PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Rutgers field hockey had three student-athletes named All-Region with the NFHCA's announcement of the Mid-Atlantic All-Region Team on Wednesday. and were named First Team All-Region, while was named Second Team All-Region.
These three earn All-Region honors after previously being named All-Conference. Niklaus was a First Team All-Big Ten selection, while Causarano and Winter were Second Team All-Big Ten honorees. Causarano and Winter were named All-Region for the third straight season, while Niklaus has now earned all-region recognition in both of her collegiate seasons. Rutgers has also had at least three First Team All-Region players in six of the past seven seasons.
Causarano has been a team captain for her past three seasons 'On the Banks' and was recently named to the NFHCA Senior Team. The Salta, Argentina native was a Second Team All-Big Ten selection this season after leading the team this season with seven goals, 10 assists and 24 points. She had a career-high with three goals against Miami and three assists at Indiana. For her career, Causarano played in 78 games across four years as a Scarlet Knight. She scored 23 goals and added 22 assists for 68 collegiate points. Those totals place her eighth all-time at RU in goals, eighth in assists and tied for sixth on the career list in points. Her career point total was most of any RU player under head coach Meredith Civico.
Niklaus was a starter in all 17 games. In addition to her presence stabilizing the team's defense, she had seven goals and three assists. The Manheim, Germany native shared team lead in goals and was second in points (17) and third in assists and was named to the Big Ten All-Tournament Team. She earned all-conference recognition for the second time, ascending to First Team status after being tabbed as a Second Team All-Big Ten selection as a rookie in 2023, where she also was placed on the Big Ten All-Tournament team. She had two goals in the win over No. 7 Iowa, and her first career hat trick with three scores against Indiana. She has started all 32 of her career games with 10 goals and seven assists.
Winter excelled at center back for RU, leading the nation in defensive saves (nine) for the second straight season. The product of The Netherland finished the 2024 season with 25 defensive saves for her career and became RU's career record holder in the statistic, surpassing the mark with a career-high four defensive saves against eventual national champion Northwestern in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals. Winter's 25 defensive saves are tied for the 8th most all-time in NCAA history and she was just the ninth player all-time to record at least four defensive saves in a single game, and just the second to do so since 2014. She was named to the Big Ten All-Tournament Team and was a Second Team All-Big Ten selection.