ATLANTA - Four student-athletes were named All-SAA and the Sabre coaching staff was announced as the Co-Coaching Staff of the Year, as announced by the league.

Freshman Allyson Nichols (Little Falls, N.Y.) had a dominating first season earning first-team recognition and SAA Newcomer of the Year honors.  Nichols was one of the top scorers in the SAA this season ranking second in the conference for goals with 14, assists with nine, and total points with 37.  She went on to earn SAA Offensive Player of the Week three times with the latest coming this past weekend after she recorded 13 points in a sweep of Sewanee.  The forward also lead the conference with five game-winning goals.  Nichols had three hat tricks this season with a season-best eight-point game coming in the finale game of the season against Sewanee.

Freshman Jikke Biemans (Rijen, Netherlands) was a strong offensive weapon for the Sabres and earns First-Team All-SAA accolades.  Biemans ranked third in the SAA with 13 goals and 31 total points to go with a fifth place finish in assists with five.  She had three multi-goal games with a hat trick coming against Wooster and  a four-goal game coming in the opener against Sewanee.  Biemans also had a pair of games with multiple assists with one coming in the season opener against CUW and the other in the season finale against Sewanee.

Freshman Eva Houtackers (Maarn, Netherlands) helped lead the Marian midfield and earns Second-Team All-SAA recognition.  Houtackers finished the season sixth in the SAA for goals scored with eight and ninth for total points with 17.  She had a particularly strong finish to her season scoring seven of her goals in the final three games of the season.  Houtackers closed out the regular season with a four-goal game against Sewanee in SAA action before a two-goal game in the non-conference game against the Tigers.  She would score her eight goals on just 17 shots on goal for a 58.6 shots on goal percentage.

Freshman Indi Rameckers (Amsterdam, Netherlands) anchored the Sabre midfield, especially on the defensive end, earning Second-Team All-SAA honors.  Rameckers was part of a defensive unit that posted two shutouts this season and ranked third in the SAA for just 2.7 goals per game allowed.  She would post a pair of assists in the first game of the Sewanee offense.

Head Coach Holly Heeb was hired almost exactly one year ago to start the Sabre field hockey program and earns Coaching Staff of the Year honors.  Heeb with the aid of Burgundy Biletski helped lead Marian to a 7-7 record and the No. 3 seed for the upcoming SAA Tournament after the Sabres were picked fifth in the preseason poll.  Marian had the second-best offense in the SAA this season averaging 2.8 goals per game with 39 total goals scored.  The Sabre defense ranked third in the SAA allowing just 2.7 goals per game.

The full all-conference lists from the SAA can be found at https://saa-sports.com/news/2022/11/2/saa-announces-field-hockey-all-conference-teams.aspx.

Marian opens the SAA Tournament against host Centre Saturday, Nov. 5