Birk Repeats as NFHCA First Team All-America; Five Honored

Posted: Dec 13, 2022

Five Centennial Conference field hockey players have been named to the 2022 National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) All-America Team. Bryn Mawr and Johns Hopkins each landed two players on the team while Franklin & Marshall had one player honored.

JHU's Abby Birk led the way as a repeat first-teamer and now three-time All-American. Bryn Mawr's Hazel Miller, F&M's Carolina Riley and JHU's Anna Scott were named to the second team, while Bryn Mawr's Maggie Titus collected third team accolades.

Birk is the first three-time All-American in Hopkinns program history and the first two-time first team selection as well. Birk and Scott led Johns Hopkins to its fourth straight Centennial Conference (CC) Championship, fourth straight NCAA Final Four and second straight appearance in the national title game. Hopkins finished the season with a 19-4 record – the fourth straight season with at least 19 wins.

Birk led the Blue Jays and ranked third in the Centennial Conference with 36 points (13 goals, 10 assists). She also led the team and was second in the conference in assists. Birk's 13 goals are a career high and were second best on the team. She finished her career as Hopkins' all-time leader in assists (44), game-winning goals (14), games played (90) and games started (84). She also ranks second in career points (128) and third in goals (49).

Scott anchored one of the toughest defenses in the nation. Hopkins ranked second in the nation, among all divisions, in shutouts (16) and third in goals against average (0.51). The Blue Jays set Centennial Conference records for goals allowed in conference games (0), consecutive shutouts (11) and total shutouts (16). Hopkins allowed just 5.9 shots and 4.6 penalty corners per game while facing the fourth toughest schedule in Division III. Scott led the team and the conference with six defensive saves, while also totaling five points (1g, 3a). She led the JHU defense to three straight shutouts en route to the national championship game.

Miller and Titus are the first Bryn Mawr field hockey All-Americans since Libby Mellow was named a CFHA Honorable Mention All-American in 1983, and the first Bryn Mawr athletes named All-American since track star Jennica Terry following the 2020 Indoor season. The pair have accrued various awards and honors throughout the postseason: Miller was named the Centennial Conference Offensive Player of the Year and First-Team All Region. She also earned PhillySIDA Academic All-Area and Centennial Conference Academic Honor Roll Honors. Titus also was previously named First Team All-Centennial and All-Region before playing in the NFHCA Senior All-Star Game.

Miller had a breakout campaign in 2022, scoring 13 goals and adding 9 assists to lead the Owls in scoring. She scored in five straight games from September 17-October 1, including the game-winning goals at Mary Washington and Haverford and a career-high four goals on Homecoming against Gettysburg.

Titus graduates as the program record-holder in goals against average (1.11), shutouts (16), and wins (40). Named the Centennial Conference rookie of the year in 2018 and twice First Team All-Centennial, Titus stopped 38 of the last 42 shots she faced this season as the Owls made the Conference Championship game for the first time in program history. She stopped 23 of the 25 shots she faced in two games against Division III National Finalist Johns Hopkins, including 15 in the Centennial Championship. This fall, Titus also posted an .859 save percentage in five games against nationally-ranked opponents.

Riley's latest honor comes after the Franklin & Marshall junior was previously named the Centennial Conference Defensive Player of the Year and first-team all-region honoree earlier this fall. Riley is just the second player in F&M history to be named CC Defensive Player of the Year after helping the Diplomats record seven shutouts while allowing just 1.14 goals per game. Riley also aided the offense with four goals, including the game-winner in double overtime at Muhlenberg. She added five more assists for a total of 13 points as a force at both ends of the field. The junior has started all 32 matches she has played for the Diplomats during the last two seasons.