Michigan State University Athletics
Three Field Hockey Players Earn All-Region Honors
6/21/1999 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
November 17, 1998
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Three Michigan State field hockey players have been named 1998 AstroTurf/NFHCA West Regional All-Americans. Senior defenders Deirdre McLinden (Flossmoor, Ill.) and Melissa Pryor (Ann Arbor) were named to the first team, while freshman forward Bridget Cooper (Winnetka, Ill.) was honored on the second team. McLinden and Pryor are now eligible to earn National All-America recognition.
McLinden, who earned second-team all-region honors last season, tallied a goal and a career-high five assists in 1998. A First-Team All-Big Ten honoree this year, McLinden earned Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors after leading MSU to a shutout victory over No. 8 Ohio State on Oct. 11.
Pryor, who played every minute of every game this season, was also a first-team all-region honoree last season. The Spartan co-captain has been the backbone of the Spartan defense for three seasons. A First-Team All-Big Ten selection in 1998, she scored the first three goals of her career in 1998 and led the team with five defensive saves.
The 1998 Big Ten Freshman of the Year, Cooper finished the season with eight goals, including four game-winners. Cooper, who was twice named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week in 1998, missed the final four games of the regular season with a foot injury.
