After a season of firsts, the field hockey team can add another to its list: NESCAC Player of the Year.
Junior forward Tamara Brown was named Tufts' first-ever NESCAC Player of the Year when the conference's end-of-the-year awards were announced yesterday. Joining Brown on the conference's first team were senior co-captain defender Margi Scholtes and sophomore defender Taylor Dyer, while junior midfielders Amanda Roberts and Jess Perkins received spots on the All-NESCAC second team.
The accolades were not limited to the playing field, as for the second straight year Tina McDavitt was named the conference's top coach.
"As nice as it is to be recognized individually, it's really a testament to how good the team as a whole has been," said Roberts, whose second-team All-NESCAC honor is her second in a row.
Brown, who broke Tufts' career records for points and goals this season, led the league with 21 goals, 10 assists and 52 points. In back-to-back games against league rivals Conn. College and Colby in October, she combined for six goals and 14 points.
"She is the perfect example of someone who has bounced back from something devastating," said Roberts, referring to the ACL injury Brown suffered during her freshman year. "For me, it's been so special to see her grow as a player. I've been there since she was injured and I've seen her grow and reach her full potential and bloom. I can't think of anyone as deserving."
Perhaps just as impressive for the Jumbos, a team that led the conference in virtually every offensive category this season, was the presence of four defenders on the All-NESCAC squads. Dyer and Scholtes have helped anchor a defense that has allowed nine goals in 17 games this season. Roberts is the arguably the team's best stick handler and imperative to the team's transitional game, while Perkins notched four goals during the year, including two in Tufts' NESCAC championship win over Trinity.
"I think it shows that our program is so strong that the NESCAC is forced to recognize everyone on the field and not just the people that can provide offensive stats for the team," Roberts said. "It's wonderful that all the unsung heroes on defense are finally being recognized for all their hard work."
In her sixth season as the helm of the program, McDavitt led a squad that had the league's best offense and defense. Since her arrival, the Jumbos have quickly become a national presence on the field hockey scene.
"I think it's really telling that since Tina has been here, [the team] has made it to the national championship in just five years," Roberts said. "From her first year here until now, this program has gone further than anyone thought it could and she has put new life into Tufts field hockey. If it wasn't for her, we wouldn't be the players that we are today."
