Four members of the UNC field hockey team earned All-ACC recognition on Monday. Sophomores Ryleigh Heck and Sietske Brüning were both named to the first team, while Kelly Smith and Charly Bruder were named to the second team. In addition, Bruder was named the ACC’s Freshman of the Year. It’s the second year in a row (Heck won it in 2022) and 10th time in program history a Tar Heel has won the award.

“These four work so hard, they have great attitudes and they’re completely bought in to being the best version of themselves as players and as teammates for the people around them,” UNC head coach Erin Matson said. “They also understand, as do we all, that this is a team sport and individual recognition owes credit to the team. Any success we have is because of what we’ve done together.”

Bruder and Heck tied to the team lead in goals with nine. Three of Bruder’s goals were game-winners, and she played in every game this season. She’s the first UNC freshman to have at least a share of the team lead in goals since Matson herself did so in 2018.

Heck holds the team lead in points with 24, adding six assists in addition to her nine goals. This is the second consecutive season she’s been named to the All-ACC first team. Brüning, a sophomore, started every game during the regular season while scoring a goal and adding three assists. Smith, a junior, is a first-time All-ACC honoree. She anchors a UNC defense which has given up just 20 goals in 15 games.

The Tar Heels are the ACC regular-season champions for the second consecutive season and are the top seed in the conference tournament, which begins on Tuesday. They will face the winner of Syracuse and Virginia in the tournament semifinals on Wednesday in Charlottesville.

 

Featured image via UNC Athletic Communications/Jeffrey A. Camarati

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