America East field hockey Midfielder of the Year Paula Heuser has been recognized as the best player in the country. The sophomore was named the Longstreth/NFHCA Division I Player of the Year on Tuesday after pacing the nation in points per game and leading Albany to the Final Four for the first time in program history. Heuser also earned All-America honors along with three other America East standouts, teammate Maxi Primus, Maine's Annabelle Hamilton and New Hampshire's Kellie Joyce.
Heuser, a sophomore midfielder, is the conference's first NFHCA national Player of the Year but the third athlete to be named the top player in their sport in the last six months, joining fellow Great Danes Lyle and Miles Thompson, who shared the Tewaaraton Award as the players of the year in men's lacrosse.
The recipient of numerous awards this year, including Most Outstanding Player of the America East Championship and NFHCA Northeast Region Player of the Year, Heuser racked up 69 points this season, good for second-most in the league all-time, on 29 goals, which tied the conference's single-season record, and 11 assists. She helped her team advance to the Final Four for the first time in program history with wins over #5 Wake Forest and #2 Maryland last weekend.
Heuser also earned first-team All-America honors, while Maine's Annabelle Hamilton garnered second-team recognition and Albany's Maxi Primus and New Hampshire's Kellie Joyce were third-team choices.
This is the third-straight season America East has had four All-America field hockey selections.