MARLBOROUGH, Mass. – The NEWMAC has released its Field Hockey postseason awards, as announced by the conference on Wednesday morning. The awards are determined by the conference’s ten coaches following the conclusion of regular-season play.

Forward Caroline DiGiovanni (Harwich, Mass.) of Babson College was voted NEWMAC Offensive Athlete of the Year, while WPI’s Myles Lakin (Reading, Mass.) earned Defensive Athlete of the Year honors. Springfield College’s Rachel Simkewicz (Westminster, Mass.) was selected as the Rookie of the Year. Lauren Coutu (Baldwinsville, Mass.) was the Laurels of Academic Excellence honoree. Their peers once again selected the Babson coaching staff as Coaching Staff of the Year.

DiGiovanni headlines the first team selections and is joined by teammates Penny Baroni (Dennis, Mass.), Anna Bonazzoli (Clinton, Mass.), and Sanne van der Goes (Glenview, Ill.). Lakin is also featured on the first team alongside teammates Eve Martineau (Greene, Maine) and Lauren Meinhold (Boxboro, Mass.). MIT placed two on the first team in Bailey McIntyre (Concord, Mass.) and Maeve Zimmer (Rockville, Md.). Salve Regina University also had two honored on the first team in Julia Decker (Newton, N.J.) and Georgia Costello (North Easton, Mass.). Simkewicz represents Springfield on the first team, while Callahan Day (Shady Side, Md.) of Smith College rounds out the first team selections.

MIT’s Drew Hussar (Dover, Mass.) and Audrey Oh (Longmeadow, Mass.) were second-team selections. Wellesley College also saw two players placed on the second team in Marguerite Greene (Boston, Mass.) and Claudia Summers (San Diego, Calif.), as did Springfield College with Clare Moore (New Preston, Conn.) and Amber Wolkner (Farmington, Conn.). Babson College’s Taylor Shoflick (Greenwood Village, Colo.) was selected, along with Clark University’s Alison Kopec (Redding, Conn.) and Mount Holyoke College’s Linnea Alsted (Crownsville, Md.). Salve Regina saw Bella Gannon (West Yarmouth, Mass.) honored, while Smith’s Anouk Bosket (Jordanstown, Northern Ireland) also found a spot on the second team. WPI’s Leah Uglevich (Maynard, Mass.) and Wheaton College’s Abby Miller (Andover, Mass.) closed out the all-conference selections.

Offensive Player of the Year- Caroline DiGiovanni (Sr., F), Babson College

DiGiovanni leads the NEWMAC in overall goals with 24 and ranks first in league play in goals with nine. Her 24 goals are tenth in Division III.  DiGiovanni had a career-high eight game-winning goals, four of which came in conference play, both of which led the NEWMAC, as does her 18 points in conference play. The senior scored at least one goal in six conference games, as the senior led the Beavers to their fifth-straight NEWMAC title.

Defensive Player of the Year – Myles Lakin (So., GK), WPI

Lakin took over as the full-time starter in between the pipes for the Engineers, winning 14 games, the most for a WPI netminder since 2018.  He has anchored a defensive effort that has allowed a conference-best 19 goals in 19 games this season.  Lakin is tops in the NEWMAC in save percentage in league play (.851) and overall (.863), and second in goals against average (.955). The netminder posted six shutouts, three of which came in league play. The Engineers reached the NEWMAC Championship and earned an at-large berth into the NCAA Field Hockey Championship.

Rookie of the Year- Rachel Simkewicz (Fr., M), Springfield College

Simkewicz made an immediate impact for the Pride, as she leads her team in goals (16) and points (36). Her 16 goals are good for third in the conference in goals, and tops among first-year players, while her points are fifth in the league and lead all rookies. Six of her goals came in league play, which is tied for fifth in the league, while her twelve points in league play put her in the top ten of the NEWMAC.

Laurels of Academic Excellence- Lauren Coutu, (Sr., F), WPI

The Laurels of Academic Excellence are awarded to the student-athlete with the highest GPA competing at the finals site. A Biology and Biotechnology major, Coutu boasts a 3.95 GPA.

Coaching Staff of the Year – Babson College

The Beavers, led by head coach Julie Ryan, went 20-1 and 9-0 in conference play this season, capturing their fifth consecutive NEWMAC Tournament championship. Babson, ranked No. 3 nationally, is making their sixth straight NCAA Tournament appearance and the tenth in program history, and will serve as a regional host for the fifth consecutive season. The Babson coaching staff includes Ryan, Meghan Evans, Lindsey O’Coin, and Tori Roche. This is the Babson staff’s fifth-straight NEWMAC Coaching Staff of the Year honor.

2025 NEWMAC Field Hockey All-Conference

Team	Name	Position	Institution
First Team All-Conference	Penny Baroni	Midfielder	Babson College
First Team All-Conference	Anna Bonazzoli	Defender	Babson College
First Team All-Conference	Caroline DiGiovanni	Forward	Babson College
First Team All-Conference	Sanne van der Goes	Defender	Babson College
First Team All-Conference	Bailey McIntyre	Midfielder	MIT
First Team All-Conference	Maeve Zimmer	Goalkeeper	MIT
First Team All-Conference	Georgia Costello	Forward	Salve Regina University
First Team All-Conference	Julia Decker	Forward	Salve Regina University
First Team All-Conference	Callahan Day	Forward	Smith College
First Team All-Conference	Rachel Simkewicz	Forward	Springfield College
First Team All-Conference	Myles Lakin	Goalkeeper	WPI
First Team All-Conference	Eve Martineau	Midfielder	WPI
First Team All-Conference	Lauren Meinhold	Midfielder	WPI
Second Team All-Conference	Taylor Shoflick	Midfielder	Babson College
Second Team All-Conference	Alison Kopec	Midfielder	Clark University
Second Team All-Conference	Drew Hussar	Defender	MIT
Second Team All-Conference	Audrey Oh	Defender	MIT
Second Team All-Conference	Linnea Alsted	Defender	Mount Holyoke
Second Team All-Conference	Bella Gannon	Midfielder	Salve Regina University
Second Team All-Conference	Anouk Bosket	Midfielder	Smith College
Second Team All-Conference	Clare Moore	Midfielder	Springfield College
Second Team All-Conference	Amber Wolkner	Defender	Springfield College
Second Team All-Conference	Marguerite Greene	Defender	Wellesley College
Second Team All-Conference	Claudia Summers	Midfielder	Wellesley College
Second Team All-Conference	Abby Miller	Defender	Wheaton College
Second Team All-Conference	Leah Uglevich	Midfielder	WPI

 
About the NEWMAC

The NEWMAC is an association of 12 selective academic institutions: Babson College, Clark University, U.S Coast Guard Academy, Emerson College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Mount Holyoke College, Salve Regina University, Smith College, Springfield College, Wellesley College, Wheaton College, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute, that are committed to providing high quality competitive athletic opportunities for student-athletes within an educational and respectful environment that embodies the NCAA Division III Philosophy. The conference also partners with eight Associate Members: Brandeis University (Women's Lacrosse, 2026-2027), New York University (Men's Volleyball, 2026-2027), Norwich University (Football), Simmons College (Rowing), SUNY Maritime College (Football), SUNY New Paltz (Men's Volleyball, 2026-2027), U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (Football), and Vassar College (Men's Volleyball, 2026-2027), while sponsoring 20 sports.