Ezechiels, McDonough earn All-ACC honors

Courtesy UVA Media Relations

Virginia seniors Amber Ezechiels and Annie McDonough have been named to the 2021 All-ACC Field Hockey Team in honors announced on Wednesday by the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Ezechiels earned first-team honors while McDonough was named to the second team.

Ezechiels (Noordwijk, Netherlands), a defender, leads the Cavaliers in goals (7) and points (18), ranking in the top-five in the conference in both categories. She has been named both the ACC Offensive Player of the Week (Oct. 5) and the Defensive Player of the Week (Oct. 26) this season. Three of her seven goals have been game-winners.

This is Ezechiels third All-ACC honor and her second-straight season being named to the first team.

McDonough (Kennett Square, Pa.) has played both midfield and forward this season for the Cavaliers. She ranks second on the team in points with 12 on four goals and four assists. She is one of three players to have started every game for the team this season.

This is the first All-ACC honor for the co-captain.

The ACC Field Hockey Championship opens Thursday at Syracuse’s J.S. Coyne Field. Quarterfinal action on Thursday finds No. 7 seed Duke (6-10, 0-6) paired against No. 2 Syracuse (11-4, 4-2) at 3:30 p.m., while No. 3 North Carolina (10-6, 4-2) faces No. 6 Wake Forest (7-9, 1-5) at 6 p.m.

ACC Network will show all tournament action live, with Mike Corey handling play-by-play and Leah Secondo on color.

2021 All-ACC Field Hockey Team

Offensive Player of the Year: Erin Matson, North Carolina, F, Sr.

Defensive Player of the Year: Alli Bitting, Louisville, D, Sr.

Freshman of the Year: Mila de Kuijer, Louisville, GK, Fr.

Coach of the Year: Justine Sowry, Louisville

First Team All-ACC

Fusine Govaert, Boston College, B, Gr.

Alli Bitting, Louisville, D, Sr.

Julie Kouijzer, Louisville, D, Jr.

Aimee Plumb, Louisville, F, So.

Mila de Kuijer, Louisville, GK, Fr.

Erin Matson, North Carolina, F, Sr.

Cassie Sumfest, North Carolina, M, Sr.

Quirine Comans, Syracuse, F, Gr.

Pleun Lammers, Syracuse, F, So.

Amber Ezechiels, Virginia, D, Sr.

Meike Lanckohr, Wake Forest, D/M, Jr.

Second Team All-ACC

Sky Caron, Boston College, B, Gr.

Sarah Johnson, Boston College, M/B, Gr.

Jonna Kennedy, Boston College, GK, Sr.

Eva Nunnink, Duke, B, Gr.

Katie Schneider, Louisville, F, Sr.

Meredith Sholder, North Carolina, M, Sr.

Carolin Hoffmann, Syracuse, M, Gr.

Eefke van den Nieuwenhof, Syracuse, B, So.

Charlotte de Vries, Syracuse, F, Jr.

Annie McDonough, Virginia, M/F, Sr. 

Nathalie Friedman, Wake Forest, M, Jr.