Graduated with distinction in December of 2007 … Majored in business at UNC, earning Dean’s List honors … A member of the U.S. National Team … Nominated for the 2006 WorldHockey Women’s Young Player of the Year Award as one of the top six players under age 23 … At UNC, served as team representative to the Student-Athlete Advisory Council and participated in the Carolina Leadership Academy’s Veteran Leaders program … Finished her career ranked seventh in school history in goals and scoring
2007: Recognized with the Honda Award as the National Player of the Year for field hockey … Led North Carolina to an NCAA title and an undefeated (24-0) season … First-team All-America for the second time in her career … With 19 goals, ranked as the top scorer for the No. 1 offensive team in the country … Named 2007 ACC Defensive Player of the Year and 2007 ACC Tournament MVP … Her penalty stroke gave UNC an overtime win in the conference championship … 2007 National Player of the Year by Womensfieldhockey.com … With Dawson anchoring the defense, UNC totaled a school-record 16 shutouts in 2007 and gave up just 12 goals in 24 games.
2006: Redshirted the season while representing the U.S. in international competition … Named to the Dean’s List for the Spring 2007 semester … Recipient of the team’s Practice Player of the Year Award
2005: As a junior, led UNC in scoring with 11 goals and eight assists for 30 points, despite missing five games while representing the U.S. in international play … Missed three games in September while at the Junior World Cup in Chile, then was invited to join the U.S. National Team in Argentina in November and missed both ACC Tournament games … Named second-team All-America, All-South Region and All-ACC … Selected as the team’s MVP and Practice Player of the Year … Scored four of UNC’s seven goals in a win at Davidson on Oct. 11 … Scored all three goals in a 3-2 overtime win over Penn State on Oct. 30 … Named to the inaugural ACC All-Academic Team and to the NFHCA National Academic Squad
2004: As a sophomore, named first-team All-America and the 2004 Atlantic Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year … Earned All-South Region, All-ACC and All-ACC Tournament honors … Named to the NFHCA National Academic Squad, the Academic Honor Roll and the Dean’s List
2003: Selected as the ACC Freshman of the Year … The fourth UNC player to win the honor … Named the National Freshman of the Year by collegefieldhockey.com … All-ACC Tournament and All-Southeast Region second team … Recipient of the team’s Ken and Cheryl Williams Rookie of the Year Award … UNC’s leader in goals with 19 … Scored eight goals in a three-game span with three against Temple on Sept. 7, two vs. Davidson on Sept. 10 and three vs. James Madison on Sept. 14 … Named to the NFHCA National Academic Squad, the ACC Academic Honor Roll and the Dean’s List
1. What do you enjoy most about blogging as an athlete?
The best thing about blogging is that it allows athletes to connect with fans on a personal level by providing readers with an insight into our lives beyond the playing field. It is a great opportunity for us to share our experiences - triumphs, defeats, and world travels - with people. It is a great means for us communicate and interact with people of various backgrounds, for them to get to know us, and come along on our journey with us.
2. What’s the best moment of your sports career?
The best moment of my sports career occurred this April, when the USA Field Hockey Team qualified for the 2008 Olympic Games. It is the first time the USA has qualified for an Olympics without being a host country since the 1988 Seoul Olympics. The feeling at the moment the final whistle blew is indescribable – it was joy, exhilaration tinged with relief, satisfaction, and anticipation of things to come.
3. What are you most looking forward to in Beijing?
I am really looking forward to (hopefully) representing the USA on the biggest stage that exists for our sport. I am eager to see the dynamics of the Olympic Village and the interactions of athletes from all over the world. I am also looking forward to learning about and experiencing all facets of the Olympics.
Sports History.
• USA National Field Hockey Team (2005-Present)
• 2008 Olympic Qualifier in Kazan Russia
• 2008 Olympic Qualifier - Player of the Tournament
• 2007 NCAA Field Hockey National Championship (undefeated season)
• 2007 Honda Award Winner
• 2007 XV Pan American Games
• 2007 AtaHolding Champions Challenge
• 2006 World Cup
• 2006 World Cup Qualifier
• 2005 Junior World Cup
• USA Jr. National Field Hockey Team (2001-2005)
• NCAA All America (2004 – 2007)
