Welsh Travels To Dallas For Collegiate Woman Athlete Of The Year Banquet
6/14/2002 8:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
June 14, 2002
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - National field hockey player of the year Autumn Welsh (Macungie, Pa.) travels to Dallas, Texas this weekend to take part in festivities surrounding the Collegiate Woman of the Year Banquet. Welsh, who was honored with the Honda award for field hockey after leading the 2001 Terps to a 20-4 record and an appearance in the national title game, joins the top athletes from 11 other women's sports as a candidate for the Honda-Broderick Cup, annually awarded to the collegiate sportswoman of the year.
The honor will be awarded at the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year banquet, which will be held on Monday, June 17, in Dallas in conjunction with the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Convention. Welsh's competition includes Sue Bird of the national champion Connecticut women's basketball team, Jennie Finch of the Women's College World Series participant Arizona softball squad, and Logan Tom of Stanford volleyball, among others.
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 thrived 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 and a 2002 Verizon Academic District II selection with a 3.48 grade point average as a math/secondary education major.
Welsh was the backbone of the nation's top-rated field hockey 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.
"I'm very excited and honored to have won for my sport. I am honored to be considered among the greatest female student-athletes in the country -- and excited to meet them all," said Welsh. "I'm proud that after my four years at Maryland I am able to represent my school at such a prestigious event. I hope to represent my team, coaches, school and family well."
Contact: Mark Fratto
301-314-8052 (Phone)
301-314-9094 (FAX)
fratto@wam.umd.edu
