Miami penalty corner unit that was put into action 148 times this season, 59 of those penalty corners coming in conference play.
Passarella started every game for Miami this season, totaling over 1,314 minutes in the cage. She recorded seven shutouts and shared two more, with five of those (one shared) coming in conference play. Passarella's goals-against average (1.06) ranks eighth in the nation among Division I goalkeepers. Her goals-against average (0.17) and save percentage (.909) in MAC games were impressive as well. No matter how many shots and how much pressure she faced, Passarella was always up to the challenge.
The RedHawks are the top seed in the MAC Tournament, which is being hosted in Oxford this week. Miami will face the winner of the No. 4 Ball State/No. 5 Ohio game on Friday at 11:30 a.m. The winner of that semifinal game will play in the MAC Championship game on Saturday at 4 p.m.
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Coach of the Year:Â Inako Puzo (MIA)
Defensive Player of the Year:Â Mariona Heras (MIA)
Offensive Player of the Year:Â Paula Portugal (MIA)
Freshman of the Year:Â Luna Lopez (LONG)
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All-MAC First Team
Veerle Van Heertum (APP)
Anya Eicher (BALL)
Mary Crumlish (KENT)
Clara Rodriguez Seto (KENT)
Berta Jover Llorens (KENT)
Luna Lopez (LONG)
Leonie Verstraete (LONG)
Paula Portugal (MIA)
Leo Berlie (MIA)
Mariona Heras (MIA)
Emma Eggleston (OHIO)
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All-MAC Second Team
Emma Bressler (KENT)
Noor Breedijk (MIA)
Helena Cambra Soler (KENT)
Jillian Shive (OHIO)
Leah Warren (OHIO)
Rachel Pereira (BALL)
Annette Jarosz (APP)
Olivia Wawrzyniak (LONG)
Estel Roig (MIA)
Audrey Tabor (BALL)
Maddie Passarella (MIA) / Katie Wyman (LONG)
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The RedHawks placed three players on the All-MAC Team. Sophomore midfielder Leonor Berlie joined Portugal and Heras on the All-Mac First Team. Freshman midfielder/forward Noor Breedijk, senior midfielder Estel Roig and senior goalkeeper Maddie Passarella were named All-MAC Second Team.
Puzo was named MAC Coach of the Year for the second-straight season and fourth season of his Miami career. He led the team to a perfect 6-0 record in conference play for the second season in program history, the first time being in 2017.
Portugal finished the regular season as the MAC's leading scorer with 48 points. She also led the MAC in goals (22) and goals per game (1.16). Her 1.16 goals per game is tied for fourth among Division I players in the nation. Portugal's 48 points ranks sixth nationally and her points per game (2.53) ranks seventh nationally. She scored four game-winning goals this season and notched three hat tricks. Portugal's ability to create offensive chances helped the RedHawks score 25 goals in conference play. This is Portugal's fourth season making the All-MAC First Team. She was named MAC Freshman of the Year in 2015. Portugal has been named MAC Player of the Week four times this season.
Heras finished the regular season with 13 points, was tied among RedHawk players for second in assists (5) and scored the third-most points on the team. Two of her goals were game-winning goals, both of which came in MAC games. Heras led the most dominant defense in the MAC, only allowing one goal during conference play. Miami's defense only allowed a combined 25 shots, 12 shots on goal and 16 penalty corners during MAC games. Heras was previously named All-MAC First Team in 2016. She has been named MAC Player of the Week twice this season.
Berlie finished the regular season with 17 points, the second-most on the Miami roster. Her six goals and five assists were each tied for second among RedHawk players. Berlie tied for fifth in the conference in points and seventh for both goals and assists. Her ability to maintain and regain possession midfield, paired with her ball control, allowed Miami to control possession. Berlie was named to the All-MAC First Team in 2017, also being named MAC Freshman of the Year. She was named MAC Player of the Week on October 16.
Breedijk finished her inaugural season with seven points. Her five assists tied for second on the Miami roster. Five of Breedijk's points came in conference play. Breedijk played a huge role in Miami's passing game, both midfield and inside the attacking 25, to help set up many offensive chances for the RedHawks. She was named MAC Player of the Week on October 30.
Roig finished the regular season with 11 total points while leading the team with seven assists. Her seven assists also tied for second in the conference. Roig was one of two inserters used on the Miami penalty corner unit that was put into action 148 times this season, 59 of those penalty corners coming in conference play.
Passarella started every game for Miami this season, totaling over 1,314 minutes in the cage. She recorded seven shutouts and shared two more, with five of those (one shared) coming in conference play. Passarella's goals-against average (1.06) ranks eighth in the nation among Division I goalkeepers. Her goals-against average (0.17) and save percentage (.909) in MAC games were impressive as well. No matter how many shots and how much pressure she faced, Passarella was always up to the challenge.
The RedHawks are the top seed in the MAC Tournament, which is being hosted in Oxford this week. Miami will face the winner of the No. 4 Ball State/No. 5 Ohio game on Friday at 11:30 a.m. The winner of that semifinal game will play in the MAC Championship game on Saturday at 4 p.m.
Â
Coach of the Year:Â Inako Puzo (MIA)
Defensive Player of the Year:Â Mariona Heras (MIA)
Offensive Player of the Year:Â Paula Portugal (MIA)
Freshman of the Year:Â Luna Lopez (LONG)
Â
All-MAC First Team
Veerle Van Heertum (APP)
Anya Eicher (BALL)
Mary Crumlish (KENT)
Clara Rodriguez Seto (KENT)
Berta Jover Llorens (KENT)
Luna Lopez (LONG)
Leonie Verstraete (LONG)
Paula Portugal (MIA)
Leo Berlie (MIA)
Mariona Heras (MIA)
Emma Eggleston (OHIO)
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All-MAC Second Team
Emma Bressler (KENT)
Noor Breedijk (MIA)
Helena Cambra Soler (KENT)
Jillian Shive (OHIO)
Leah Warren (OHIO)
Rachel Pereira (BALL)
Annette Jarosz (APP)
Olivia Wawrzyniak (LONG)
Estel Roig (MIA)
Audrey Tabor (BALL)
Maddie Passarella (MIA) / Katie Wyman (LONG)
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Players Mentioned
Midfielder
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M/F
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Back/Midfielder
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Goalkeeper
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Midfielder/Forward
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Midfielder
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