Nov. 6, 2008

Fairfield, CT - Senior Carisa Eye (Nesconset, NY) has been named the Northeast Conference Offensive Player of the Year, leading a group of four Sacred Heart players who earned All-Conference accolades, announced at the postseason banquet Thursday night on the eve of the conference tournament. Eye and senior Amy Hendricks (Milford, PA) earned All-NEC First team honors while senior Melissa Mazin (Putnam Valley, NY) and junior Whitney Russo (Waterville, ME) were named to the second team.

Eye is wrapping up the greatest offensive career of any Sacred Heart player. The former All-American and NEC Player of the Year scored 19 goals this year to lead the Northeast Conference, and was second in the league with 42 points, an average of more than two points per game. Heading into the final games of her career, Eye has 74 goals and 10 assists for 158 total points. She holds Sacred Heart single game, season and career records in nearly every offensive category. She has led the team in scoring in each of her four seasons and has an incredible eight hat tricks and 21 multi-goal games in her four year career.

A Pioneer captain, Hendricks has started 35 of the 36 games she's played in the last two years. In her four year career she has scored 10 goals and added eight assists for 25 total points. She was a first team All-NEC selection last year as well. Her success has transferred to the classroom, having been named to the NFHCA All-Academic team multiple times.

Mazin has been a key sparkplug to the SHU offense the last two seasons, starting 36 of the 37 games the Pioneers have played. This year she ranks second on the team in scoring with two goals and four assists. The last two seasons she has finished third on the team in scoring. For her career she has a total of 33 points, including 10 goals and 13 assists. She's also had success in the classroom as a member of the NFHCA All-Academic team.

One of the Pioneers top midfielders this year, Russo emerged as a starting player and took advantage of the opportunity. She became one of SHU's key sparkplugs, registering a team high five assists for the season. She also scored one goal, to finish the regular season with seven total points.

Sacred Heart is the number three seed in the NEC playoffs. The Pioneers will face Rider in the semifinals Friday at host Lock Haven. Game time is 11:00 AM.