WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. – The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) announced its 2017 Field Hockey All-MAAC Teams and major award winners. The conference award recipients were honored at the annual field hockey banquet this evening.

LIU Brooklyn field hockey head coach Kyle DeSandes-Moyer was named the 2017 MAAC Field Hockey Coach of the Year, while sophomore Eveline Gielisse was named second-team All-MAAC. The conference also announced the 2017 MAAC Field Hockey All-Academic team, with 10 Blackbirds being honored for their work in the classroom.

DeSandes-Moyer earned the yearly award in a vote by her peers. In just her first season in the guiding role in downtown Brooklyn, she led LIU to a 4-2 record in MAAC play, and the number two overall seed in this year's championship. After going 0-15 when she was an assistant last season, in her first at the helm she guided the team to their first win in program history, their first MAAC victory, and the program's first appearance in the postseason.

Gielisse became the first Blackbird ever to earn postseason honors from the MAAC, as she was voted on to the All-MAAC second team by the league coaches. A stalwart on defense for LIU, she started and played every single one of LIU's 17 matches. She finished the regular season second on the team in points, scoring two goals and handing out a team-high three assists. She also had two defensive saves, anchoring a defense that kept LIU's post season hopes alive more than once.

The MAAC also announced the 2017 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Field Hockey All-Academic team. A total of 62 student-athletes were honored, including ten from LIU Brooklyn. To be eligible for the MAAC All-Academic team, a student-athlete must have completed two semesters at their institution and hold a cumulative grade point average of 3.20 on a 4.0 scale.

Lauren Alburg, Haley Ballard, Casey Carrigan, Madi Cook, Olivia Dennis, Molly Jannell, Brooke McGinley, Skai Sprenkle, Lydia Trout, and Gillian Vallaster were all recognized by the league for their work in the classroom.

The Blackbirds are the No. 2 overall seed in the championship tournament, and will take on No. 3 seed Fairfield, Friday, November 3 at 11 a.m. in West Long Branch, N.J.