Bucknell University Athletics
Neilson Receives NFHCA First Team All-Region Honors; Leclercq Tabbed to Second Team
11/29/2023 1:35:00 PM | Field Hockey
LEWISBURG, Pa.- Already enjoying a banner year, the awards continue to pour in for junior forward Lily Neilson, who was named to the NFHCA All-Region (Mideast) First Team on Wednesday. It marks back-to-back years that Neilson has received the NFHCA first-team designation. Kira Leclercq also earned Second Team honors. It is the second consecutive season that Bucknell had two NFHCA honorees.Â
NFHCA Release
Neilson was named Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year earlier this year for the second-straight season alongside her PL First Team laurel. She became the eighth player in Patriot League history to repeat as the back-to-back PL Offensive Player of the Year. Neilson earned her third First Team honor to become the ninth Bucknell player with the distinction and the first since Kelsey Mucelli (2012, 2013 & 2014). She also tied a Patriot League single-season record with four PL Player of the Week awards.Â
Neilson dominated the Patriot League, scoring 13 goals to lead the circuit. It is the third consecutive season the Australian native has paced the PL in goals. Neilson finished 11th nationally in goals per game (.89). She finished second in the Patriot League in points (28) despite two missing games to qualify for the Australian Junior World Cup Team.Â
Neilson has drastically rewritten Bucknell's record book. The forward now owns three of the top-10 single-season totals, and her 42 career goals rank her third all-time in Bucknell history. She is 14 goals away from first place. Her 88 career points are fourth in the Bison annals.Â
Leclercq blossomed into one of the top defenders in the Patriot League, earning First Team honors, after receiving Second Team in 2022. The Berlin, Germany native crushed opposing attacks with her stellar backline and turned away multiple scoring opportunities by earning four defensive saves. The mark ranked second in the PL and ninth nationally. Leclercq now has 12 career defensive saves, a slot that places her third all-time in Bucknell history.Â
The defender was not merely elite on defense. Leclercq turned into an offensive force, often chosen to take penalty corners. Her five goals ranked third on the team and her 14 points slotted her second in Bison efforts. In her two-year career, she has scored seven goals and tallied seven assists.Â
The NFHCA Division I All-Region team announcement is the first in a list of postseason awards to come from the NFHCA over the next several weeks. Next to be announced are the NFHCA Regional Players of the Year on December 7, followed by the NFHCA All-American teams on December 12 and the NFHCA National Player of the Year on December 15.Â
NFHCA Release
Neilson was named Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year earlier this year for the second-straight season alongside her PL First Team laurel. She became the eighth player in Patriot League history to repeat as the back-to-back PL Offensive Player of the Year. Neilson earned her third First Team honor to become the ninth Bucknell player with the distinction and the first since Kelsey Mucelli (2012, 2013 & 2014). She also tied a Patriot League single-season record with four PL Player of the Week awards.Â
Neilson dominated the Patriot League, scoring 13 goals to lead the circuit. It is the third consecutive season the Australian native has paced the PL in goals. Neilson finished 11th nationally in goals per game (.89). She finished second in the Patriot League in points (28) despite two missing games to qualify for the Australian Junior World Cup Team.Â
Neilson has drastically rewritten Bucknell's record book. The forward now owns three of the top-10 single-season totals, and her 42 career goals rank her third all-time in Bucknell history. She is 14 goals away from first place. Her 88 career points are fourth in the Bison annals.Â
Leclercq blossomed into one of the top defenders in the Patriot League, earning First Team honors, after receiving Second Team in 2022. The Berlin, Germany native crushed opposing attacks with her stellar backline and turned away multiple scoring opportunities by earning four defensive saves. The mark ranked second in the PL and ninth nationally. Leclercq now has 12 career defensive saves, a slot that places her third all-time in Bucknell history.Â
The defender was not merely elite on defense. Leclercq turned into an offensive force, often chosen to take penalty corners. Her five goals ranked third on the team and her 14 points slotted her second in Bison efforts. In her two-year career, she has scored seven goals and tallied seven assists.Â
The NFHCA Division I All-Region team announcement is the first in a list of postseason awards to come from the NFHCA over the next several weeks. Next to be announced are the NFHCA Regional Players of the Year on December 7, followed by the NFHCA All-American teams on December 12 and the NFHCA National Player of the Year on December 15.Â
Players Mentioned
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