CAMBRIDGE, MA -- Lesley's Veronica Halen has been named 2011 New England Collegiate Conference Player of the Year, the league announced Monday afternoon.
Lynx head coach Paul Vasconcelos was again named NECC Coach of the Year for a fourth straight season.
Halen tied for the league lead with 18 goals and tied for the most in NECC play with 11. The sophomore also tied for fourth in the league with seven assists for the Lynx and led the team to a 9-0 finish in NECC play, also earning All-NECC First Team honors.
Joining Halen from Lesley, which received a league-best four players on the conference's First Team were seniors Jenna Fralick and Tracy Potter and sophomore Jackee Sanchez.
During league play, Fralick led the NECC with 29 points and nine assists, finishing third with 10 goals in eight league games, Overall, she finished second in the league with 11 assists and sixth with 13 goals.
Potter anchored the league's best defense for Paul Vasconcelos' Lynx, as Lesley gave up only a single goal in league play. The senior started 17 of the Lynx 18 contests, tallying three assists, including one in Lesley's 2-0 playoff win over Becker.
Sanchez tied for third in the league with eight assists, fourth with 36 points and fifth with 14 goals. In eight league games, Sanchez finished fifth with five assists while tallying four NECC goals. She scored goal No. 14 of her sophomore year on a header in Lesley's 2-0 tournament quarterfinals victory over Becker.
Named to the All-NECC Second Team from Lesley was junior midfielder Kate Ryder. In NECC play, Ryder scored four goals and tallied four assists for 12 points in eight league games. She scored the game-winner in Lesley's tournament win over Becker last Thursday.
Earning All-NECC Honorable Mention accolades was sophomore Sarah Apgar. The forward finished third in the NECC with eight assists, totaling 18 points on five goals this year, four of which came in NECC play.
For Vasconcelos, the NECC Coach of the Year honor is his fourth straight. Since 2008, he has coached the Lynx to a 31-1-1 record in conference regular season matches.
Below are all All-NECC award winners:
Player of the Year
Veronica Halen, Lesley (So, Forward - San Diego, CA)
Goalkeeper of the Year
Kaylee Woodford, Mitchell (So, GK - Niantic, Conn.)
Rookie of the Year
Maariyah Lombardo, Mitchell(Fr, F - Middletown, Conn.)
Coach of the Year
Paul Vascancelos, Lesley
Team Sportsmanship Award
Bay Path College
First Team
F Jenna Fralick, Lesley (Senior, Forward - Woburn, MA)
F Veronica Halen, Lesley (So, Forward - San Diego, CA)
F Jennifer Killion, Elms (Sr, F - Cambridge, Mass.)
F Briana Tomaselli, Newbury (So, F - Warwick, R.I.)
M Gianna Gorneault, Elms (So, MF - Springfield, Mass.)
M Jackee Sanchez, Lesley (Sophomore, MF - Santa Clarita, CA)
M Jodi Theriault, Becker (Jr, N/A - Woodstock, Conn.)
D Nina Giansanti, Mitchell (So, D - Montville, Conn.)
D Tracy Potter, Lesley (Sr, D - Acton, MA)
D Brianna Valente, Elms (Sr, MF - Springfield, Mass.)
GK Kaylee Woodford, Mitchell (So, GK - Niantic, Conn.)
Second Team
F Maariyah Lombardo, Mitchell (Fr, F - Middletown, Conn.)
F Caroline Plunkett, Becker (Jr, N/A - Rockaway, N.Y.)
F Erica Griffo, Elms (Sr, MF - Syracuse, N.Y.)
F Kristen Abreu, Regis (Mass.) (Fr, F - Woburn, Mass.)
F Adena Joseph, Regis (Mass.) (Fr, F - Stoughton, Mass.)
M Kate Ryder, Lesley (Jr, MF - Glastonbury, CT)
M Angie Smith, Mitchell (Sr, M - Meriden, Conn.)
M Christina Goodchild, Elms (So, F - East Longmeadow, Mass.)
D Keri Richardson, Becker (Jr, Defense - Douglas, Mass.)
D Alysha Giulietti, Becker (Jr, N/A - Uncasville, Conn.)
D Kristina Almeida, Newbury (Fr, D - Coventry, R.I.)
GK Amy Waller, Daniel Webster (Sr, GK - Berlin, Mass.)
Honorable Mention
Sarah Apgar, Lesley (Sophomore, F - Andover, NJ)
Joellen Demers, Southern Vt. (Sr, D - Middlesex, Vt.)
Kara Donovan, Regis (Mass.) (Jr, D - Woburn, Mass.)
Rachel Wyszynski, Newbury (Sr, GK - Wilbraham, Mass.)