Merlijn van der Vegt

They/Them/Their

Class:
Graduate Student
Position:
GK
Hometown:
Utrecht, The Netherlands
High School:
St. Bonifatius College
Prev School:
Hofstra

• NFHCA All-West Region Second Team (2023)
• ACC All-Tournament Team (2023)

At Louisville (2023):
• Selected to the NFHCA All-West Region Second Team
• Named to the ACC All-Tournament Team
• Posted a 1.09 goals against average, finishing the season second in the ACC and tied for fifth in the nation in that category
• Tallied six shutouts and 15 wins
• Recorded 61 saves and a .709 save percentage.
• Registered a season-high 10 saves in the ACC quarterfinal win over No. 13 Boston College (10/31)
• ACC Defensive Player of the Week (8/29)
• Posted back-to-back shutouts against Miami (Ohio) and No. 7 Virginia
• Registered nine saves in Louisville’s 1-0 win at No. 2 Northwestern (8/27)
• All-ACC Academic Team selection

At Hofstra
As a senior (2022):
• Stood 11th in the NCAA with a .787 save percentage and posted a 1.60 goals against average while collecting five wins for the Pride
• NFHCA Division I Scholar of Distinction and National Academic Squad member
• College Sports Communicators At-Large Academic All-District selection
• Fall 2022 and Spring 2023 CAA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll member

As a junior (2021):
• All-CAA Second Team
• CAA Player of the Week on September 21
• NFHCA Division I National Academic Squad member
• Fall 2021 and Spring 2022 CAA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll member
• Played in all 18 games and made 16 starts in goal, accumulating 1,048 minutes played
• Recorded a 2.18 goals-against average and allowed 39 goals
• Finished the year with a save percentage of .686
• Totaled 84 saves, including a season-high of eight against Davidson (9/5), UMass Lowell (9/12), and James Madison (10/3)
• Recorded shutouts against Sacred Heart (9/17), Quinnipiac (9/19), and Towson (10/15)
• Faced 215 shots on the year, with a season-high of 23 against James Madison.

As a sophomore (2020):
• NFHCA Division I National Academic Squad member
• Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 CAA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll member
• Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 Hofstra Dean’s List
• Spring 2021 Hofstra Athletic Director Scholars Academic Honor Roll
• Started all 12 games in goal
• Allowed 25 goals and posted a 2.05 goals against average
• Made 40 saves on the year, including a season-high of 10 against Connecticut
• Faced 119 shots on the year with a season-high of 23 against Connecticut
• Recorded a .615 save percentage
• Played in 1088 minutes with a season-high of 70 against Wagner.

As a freshman (2019):
• NFHCA Division I National Academic Squad member
• Fall 2019 and Spring 2020 CAA Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll
• Named to the Fall 2019 and Spring 2020 Dean's List
• Hofstra Athletic Director Scholars Academic Honor Roll
• Started in 16 games in goal
• Allowed 39 goals and posted a 2.44 goals against average
• Made 99 saves on the year including a season-high 12 against Monmouth
• Faced 240 shots with a season-high of 32 against Monmouth
• Recorded a .717 save percentage
• Logged 959 minutes in goal with a season-high of 80 against Bryant.

High School/Club:
• Attended St. Bonifatius College in Utrecht, The Netherlands
• On the club circuit, they were a finalist at the regional level in the shoot-out competition and at the national sportkampen, won first prize for most improvement
• Member of league championship teams in indoor hockey with U14 in 2015-16, with U18 in 2016-17, and with U18 and senior women’s team in 2017-18
• Member of the national runners-up U18 team in 2016-17.

Personal:
• Has three siblings
• Enjoys sailing, skiing and soccer in their free time
• Lists Dutch soccer player Shanice van de Sanden, and Dutch short track speed skater Suzanne Schulting as their favorite athletes
• Aspires to work in a clinic for minority children
• Earned bachelor’s degree in geology from Hofstra in 2023.