RICHMOND, Va. – Following a strong season on the pitch for Towson University field hockey, Lena Vandam, Kasey Bubel and Kaiya Townsend Sabur have all received All-Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Postseason honors. The conference made its announcement Thursday morning.
Vandam was tabbed Defensive Player of the Year, making her the first Tiger to receive the honor in program history. Vandam also received All-CAA first team honors and is the first Towson player to do so since Katie DeFilippo (2011).
One of four Tigers to start all eight games of the spring season, Vandam played every second of the season in goal. She ended the regular season with a conference-best 61 saves against 140 shots. Vandam also led the league with 7.62 saves per game and a .782 save percentage. The graduate transfer finished five games with over a .800 save percentage including a .929 percentage against Drexel (4/18). She earned 13 saves in two games against both James Madison (4/11) and the Dragons for the best single-game performance in the CAA.
Hailing from Antwerp, Belgium, Vandam was selected as CAA Player of the Week on March 30 after Towson defeated Northeastern, 3-1, for the first time in program history on the Huskie's turf. She became the first Tiger to earn the honor since Tabi Hatch was selected in 2010. Vandam was also named to the 2020 NFHCA Division I National Academic Squad.
Bubel was named to the All-CAA second team after a stellar year anchoring the defense. The junior led the conference for the entire regular season in defensive saves. She picked up three defensive saves in the first contest of the season against Syracuse (3/14) before adding one more at James Madison (4/11). The second most defensive saves in the conference was just two.
Townsend Sabur rounded out the Tigers' award list, getting a spot on the All-CAA rookie team. The freshman scored the opening goal of the spring against The Orange. The following week (3/16) she was named CAA Rookie of the Week. Townsend Sabur also contributed one assist, 10 shots and put six on-frame. She was also the only freshman to play in all eight games in addition to getting four starts.
This marks the second consecutive season Towson has had student-athletes make both the All-CAA second-team and All-CAA rookie-team.
Full list of all CAA Postseason Awards:
All-CAA First Team
Caroline Cahill, JMU
Ashlyn Carr, Delaware
Eline Di Leva, Drexel
Isabel Jacobs, Drexel
Emily Kresho, Delaware
Cara Menges, W&M
Lauren Rowe, Northeastern
Femke Strien, Delaware
Lena Vandam, Towson
Jasmijn Verdoes, Hofstra
Eveline Zwagwer, JMU
All-CAA Second Team
Tabby Billingham, W&M
Kasey Bubel, Towson
Julia Duffhuis, Delaware
Cailin Hart, Northeastern
Brandelynn Heinbaugh, JMU
Camila Larsson, Hofstra
Kara McClure, JMU
Morgan Merritt, JMU
Sally Snead, W&M
Djuna Slort, Hofstra
Melanie Weber, Northeastern
CAA All-Rookie Team
Berber Bakermans, Delaware
Liz Chipman, Drexel
Eline Di Leva, Drexel
Julia Duffhuis, Delaware
Brandelynn Heinbaugh, JMU
Jayden Moon, W&M
Lauren Satchell, JMU
Caroline Sweeney, Northeastern
Kaiya Townsend Sabur, Towson
Jasmijn Verdoes, Hofstra
Player of the Year: Eveline Zwager, JMU
Defensive Player of the Year: Lena Vandam, Towson
Rookie of the Year: Julia Duffhuis, Delaware
Coach of the Year: Christy Morgan, JMU
