Finalists Announced for Female Rookie of the Year

WHO SHOULD BE THIS YEAR’S FEMALE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR? VOTE NOW!

NORTH ANDOVER, MA – Danielle Dion (Grosvenordale, CT), Jaclyn Giovannini (Plano, TX) and Inna Hedden (Woodbine, MD) have been named finalists for the 2010-11 Merrimack Female Rookie of the Year.

Dion was the go-to player for the women’s soccer team all season. She led the Warriors with eight goals and 19 points while being double and triple-teamed on a squad that finished in second place in the Northeast-10 with a 12-5-3 record, 11-3-1 in the conference. The freshman forward led all Northeast-10 freshmen in scoring and was the only rookie to earn all-conference honors, being named to the second team. A NEWISA All-New England honoree, Dion also led the team in game-winning goals.

Giovannini was a first-team all-conference selection, leading Merrimack to its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2004 along with a Northeast-10 Championship appearance. She batted .294 with four homers, 17 RBIs and a .440 slugging percentage while anchoring first base for the Warriors. 

Hedden tended the goal for the women’s lacrosse team this season, leading the Warriors to a #12 national ranking, a Northeast-10 Semifinal appearance, and a fourth-place finish in the conference. Hedden, an all-rookie team selection, was fifth in the conference with 9.28 saves per game. She posted a 12-7 record with an 11.21 goals-against and a .447 save percentage.

Fans can vote online at facebook.com/merrimackwarriors.

The winners will be announced at student-athlete orientation in early September before the 2011-12 season.

Last year’s winner was April Daugherty (Lincoln, RI) from the field hockey team.

Over the next two weeks, Merrimack is unveiling the finalists for its major awards online at merrimackathletics.com. The winners will all be announced at the student-athlete orientation in early September.

May 9 – Team GPA finalists

May 10 – Female Rookie of the Year finalists

May 11 – Male Rookie of the Year finalists

May 12 – Female Scholar Athlete of the Year finalists

May 13 – Male Scholar Athlete of the Year finalists

May 16 – Female Athlete of the Year finalists

May 17 – Male Athlete of the Year finalists