WCU's Rachal Toppi Named D-II Field Hockey Player Of The Year

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The 2016 field hockey season was a very good one for Rachal Toppi and her success did not go unnoticed.

This week, the West Chester University junior was named the Longstreth/National Field Hockey Coaches Association Division II Player of the Year. The forward led all of Division II with 24 goals and 53 points in just 20 games.

"It's just been so humbling and such an honor just to even been recognized," Toppi tells KYW Newsradio. "I just can't thank everyone enough for all the support - my team, everybody."

Listen to the entire interview with WCU's Rachal Toppi:

This award followed Toppi being named the Longstreth/NFHCA Division II Atlantic Region Player of the Year and a first-team All American. She also earned Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year honors. For Toppi though, the experience is much more satisfying than any awards.

"I just love being a part of West Chester field hockey," she says. "I just love the atmosphere here, I just love being a part of this team and being coached by amazing coaches and playing against amazing, amazing players in Division II."

Toppi talks about when she fell in love with the game of field hockey growing up in Glassboro, New Jersey in Gloucester County.
"It became a passion for me right at the end of eighth grade, going into ninth," Toppi says. "I was asked to play in a little indoor tournament with my high school coach and I ended up really liking it and she asked me to actually play in high school, because I was on the verge of playing soccer or field hockey. I ended up just wanting to play field hockey, I thought it was so much fun and I had such a good time playing and I just wanted to learn more about the sport."

And West Chester fans couldn't be happier for that decision.

Toppi's resume is already quite impressive and keep in mind, she is only a junior, so there is still a lot of her collegiate field hockey story that has yet to be written. There is no question for her that there is still important work to do.

"We want to win a national championship," she says. "That's the main goal."

And she is ready to get back to work.

"I cannot wait for the next year to start," Toppi says.

West Chester went 13-7 this past season, advancing to the semifinals of the PSAC Tournament.