Bucknell University Athletics
Kelsey Mucelli, Liz Wills Earn Spots on Preseason All-Patriot League Team
8/19/2014 4:00:00 PM | Field Hockey
LEWISBURG, Pa. – Bucknell seniors Kelsey Mucelli (Kutztown, Pa./Kutztown Area) and Liz Wills (Plymouth Meeting, Pa./William Penn Charter School) were named to the Preseason All-Patriot League Field Hockey Team on Tuesday. Both have garnered plenty of accolades from the league in the past as Mucelli is a two-time First Team All-Patriot League pick, while Wills was a Second Team All-Patriot League selection a year ago.
The league's head coaches and sports information directors also selected a preseason poll and Bucknell was predicted to finish in third place in the seven-team league. Defending champion American was picked to finish first with Boston University selected second. The top four teams in the final Patriot League standings qualify for the league's postseason tournament.
Mucelli, a midfielder, was named to the Preseason All-Patriot League Team for the second consecutive year. A vital part of Bucknell's midfield and penalty corner unit last year, she started in all 18 games, notching three assists. Largely due to her contributions, the Bison held their opponents to just 1.78 goals per game and 8.7 shots per game throughout the 2013 campaign.
A defender, Wills earned Preseason All-Patriot League recognition for the first time. She is coming off a season in which she started all 18 games and ranked fifth on the team with seven points on two goals and three assists. The Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 7, Wills ranks fourth in Bucknell history with six career defensive saves.
The Bison, who were 8-10 (4-2 PL) in 2013, are just over a week from the start of their 2014 campaign. Bucknell will play its first five games on the road, including next Friday's season opener at Rutgers.
Patriot League Field Hockey Preseason Poll
1. American, 68 points (8 first-place votes)
2. Boston University, 66 (6)
3. Bucknell, 47
4. Lafayette, 46
5. Colgate, 32
6. Lehigh, 19
7. Holy Cross, 16
Patriot League Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: Sofi Laurito, Boston University (Jr., M/F)
Patriot League Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Brittany Blass, Lafayette (Sr., M/D)
Field Hockey Preseason All-Patriot League Team
Carly Atchison, American (Sr., M)
Grace Wilson, American (Sr., D)
Valentina Cerda Eimbcke, Boston University (Sr., GK)
Sofi Laurito, Boston University (Jr., M/F)
Hester van der Laan, Boston University (So., M)
Kelsey Mucelli, Bucknell (Sr., M)
Liz Wills, Bucknell (Sr., D)
Eliana Brown, Colgate (Sr., F)
Brittany Blass, Lafayette (Sr., M/D)
Jenna Seybert, Lafayette (Sr., D)
Marissa Glatt, Lehigh (So., F)
