By William Bowman
BLOOMSBURG -- When Maggey Bloskey arrived at Bloomsburg University to play field hockey, she was just hoping for a more successful career than the one she had at Danville.
Bloskey was better known for her exploits on the track than she was on the hockey field with the Ironmen. A state qualifier in track, Bloskey's field hockey team not only never seriously contended for a District 4 title, they never even qualified for the playoffs.
Now, four years later, it's hard to imagine just where Bloskey came from, especially when you look at her college resumé, which got a huge boost Tuesday afternoon.
Bloskey, who helped lead the Huskies to their fourth consecutive Division II national title a couple of weeks ago and eighth in nine seasons, was named the NFHCA/Longstreth National Division II Player of the Year after leading the Huskies to their 16th NCAA title in school history. In addition, Bloomsburg's Chelsea Due and Amanda Riley were named first team All-Americans by the NFHCA with Caitlyn Koczynski earning second team honors.
Bloskey gives Bloomsburg its third consecutive national player of the year, following Jamie Vanartsdalen who won in 2007 and 2008.
"It's been amazing, the last four years have just been amazing," said Bloskey. "I thought it was possible that I could be an All-American, but never player of the year."
Bloskey finished second on the Huskies in scoring with 15 goals and a team-high 12 assists, tied for the 12th best -single season mark in school history. She had a great postseason scoring two goals and getting one assist in the national semifinals against Shippensburg and also scored the game-winning goal in overtime against Shippensburg in the PSAC title game.
She was also named MVP of the PSAC Championships and was selected to the NCAA All-Tournament team.
Entering her senior year with three NCAA titles in hand, Bloskey said she and her classmates felt the pressure to win another crown. Added into the mix was the fact that legendary coach Jan Hutchinson announced that this would be her final year at BU.
"There was a whole lot of pressure to win another one," said Bloskey. "Then coach was leaving, and that added more. It was a really stressful season, but it was a big relief when it won."
She finished her career with 45 goals, tied for 10th all-time in school history, and 19 assists. Her 109 career points rank as the ninth best mark in school history and she was always known as a big-game performer for the Huskies.
That reputation extended back to the 2008 national semifinals when she scored all three goals for the Huskies, including the game-winner in overtime, against Shippensburg.
So did Bloskey really envision something like this after her career at Danville.
"It was such a change from high school to college," said Bloskey. "All of the players were all very good. I had to really adjust and it did take me some time."
Bloomsburg the year finished 22-1. In Bloskey's four seasons, the Huskies were 89-6.
