The praise keeps coming for Tufts' fall sports teams, as a host of players and a coach received postseason awards.
The women's soccer team saw three players honored for their efforts. Senior co−captain Sarah Nolet earned her third straight First Team All−NESCAC selection after spending the entire season at the heart of one of the best defenses in conference history — the unit allowed just six goals during league play.
Nolet was joined on the All−Conference First Team by junior midfielder Alix Michael, while first−year goalkeeper Kristin Wright was named to the second team. Michael scored three goals and was a key contributor to the attack throughout the season. Wright split time in goal with sophomore Phoebe Hanley and posted an incredible nine−save performance to help the Jumbos shut−out the No. 14 Williams Ephs on Parents Weekend.
Head coach Martha Whiting was named Coach of the Year for the third time — the first since 2005 when she led the Jumbos to the NCAA Final Four.
Senior forward Tamara Brown, junior defender Taylor Dyer and senior co−captain midfielder Amanda Roberts led the field hockey team, which sits at 15−2 and earned a first−round bye in the NCAA Div. III Tournament. All of them were named to the All−NESCAC First Team. Roberts' classmate and fellow co−captain Jess Perkins was chosen for the second team.
Brown was named the NESCAC Player of the Year for the second consecutive season after scoring a remarkable 24 goals and seven assists, leading her team to a 59−10 goal differential. Leading the defense was Dyer, who became the second Jumbo in three years to win the Defensive Player of the Year award. Dyer was the key to a stifling Tufts back−line that logged 10 shutouts and gave up more than one goal just twice in 17 contests.
The volleyball team, which finished as the runner−up in the NESCAC Tournament and qualified for the NCAAs, placed three players on All−Conference squads. Senior quad−captain Caitlin Updike was the lone first−team honoree, leading the Jumbos with 407 kills. Junior libero Audrey Kuan, who is also an online editor for the Daily, and sophomore setter Kendall Lord earned spots on the second team.
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