Field Hockey Celebrates Season with Annual Banquet
12/13/2015 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The Maryland field hockey team honored its eight seniors and celebrated the 2015 season with its annual banquet Sunday at the Marriott Inn & Conference Center in College Park. The Terrapins also celebrated their Big Ten regular season and tournament titles.
Supporters, friends and family honored the eight seniors in Faye Curran, Anna Dessoye, Jill Genovese, Shari Jones, Welma Luus, Alyssa Parker, Sarah Sprink and Kasey Tapman for their outstanding careers. In their four years at Maryland, Dessoye, Genovese, Jones, Parker, Sprink and Tapman earned a record of 78-16 (.830), won three conference tournament titles, three conference regular season titles and competed in two Final Fours.
“It was great being back together to pay tribute to the 2015 team and their accomplishments,” head coach Missy Meharg said. “Eight outstanding student-athletes were honored for their unconditional hard work, authenticity and shear talent. Anna Dessoye, Sarah Sprink, Alyssa Parker, Kasey Tapman, Jill Genovese, Faye Curran, Welma Luus and Shari Jones collectively represent an era of Maryland hockey as we ventured through our Big Ten second season going undefeated and winning the Big Ten Tournament. These leaders were unconditional in their desire, contagious in their energy and resilient in the face of adversity. They are all champions on the playing field, champions in the classroom and champions in our community. Once a Terp, always a Terp.”
Meharg and the staff led the Terrapins to a 19-4 record this season, sweeping the Big Ten regular season and tournament titles. They made the program's 21st straight NCAA Tournament appearance this season, marking the longest current active streak in the country.
Members of the team were honored with their Varsity letters for their performances this season and the seniors were granted their membership to the M Club by Maryland field hockey alum Kristy Palchinsky. Several members of the team were honored with individual awards, named after legendary players in the program.
"The Terp awards are given out each year and are named after alums that display certain characteristics of what is means to be a Terp," associate head coach Dina Rizzo said. "It was an honor to have Kristy Palchinsky, a teammate of mine from the 1999 national championship team, be with us on behalf of the M Club and hand out the awards to our seniors."
Dessoye was awarded the Kate Kauffman-Beach Award, an honor that goes to a player that epitomizes the "world class" hockey player that demonstrates the technical and tactical skills coupled with the heart of a champion.
Genovese and Jones both received the Sabrina Salam Award, an honor given to upperclassmen that demonstrate an elite level of quality of life academically, socially, athletically and spiritually while exemplifying a championship lifestyle.
The Kateri Simon Award is the team's Unsung Hero honor. Redshirt junior Emma Rissinger was named the recipient as the athlete that has persevered in times of adversity and has displayed talent, courage and perseverance while serving the team as her first priority.
Sprink received the Carla Tagliente Award, the honor given to the student-athlete who has most consistently displayed excellence on the field and in the classroom by her commitment to preparation and execution.
Redshirt junior Kasey Tapman was honored with the Keli Smith Puzo Award for the second straight year. She was the player who was the team's 'straight shooter'. She was named as the player that wears her emotions on her sleeve and sets her sights on achieving the high level goals she sets for herself.
Parker received the Dina Rizzo Award, an honor that is not given every year, but only when an athlete truly deserves it, for those that lead by example with passion and commitment to winning. This player inspires everyone through a contagious work rate a passion for her teammates and deep-rooted love for the game of field hockey.
Last week, four Terrapins were named All-Americans. Sprink and Dessoye were named to the First Team, while Luus and freshman Linnea Gonzales were named to the Second Team.
Meharg was voted NFHCA Mid-Atlantic Region Coach of the Year for the 16th time in her career earlier this week.
- Terps -
