Nov. 5, 2008
Can They Do It Again? Soza's OT Game-Winner Beats Cal... | ...Describes The Game's Final Play 2007 NorPac Tourney: How It Started... | ...And Ended With A Stanford Title Updated StatisticsSTANFORD, Calif.- On the eve of the 11th annual NorPac Tournament, the Stanford field hockey program was well-represented with a league-best seven all-conference selections as announced at the annual awards banquet.
Among the highlights: sophomore Camille Gandhi collecting Stanford's first Player of the Year honor since 2000 and freshman Stephanie Byrne extending the Cardinal's stranglehold on the Rookie of the Year award to six seasons.
Not bad for a squad entering this weekend's conference tournament with a 6-10 overall record. Then again, Stanford (6-10, 4-2 NorPac) dominated NorPac Player of the Week voting during the regular season with five different players claiming a total of six weekly honors.
Last year's Rookie of the Year, Gandhi has emerged as a tremendous all-around player and team leader. The 5-4 midfielder/defender from London, England, leads the Cardinal in assists (8) and shot attempts (41). She has also scored two goals for a total of 12 points in 14 games. The award is even more impressive considering Gandhi missed two games in early October as she led the USA U-21 National Team to a gold medal at the 2008 Junior Pan American Games in Mexico City.
Gandhi becomes the first Cardinal player to capture the conference Player of the Year honor since Michelle Scott in 2000.
For the sixth consecutive year, a Stanford player claimed the Maria Whitehead Rookie of the Year award. This time around, Byrne was the recipient after making an immediate impact in her first year of collegiate field hockey. The 5-3 forward ranks second on the team with six goals and 12 points while checking in third with 24 shots. She scored four goals in her first five matches of the year. Byrne extends the list of Stanford players earning the honor, following up past winners Camille Gandhi (2007), Nora Soza (2006), Caroline Hussey (2005), Jessica Zutz (2004) and Cara-Lynn Lopresti (2003).
Gandhi was named to the First Team, along with sophomore Xanthe Travlos. A First Team selection last year as well, Travlos has recorded four goals and four assists for a total of 12 points this year. She has one game-winning goal to her credit and ranks second on the club with 33 shot attempts.
Senior Bailey Richardson, junior Midori Uehara and redshirt freshman Alessandra Moss were all named to the Second Team.
The anchor of the backline, Richardson was named a Second Team selection for the third time in her career. The 5-7 defender has contributed four assists, six points and 16 shot attempts this year. One of the most dependable players on the Stanford roster, Richardson has played in 75 of the possible 77 games during her career.
Perhaps no better indication of Stanford's talent and depth is Uehara being named to the Second Team. Entering her junior year, Uehara had scored three goals and taken only 12 shots in her first two seasons. The 5-5 midfielder/forward has exploded this year, leading the Cardinal in goals (9) and points (18) while taking 18 shots and adding two game-winning goals. Her biggest highlight came back on Sept. 27 against Pacific, when she scored an unthinkable four goals off four shots.
Only a rookie, Moss has played like a veteran down the stretch after losing her starting spot early in the year. A flashy and athletic 5-5 keeper, Moss has made 80 saves (including a career-high 13 against No. 4 Iowa back on Sept. 13) and posted a 1.38 GAA while establishing herself as one of the premier goalkeepers in the conference. She earned NorPac Player of the Week honors three different times during the regular season.
Stanford opens defense of its NorPac Tournament championship on Thursday, Nov. 6, against Davidson at 12:30 p.m. The Cardinal is the No. 2 seed for this year's tournament, played in Farmville, Va., and hosted by Longwood.
The Cardinal defeated California 3-1 to claim the 2007 title.
Player of the Year
Camille Gandhi, Stanford
Offensive Player of the Year
Carla Binnewies, Longwood
Defensive Player of the Year
Rachel Moffit, California
Coach of the Year
Iain Byers, Longwood
Maria Whitehead Rookie of the Year
Stephanie Byrne
Sheryl Johnson Academic Excellence Award
Tyler Kirkland, Davidson
Julie Nagel Extraordinary Teammate Award
Sarah Miceli, Pacific
First Team
Carla Binnewies, Longwood
Britti Himelfarb, Davidson
Ashley Glosz, California
Stephanie McLamb, Radford
Carolina Bistue, California
Camille Gandhi, Stanford
Katy McDonough, Pacific
Rachel Moffit, California
Andrea Lo, California
Xanthe Travlos, Stanford
Kelly Knoche, California
Second Team
Quantina Chau, Appalachian State
Carra Bunner, Longwood
Midori Uehara, Stanford
Kathelijn van der Ven, Davidson
Amanda Young, Appalachian State
Tyler Kirkland, Davdison
Christine Fairchild, Radford
Lisa Muhl, Pacific
Bailey Richardson, Stanford
Lauren Van de Kamp, Longwood
Alessandra Moss, Stanford