IU's Bashore named Big Ten Player of the Year

With a 16-4 record and an NCAA berth imminent, the IU field hockey team has enjoyed the most successful season in its history -- and more than just the fans are taking notice. \nLast week, the Big Ten Conference named senior midfielder Kayla Bashore Big Ten Player of the Year. It is the first such honor for any Hoosier field hockey player in the program's six-year history. \nBashore, who redshirted last season to focus on studying for the MCATs, said winning the award in her final season made the honor all the more satisfying. This is the third year that Bashore has been a first team conference selection. \n"It was a great reward for coming back this season," Bashore said. "It was great to win the award while playing on such a great team."\nBashore, who was also the first Hoosier to be named a member of the U.S. National Team earlier this season, was a unanimous selection for the award -- something coach Amy Robertson said is a reflection of Bashore's great year. \n"She's such a great all around player," Robertson said. "She dominates the attack and can't really be stopped. The fact that she was a unanimous selection shows how outstanding she was this season."\nJoining Bashore as first team All-Big Ten selections are sophomore goalkeeper Haley Exner, junior defensive back Morgan Miller and junior forward Lydia Schrott. Having four players selected is a Hoosier record and the most from any one team in the conference. \n"The fact that we had four players selected is a testament to the high quality of field hockey that this program has achieved," Robertson said. "We probably could have had three or four other players honored as well."\nExner, who in her first year as the starting goalkeeper set not only the season record for wins, but became the program's all-time leader in victories. She said the honor took her by surprise. \n"At the beginning of the season, I would have never believed in a million years that I would be named first team All-Big Ten," Exner said. "I'm very grateful and thankful for such good teammates that helped me this season."\nMiller, one of Exner's defensive cohorts, said she believes the entire defense could have been recognized by the conference.\n"I am very excited that I was selected, but really it's a reflection of how great our whole defensive unit was this season," Miller said. \nSchrott, who is IU's all-time leader in goals scored with 26, was named as a second team selection last season, but this marks the first time she has been named to the first team. \nIn addition to the honors earned by Bashore, Exner, Miller and Schrott, senior forward Mallory Reabold was awarded the Big Ten's Sportsmanship Award. Reabold, along with Bashore, was also named as a participant in the North/South Senior All-Star game. \n"I think all the awards and honors we've won this season is really a reflection of the team effort this year," Bashore said. "It shows we've had a great season, and it's great to be recognized for that"