SYRACUSE – Syracuse University head field hockey coach Ange Bradley was named the 2008 Coach of the Year by womensfieldhockey.com. Senior midfielder Shannon Taylor, sophomore forward Lindsey Conrad, freshman midfielder Martina Loncarica, and senior goalkeeper Heather Hess were named to the womensfieldhockey.com All-American Team. Taylor and Conrad were named to the first team, while Loncarica and Hess were second and third-team honorees, respectively. Loncarica and freshman back Anne-Sophie Van der Post were also named to the All-Rookie squad.
Bradley guided the Orange to its first-ever top ranking and the first semifinal appearance in school history. The Orange ranked second in the nation in scoring defense, allowing less than a goal per game while capturing the BIG EAST championship en route to a trip to Louisville.
Taylor was named a First-team Longstrenth/NFHCA Division I All-American. The All-BIG EAST First Team member was also the BIG EAST Tournament Most Outstanding Player and a member of the All-BIG EAST Tournament Team. The midfielder was a two-time BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week and three-time BIG EAST Honor Roll member. Taylor is first in the country in points and goals per game, 12th in assists per game. Taylor's 79 points and 31 goals are both Orange single-season records. Her point total ranks tied for eighth (Jodie Carter, 1992-95) on SU's career list and her 14 assists rank third on Syracuse's single-season list. Taylor's points and goals are both Syracuse senior records. Taylor was also named to the Final Four All-Tournament Team.
Conrad was named a Second-team Longstrenth/NFHCA Division I All-American. She was also named to the All-BIG EAST First Team and All-BIG EAST Tournament Team. The forward was a two-time BIG EAST Honor Roll member. She is ranked 19th in the country in points per game and goals per game. Conrad's 51 points rank third on the Orange single-season list behind Taylor and Loncarica. Her 21 goals are also third on the single-season chart. Both are sophomore records. Conrad was also named to the Final Four All-Tournament Team.
Loncarica was named a Second-team Longstrenth/NFHCA Division I All-American. The All-BIG EAST Second Team member was also a two-time BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week and one time member of the BIG EAST Honor Roll. She is first in the country in assists per game, fourth in points per game and 33rd in goals. Loncarica's 65 points rank second, behind Taylor, on SU's single-season list. Her 31 assists are a Syracuse single-season record and third on SU's career chart. Loncarica's points, goals (17) and assists are all Syracuse freshmen records.
Hess was named the BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year. A member of the All-BIG EAST First Team she also earned All-BIG EAST Tournament accolades. The senior was a two-time BIG EAST Honor Roller during the season. Hess is fourth in the country in goals-against-average and ninth in saves percentage. Her 359 saves rank fifth on SU's career saves list.
Van der Post was a member of the All-BIG EAST Second Team and All-BIG EAST Tournament Team. She was also named to the BIG EAST Honor Roll three times and BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week once during the season.