National Champion Field Hockey Squad Holds Annual Team Banquet
4/9/2006 8:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
April 9, 2006
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The NCAA and ACC Champion Maryland field hockey squad held its annual team banquet, officially marking the end of the 2005-06 campaign. All-Americans Lauren Powley and Paula Infante repeated as the team's most outstanding players, earning the Katie Kauffman award. The Kateri Simon Unsung Hero distinction was presented to senior Meredith Long, while classmate Emily Beach garnered the Carla Tagliente honor, given to the team's outstanding student-athlete. In its first year of the award, Linzi Jones was honored with the #11 Award, named in memory of Sabrina Salam, a former Terrapin All-American who was killed in a car accident last April.
"I have such a feeling of pride in this program. As we celebrate 25 years of women's sports in the NCAA, Maryland field hockey continues a tradition of excellence," said national coach of the year Missy Meharg. "This team in particular, with the strength of the ACC this season, truly has been the most outstanding team to ever play and has raised the bar for the future of Maryland field hockey."
Paula Infante (Santiago, Chile) and Lauren Powley (Mountaintop, Pa.) both repeated as All-Americans this season. Infante was named the nation's most outstanding player, earning the Honda Sports Award, only the second player in school history to earn the honor. Infante was named the ACC's Defensive Player of the Year, earning all-conference nods for the third time. Powley, also a three-time All-ACC honoree, has been a staple on the Terrapins' midfield line. She missed only five games in her career, helping the U.S. Junior World Cup team to the American's best-ever seventh-place finish. Powley is only the fourth Terp in school history to be named All-American four times, earning a spot on the first team three times.
The Unsung Hero was senior Meredith Long (Ocean City, N.J.). A transfer from Boston University three years ago, last season, Long redshirted the year due to medical reasons. She came back in 2005 and was a starter in all but one game, tallying 12 points on four goals and four assists. Two of her goals came in the 3-0 win over American in the NCAA Tournament which put the Terrapins in the NCAA semifinals for the third year in a row.
A team co-captain, senior Emily Beach (Bethesda, Md.) has been an outstanding athlete as well as a standout student. A public and community health major, she started in every game on defensive in her two seasons at Maryland, after transferring from Virginia. She posted seven goals and eight assists and was named first team All-American by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association. She anchored a defense which was second in the nation, boasting an 1.01 goals against average.
Linzi Jones (Aberdeen, NSW, Australia) was the recipient of the first Sabrina Salam #11 Award. Sabrina Salam-Currow was a two-time All-American, helping the Terps win the 1993 NCAA title. She tragically passed away on April 4 after being in a fatal car accident. The 2005 season was dedicated to her memory. Every member of the Terrapin squad had a #11 stitched onto their uniform.
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