Field Hockey Doles Out Team Awards, Rutherford Named MVP
2/22/2025 2:18:00 PM | Field Hockey
East Lansing, Mich. -- EAST LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan State field hockey team awarded six players end-of-season team honors for their efforts on and off the field during the 2024 season.
Senior Ellie Rutherford (Edinburgh, Scotland) was named Most Valuable Player and Offensive Player of the Year. Winning her second consecutive Offensive Player of the Year award, Rutherford started all 18 games for the Spartans, leading the team in assists (7) and ranking second in shots (40). Over her four seasons with the Green and White, Rutherford recorded a scoring line of 16-12-44.
Sophomore keeper Lyra Gavino (New Malden, England) was named Defensive Player of the Year. Gavino earned Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors on Oct. 28 after consecutive strong performances. She recorded 10 saves in a 2-1 overtime victory over Iowa on Oct. 25 and tied a career high with 17 saves on Oct. 27 against No. 1 Northwestern. Gavino led all Big Ten goalkeepers in shots faced (266) and saves (103).
Freshman Carmen Pucheta (Cordoba, Argentina) was named Rookie of the Year. Pucheta finished her inaugural season second on the team in goals (4) and third in shots (38). On Nov. 6, the Big Ten Conference named her Big Ten Freshman of the Year. Along with that honor, Pucheta earned spots on the All-Big Ten First Team and the All-Freshman Team. She is the first Spartan in program history to be named to the First Team and earn Freshman of the Year honors in the same season. In 2024, the Spartans went 3-1 in games where Pucheta scored, securing wins over Vermont (3-1), Bellarmine (4-2) and Iowa (2-1).
Sophomore Brynn Shaffer (Hummelstown, Pa.) was voted Most Improved Player. In her freshman season, Shaffer saw limited action, recording one shot in 10 games played. Appearing in all 18 games in her sophomore campaign, she scored one goal and added three assists. Shaffer tallied her first career goal at home in a 4-3 double-overtime loss to Kent State on Oct. 6.
Senior Maddie Lawlor (Shamong, N.J.) took home the Spirit Award. Lawlor, who missed all of 2023 due to injury, started the 2024 season strong with a goal in the season opener on Aug. 30, a 4-3 win over UC Davis. She followed up with another goal in game two on Sept. 1 at Cal. Leading the Spartans in shots (42), Lawlor delivered a career-high eight shots in a 3-1 victory over Central Michigan on Oct. 13.
The team's Janine Ackerman Award was given to senior Jillian Bonczewski (Larksville, Pa.). The award honors the late Janine Ackerman, a former Michigan State field hockey player from the class of 2000. Recipients exemplify three traits associated with Ackerman: leadership, teamwork and character. Starting all 18 games for the Spartans, Bonczewski set career highs in goals (3), assists (2), shots (26) and minutes played (1,028). She tallied three multi-point games in 2024, all in wins against UC Davis (4-3), Vermont (3-1) and Colgate (5-0). Over her four-year career in East Lansing, Bonczewski recorded a scoring line of 4-2-10.
Senior Ellie Rutherford (Edinburgh, Scotland) was named Most Valuable Player and Offensive Player of the Year. Winning her second consecutive Offensive Player of the Year award, Rutherford started all 18 games for the Spartans, leading the team in assists (7) and ranking second in shots (40). Over her four seasons with the Green and White, Rutherford recorded a scoring line of 16-12-44.Sophomore keeper Lyra Gavino (New Malden, England) was named Defensive Player of the Year. Gavino earned Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors on Oct. 28 after consecutive strong performances. She recorded 10 saves in a 2-1 overtime victory over Iowa on Oct. 25 and tied a career high with 17 saves on Oct. 27 against No. 1 Northwestern. Gavino led all Big Ten goalkeepers in shots faced (266) and saves (103).Freshman Carmen Pucheta (Cordoba, Argentina) was named Rookie of the Year. Pucheta finished her inaugural season second on the team in goals (4) and third in shots (38). On Nov. 6, the Big Ten Conference named her Big Ten Freshman of the Year. Along with that honor, Pucheta earned spots on the All-Big Ten First Team and the All-Freshman Team. She is the first Spartan in program history to be named to the First Team and earn Freshman of the Year honors in the same season. In 2024, the Spartans went 3-1 in games where Pucheta scored, securing wins over Vermont (3-1), Bellarmine (4-2) and Iowa (2-1).Sophomore Brynn Shaffer (Hummelstown, Pa.) was voted Most Improved Player. In her freshman season, Shaffer saw limited action, recording one shot in 10 games played. Appearing in all 18 games in her sophomore campaign, she scored one goal and added three assists. Shaffer tallied her first career goal at home in a 4-3 double-overtime loss to Kent State on Oct. 6.Senior Maddie Lawlor (Shamong, N.J.) took home the Spirit Award. Lawlor, who missed all of 2023 due to injury, started the 2024 season strong with a goal in the season opener on Aug. 30, a 4-3 win over UC Davis. She followed up with another goal in game two on Sept. 1 at Cal. Leading the Spartans in shots (42), Lawlor delivered a career-high eight shots in a 3-1 victory over Central Michigan on Oct. 13.The team's Janine Ackerman Award was given to senior Jillian Bonczewski (Larksville, Pa.). The award honors the late Janine Ackerman, a former Michigan State field hockey player from the class of 2000. Recipients exemplify three traits associated with Ackerman: leadership, teamwork and character. Starting all 18 games for the Spartans, Bonczewski set career highs in goals (3), assists (2), shots (26) and minutes played (1,028). She tallied three multi-point games in 2024, all in wins against UC Davis (4-3), Vermont (3-1) and Colgate (5-0). Over her four-year career in East Lansing, Bonczewski recorded a scoring line of 4-2-10. Players Mentioned
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