SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. (Nov. 22, 2011) – Mount Holyoke College field hockey team standout Shara Robertson earned NFHCA Division III First Team All-America honors as a result of her outstanding play this fall. The senior led the Lyons to a share of the NEWMAC Regular Season Championship and their second ECAC New England Championship. Robertson became the second player in program history to earn First Team honors, joining Lauren Weiner, who was selected in 2003.
Arguably the top offensive player in program history, the forward racked up 159 points on 67 goals and 25 assists over her four seasons in South Hadley. She will graduate as the program's all-time leader in career points and goals.
Gifted with great speed, a tenacious work ethic and excellent moves, she continually found a way to put the ball in the cage despite constant pressure. In 72 career matches, she piled up eight hat tricks and 11 winners. The forward was at her best in the Lyons' 16-1 triumph over Elms College during her rookie campaign, when she exploded for nine points on four goals and an assist (09/28/09). Her point and goal totals both tied previous school records held by Bridget Gunn '95 and Krista Lindquist '02, respectively.
Robertson was particularly impressive this season, recording program records for points (68), goals (25) and assists (18). The forward notched hat tricks in wins over Regis College (09/09/11) and Smith College (09/17/11). Her three assists in a 5-3 triumph over Wellesley College were a career high (09/24/11) and helped her secure the NEWMAC Player of the Week Award honors for the second time in her career.
In 2008, Robertson became just the second player in program history to claim NEWMAC Rookie of the Year accolades. One year later, she was placed on the NEWMAC All-Conference Second Team. The forward went on to earn All-Conference First Team honors in her final two seasons with the Lyons.
No stranger to postseason recognition, Robertson grabbed NFHCA All-Region honors for the third year in a row. She was placed on the First Team for the second straight year after earning Second Team accolades as a sophomore. Robertson took part in the NFHCA Division III Senior All-Star Game at Nichols College over the weekend.
Mount Holyoke put the finishing touches on one of its most memorable seasons last weekend, when it topped Plymouth State University 4-2 in the ECAC Championship last weekend. Robertson was named Most Outstanding Player of the tournament after racking up 13 points on five goals and three assists over the course of the week.
The Lyons closed out their 2011 campaign with an overall record of 16-5. They went 6-2 in league play to secure a share of the NEWMAC Regular Season Championship. Their 244 points, 92 goals and 60 assists were all the most in program history for a single season.
2011 NFHCA Division III All-American Teams
First Team
Kelly Blackhurst - Skidmore College
Ella Curren - Bowdoin College
Carly Dudzik - Amherst College
Kourtney Ehly - Messiah College
Lauren Greer - Middlebury College
Katie Herter - Bowdoin College
Kami Klauber- MIT
Shelly Milks - Lynchburg College
Jocelyn Novak - Lebanon Valley College
Alexandria Okuniewicz - The College of New Jersey
Shara Robertson - Mount Holyoke College
Tracey Scanlon - Catholic University
Shannon Syciarz - The College of New Jersey
Alyssa Thren - Ursinus College
Olivia Triano - Kean University
Becky Willert - Franklin & Marshall College
Second Team
Allison Beardsley - University of Rochester
Elizabeth Clegg - Bowdoin College
Margaret Ellis - DePauw University
Nicole Hanby - Ursinus College
Tara McGovern - Salisbury University
Molly McShane - MIT
Mel Melkonian - Clark University
Brianna Milne - Christopher Newport University
Ashley Morgan - SUNY Oneonta
Camille Passucci - The College of New Jersey
Jenera Quinones - King's College
Annie Rosencrans - Skidmore College
Margaret Souther - Middlebury College
Rachel Tannebaum - Amherst College
Courtney Webster - Salisbury University
Amy Wharton - Johns Hopkins University
Third Team
Caitlin Cahill - Christopher Newport University
Anna Dobrzynski - University of Rochester
Taylor Dyer - Tufts University
Charlotte Gardiner - Middlebury College
Kiersten Hamilton - William Smith College
Maura Hennigan - Franklin & Marshall College
Yvonne Herbster - Eastern University
Juliana Hershey - Messiah College
Roxanne Jaffe - Haverford College
Meaghan Johnson - St. Joseph's College
Chelsea Keelen - Montclair State University
Katie McMahon - Amherst College
Katie McMahon - Denison University
Meera Sivalingam - Williams College
Mallory Swanson - Stevens Institute of Technology
Mary Swarthout - Catholic University
