All-NESCAC: Women’s basketball’s Mairead Hynes ’18 is Rookie of the Year; Kristin Steele named women’s hockey Coach of the Year

Mairead Hynes '18, NESCAC Women's Basketball Rookie of the Year
Mairead Hynes '18, NESCAC Women's Basketball Rookie of the Year

The New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) announced its top honors this week. Among the Camels recognized are first-year forward Mairead Hynes, named Women’s Basketball Rookie of the Year, and women’s hockey head coach Kristin Steele, who garnered Coach of the Year honors.

Hynes made an immediate impact as the only NESCAC player to average a double-double, ranking second in both points (16.9) and rebounds (10.4). Hynes also racked up the sixth-best field goal percentage in the conference with 48.3 percent. She set Connecticut College's single-season record while leading the NESCAC with 132 makes from the free-throw line.

Head Women's Basketball Coach Brian Wilson said Hynes had an amazing season, and he predicts the best is yet to come. “One of Mairead's best traits is her desire to improve — we know she is not satisfied and we are excited to watch her develop in the years to come."

Steele was honored as women’s hockey Coach of the Year by her coaching peers for the first time in her 14-year career. She guided the Camels to a 7-7-2 conference record this year and the team earned a No. 4 seed in the NESCAC tournament.

Under Steele's direction, the team has made eight consecutive appearances in the tournament and advanced to the semifinal round in 2009, 2013 and 2014.

Steele wasn’t the only one honored by the NESCAC in women’s hockey. Senior net-minder Kelsie Fralick was named All-NESCAC first team. Fralick was the backbone for the Camels this season, logging the most time of any goalie in conference play. In 15 conference appearances, she posted a .939 save percentage and a 1.89 goals against average, while leading the NESCAC with 399 saves. She tallied one shutout in conference play and three overall this season.

Fralick recorded her 2,000th career save in the NESCAC Quarterfinal game against Bowdoin and closed out her career as just the third Connecticut College women's hockey goalie to notch 2,000 saves, with a grand total of 2,016 career stops.

“Kelsie has set a new bar with her achievements both on and off the ice,” said Steele.

Other NESCAC honors were awarded to:

Men's Hockey

Goalie Tom Conlin ’16, All-NESCAC second team

Men's Swimming and Diving

Eight named to the All-NESCAC team: Loring Bowen ’16, Kirk Czelewicz ’15, Mike Fothergill ’17, Emil Henry ’16, Bo Martin ’15, Patrick McGinnis ’15, Stephen Skaperdas ’17 and George Tilneac ’18

Women’s Swimming and Diving

Five named to the All-NESCAC team: Sarah Nappo ’18, Charlotte Nixon ’18, Anna Peterson ’17, Sam Pierce ’16 and Valerie Urban ’17



March 6, 2015