BUCKENHEIMER NAMED ECAC DEFENDER OF THE YEAR

Four AMCC women's soccer players earned All-ECAC honors, announced earlier this week. 

Penn State Behrend women's soccer senior defender Kristi Buckenheimer has been named the 2023 Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Defender of the Year. Buckenheimer is earning her second Player of the Year honor after being named the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) Co-Defensive Player of the Year. She was also an All-Region Third Team choice and an All-AMCC First Team selection this season. Buckenheimer anchored the defense that posted a league-best .95 goals-against average. The Lions only allowed 18 goals and recorded 10 shutouts in 20 contests.

Behrend freshman midfielder Rachel Sickeri was named to the All-ECAC First Team. Sickeri, the 2023 AMCC Newcomer of the Year, landed on the All-ECAC First Team. She was an All-AMCC Second Team honoree for scoring eight goals and handing out 10 assists for 26 points. Sickeri tallied all her points in the nine conference games. She led the AMCC with 10 assists and was third in points.

Pitt-Greensburg's Megan Hickey and Nylah Pannebaker were each named to the All-ECAC Second Team.

Hickey finished second on the team with 12 goals and also recorded 11 assists on the year for 35 points. Her 61 shots were top five in the AMCC. She was also top five in goal and points, while being tied for first in the AMCC in assists.
 
Pannebaker adds this recognition to her AMCC Defensive Player of the Year award she received in November. Pannebaker played every minute of the season for the Bobcats and was part of 12 clean sheets which led the AMCC.