BROCKPORT, N.Y.—Freshman Eleonore Boekhorst (Bilthoven, The Netherlands) and senior Clara Defourt (Brussels, Belgium) of the UMass Lowell field hockey program were tabbed to the 2020 NFHCA Division I All-Region Squad, as announced on Tuesday.
 
The division is divided into five regions–Mid-Atlantic, Mideast, Northeast, South and West—with each region honoring 16 student-athletes on a first team and 16 on a second team.
 
Goalkeeper Boekhorst and back Defourt both earned Northeast Region First Team recognition for their performances this season for the River Hawks.
 
"Clara and Leo were true impact players in our team success this year. For them to be recognized for their individual performances by the region's coaches is just an awesome end to a fantastic season," said Head Coach Shannon LeBlanc.
 
In her collegiate debut, Boekhorst was a defensive force for the UMass Lowell squad, starting all 12 games this season and closing with a 7-5 record. Posting four shutouts to open her career, Boekhorst collected several accolades across her rookie campaign, including three America East Rookie of the Week and two AE Rookie of the Week honors. Following her standout season in the cage, Boekhorst was named the America East Goalkeeper of the Year, marking the first time a River Hawk has garnered a major award since joining the conference and elevating to Division I.
 
A co-captain for the 2020 squad, Defourt was a key starter for the River Hawks during her senior campaign. Scoring two goals and three assists across seven games, Defourt ranked second on the team in overall points with seven. With her 17 career assists, the Belgium native ranks first on the program's DI record list. A two-time America East All-Conference nominee, this marks Defourt's first-ever NFHCA Division I All-Region honor.
 
"[This is] a true capstone award for Clara as a senior," concluded LeBlanc. "And for Eleonore, a beginning to what will be a tremendous career."