Field Hockey's Welsh Named The Nation's Top Player
12/3/2001 7:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Dec. 3, 2001
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Field hockey defensive back Autumn Welsh (Macungie, Pa.) was announced the recipient of the 2001 Honda Award, an annual honor that recognizes the "most outstanding player" in each of 12 NCAA women's sports. Welsh automatically becomes a candidate for the Honda-Broderick Cup, which will be awarded on June 17, 2002, to the nation's outstanding female collegiate athlete of the year. In addition to the prestigious personal honor for Welsh, the Honda Motor Company will donate $5,000 to Maryland's women's athletics fund.
The award is the first for a Maryland field hockey player in the 25 years of the Honda Awards program and the first national player of the year honor in the 28 years that Maryland field hockey has been under the auspices of the intercollegiate athletics department. Welsh joins Terp lacrosse standout Jen Adams as the only two Maryland athletes to ever be honored with the national distinction.
The senior adds the award to a resume that includes two All-America honors, four Mid-Atlantic All-Region selections, a 2001 ACC Co-Player of the Year honor, two ACC Tournament MVP accolades, three All-ACC awards, two ACC Player of the Week nods, and the 1998 ACC Rookie of the Year honor. Additionally, Welsh is a two-time NFHCA Academic squad member with a 3.61 grade point average as a math/secondary education major.
Welsh was the backbone of the nation's top-rated defense in 2001, and helped the Terrapins to a 20-4 record and a postseason run to the national championship game. She tied for the NCAA lead with 16 assists on the season as Maryland's stickstop on penalty corners.
Welsh has played international field hockey in the Olympic development program from the age of 15. In the spring of 2001 she was a member of the U.S. National Team that captured the Silver Medal at the Americas Cup.
"Autumn has made a major impact since her arrival in the program. She came from the U.S. Under-16 and Under-18 teams and became the Rookie of the Year in the strongest conference in the country. She is a four-time ACC champion, a national champion and has made three trips to the NCAA semifinal," observed Maryland head coach Missy Meharg. "She's been on the U.S. National Team and U.S. Junior national team that played in the Pan Am games - she's really all-world."
Contact: Mark Fratto
301-314-8052 (Phone)
301-314-9094 (FAX)
301-314-TERP (FanFone)
fratto@wam.umd.edu
