Vendel and Ryan Earn End of Season Awards

A pair of Central Connecticut freshmen received end of the season Northeast Conference honors on Thursday. Betsy Vendel and Mackenzy Ryan were both named to the NEC All-Rookie Team at the conference banquet held on the night before the league championship tournament. Vendel also became the first Blue Devil to earn the accolades of Rookie of the Year in the NEC in the program's history.

Vendel and Ryan led Central Connecticut to a school record five wins in 2010. Vendel, an attacker, led the Blue Devils with 30 goals and 25 assists on the season. She also added a team best 34 draw controls to go along with 28 ground balls and 12 caused turnovers. Vendel's 25 assists were a single-season record at CCSU, while her 55 total points were good enough for the second best scoring out put in school history.

Playing midfield, and along with Vendel starting all 14 games this season, Ryan recorded the second most goals for Central in her first season in New Britain. She tallied 25 scores while adding 10 assists in 2010. Ryan also finished the year with 23 ground balls, 17 draw controls and 13 caused turnovers.

Central Connecticut ended the year with a 5-9 record. The freshman duo will return in 2011 to attempt to lead CCSU to its first NEC Tournament appearance since joining the league in 2000.