Three Cardinals Earn NFHCA All-America Honors
December 04, 2018 | Field Hockey
McFerran named to first team, Pastor selected to second team, Stone earns third team honors
Three University of Louisville field hockey players earned 2018 Longstreth/National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Division I All-America honors. Ayeisha McFerran was selected to the first team while Mercedes Pastor and Taylor Stone were named to the second and third team respectively. Â
Â
Louisville is one of seven teams with three or more honorees among the 48 student-athletes recognized NFHCA and McFerran is the only four-time All-America selection on the list. She also becomes the first player in program history to earn All-America honors four times.
Â
The three NFHCA All-America selections match a program record set in 2017.
"This is the second year in a row that we have had three players selected to the All-Americans teams and our program's first ever four-time All-American," said UofL head coach Justine Sowry. "This is a testament to either the quality of players that we have been able to recruit in recent years and/or the work that they have put in to achieve this level of play. Congratulations to Ayeisha, Mechi and Taylor on this wonderful accomplishment."
Â
McFerran (Larne, Northern Ireland) picks up her fourth straight all-America honor after starting every game for the Cardinals and posting five shutouts, tied for the most among ACC goalkeepers in 2018. The senior co-captain carried a 1.24 goals against average, standing second in the ACC and ninth in the nation. She earned NFHCA National Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 19 and was a three-time ACC Defensive player of the week. The goalkeeper has posted 50 career victories and 20 shutouts and is ranked among the top three on Louisville's career lists for wins, shutouts and goals against average. She became the first player in Louisville field hockey history to earn all-America honors as a freshman when she was named to the third team and was selected to the first team in each of the next three seasons. The four-time all-West Region team member and earned a trio of all-ACC honors.
McFerran is a member of Ireland's national team and was named Goalkeeper of the 2018 World Cup after helping the Irish to a silver medal.
Â
Pastor, a sophomore midfielder from Buenos Aires, Argentina, earns her first all-American nod after starting every in her first season at Louisville. The NFHCA all-West Region and all-ACC first team selection tallied five goals, including the game-winner in double overtime at No. 15 Syracuse and the deciding goal in overtime against California. Pastor also dished out three assists to bring her point total to 13 in 2018.
Â
Stone (Herndon, Va.) collects her second straight all-America honor. The midfielder/defender and team co-captain finished the season standing third on the team with five goals and tallied 10 points and earned her second consecutive NFHCA All-West Region first team and all-ACC second team honors. She was also a valuable part of the Cardinals' defense which produced five shutouts. The 2017 NFHCA All-America third team selection registered 16 goals and notched 35 points in her career. She is also a member of USA Field Hockey's National Development Squad.
Â
About Louisville
The Cardinals finished the 2018 season with a 13-6 overall record and ranked No. 14 in the National Field Hockey Coaches Association poll after earning the No. 3 seed in the 2018 ACC Championship.
Â
Â
Â
Louisville is one of seven teams with three or more honorees among the 48 student-athletes recognized NFHCA and McFerran is the only four-time All-America selection on the list. She also becomes the first player in program history to earn All-America honors four times.
Â
The three NFHCA All-America selections match a program record set in 2017.
"This is the second year in a row that we have had three players selected to the All-Americans teams and our program's first ever four-time All-American," said UofL head coach Justine Sowry. "This is a testament to either the quality of players that we have been able to recruit in recent years and/or the work that they have put in to achieve this level of play. Congratulations to Ayeisha, Mechi and Taylor on this wonderful accomplishment."
Â
McFerran (Larne, Northern Ireland) picks up her fourth straight all-America honor after starting every game for the Cardinals and posting five shutouts, tied for the most among ACC goalkeepers in 2018. The senior co-captain carried a 1.24 goals against average, standing second in the ACC and ninth in the nation. She earned NFHCA National Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 19 and was a three-time ACC Defensive player of the week. The goalkeeper has posted 50 career victories and 20 shutouts and is ranked among the top three on Louisville's career lists for wins, shutouts and goals against average. She became the first player in Louisville field hockey history to earn all-America honors as a freshman when she was named to the third team and was selected to the first team in each of the next three seasons. The four-time all-West Region team member and earned a trio of all-ACC honors.
McFerran is a member of Ireland's national team and was named Goalkeeper of the 2018 World Cup after helping the Irish to a silver medal.
Â
Pastor, a sophomore midfielder from Buenos Aires, Argentina, earns her first all-American nod after starting every in her first season at Louisville. The NFHCA all-West Region and all-ACC first team selection tallied five goals, including the game-winner in double overtime at No. 15 Syracuse and the deciding goal in overtime against California. Pastor also dished out three assists to bring her point total to 13 in 2018.
Â
Stone (Herndon, Va.) collects her second straight all-America honor. The midfielder/defender and team co-captain finished the season standing third on the team with five goals and tallied 10 points and earned her second consecutive NFHCA All-West Region first team and all-ACC second team honors. She was also a valuable part of the Cardinals' defense which produced five shutouts. The 2017 NFHCA All-America third team selection registered 16 goals and notched 35 points in her career. She is also a member of USA Field Hockey's National Development Squad.
Â
About Louisville
The Cardinals finished the 2018 season with a 13-6 overall record and ranked No. 14 in the National Field Hockey Coaches Association poll after earning the No. 3 seed in the 2018 ACC Championship.
Â
Â
Players Mentioned
FH: Justine Sowry Postgame Press Conference
Tuesday, November 04
FH: Justine Sowry on the 2025 senior class
Saturday, November 01
FH: Highlights vs No. 9 Syracuse
Saturday, November 01
FH: Highlights vs #19 Cal
Saturday, October 18
