Bates Tabbed NorPac East Offensive Player of the Year

DAVIDSON, N.C. -- Radford junior forward Hope Bates (Haddam, Conn.) was named NorPac East Division Offensive Player of the Year Wednesday for leading the RU field hockey team to a perfect 6-0 Conference record during the regular season.

In all the Highlanders had four players honored with NorPac awards. Senior forward Marie Petran (Norfolk, Va.) joined Bates on the First Team, while senior forward Jenny Bell (Virginia Beach, Va.) and senior midfielder Angela Feindt (Hartwood, Va.) were both named to the second team.

Bates has tallied a team and career best eight goals and 18 points this season. The two-time NorPac Offensive Player of the Week scored both goals in the division-clinching, 2-1 victory over Saint Louis on Oct. 26 and assisted on the game-winner in a 2-0 victory over Davidson to complete a perfect 6-0 in the East.

Petran has two goals and two assists on the season for six points. Bell, who started every match for RU, tallied two goals for four points on 25 shots. Feindt has half of Radford eight team defensive saves with four. She also has two goals and two assists.

The Norpac Tournament begins today in Davidson, N.C. Radford (6-0 NorPac, 9-9) enters the NorPac tournament as the top seed in the east. The Highlanders face west fourth-seeded Stanford (0-6, 6-11) today at 4:00 pm in the first round.