Princeton University Athletics
C. Otto von Kienbusch Award
September 20, 2001 | General
Awarded annually to a Princeton senior woman of high scholastic rank who has demonstrated general proficiency in athletics and the qualities of a true sportswoman. Presented in memory of C. Otto v. Kienbusch '06, friend and benefactor of women's athletics at Princeton.
Julia Beaver
What's this? Is she the best ever or the second-best now?
Relax. Julia Beaver had it under control the whole time.
For the first time in her brilliant squash career at Princeton, Julia Beaver was forced to avenge a defeat. As with every other challenge she faced as a Tiger, it was not a problem.
Beaver knocked off two players who had handed her midseason defeats-her only two ever-en route to winning her third straight national intercollegiate squash championship this past winter. It was a championship that sealed her place in the history of the sport, where she is regarded in many circles as the greatest women's player of all-time.
Beaver's accomplishments are certainly amazing. She began her career as the first female athlete to be named Ivy League Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year in the same season, and she went on to be a four-time Ivy Player of the Year. She was also a four-time first-team All-America.
She also helped Princeton to back-to-back national titles as a freshman and sophomore and two the 1998 Ivy League championship.
She cruised to her first individual championship as a sophomore, and she followed that her junior year by winning grueling matches in the semifinals and final her junior year.
Just when she appeared to be untouchable, though, Penn's Runa Reta and Trinity's Nina Helal both scored wins over Beaver in regular-season matches. On the final day of her Princeton squash career, Beaver defeated both in four games to win her third title.
From there, she headed outdoors to the lacrosse field, where she was a back-up goalie for the Tigers' Ivy League champion and NCAA Final Four team, despite having never played the sport before.
A three-time Academic All-Ivy pick as a molecular biology major, the Brooklyn native is headed for medical school after a career in professional squash.
C a r e e r H i g h l i g h t s
* 1999, 2000, 2001 individual national champion
* four-time All-America selection
* four-time Ivy League Player of the Year
* 1998 Ivy League Rookie of the Year
* four-time All-Ivy League selection
* 1999, 2000, 2001 Academic All-Ivy League
* 2000-01 captain
Erin Lutz
The whole point of diving is not to make a splash. At least literally.
Diver Erin Lutz made a huge splash in her career at Princeton. Figuratively.
And not just in the pool, though she leaves Princeton as one of the top divers in the history of the program. Her time at Princeton was not limited to smooth entries in the diving well at DeNunzio Pool.
A two-time All-America diver, Lutz competed at the NCAA championships all four years. She was a four-time first-team All-Ivy selection in the three-meter springboard, and she holds all Princeton three-meter records. She was the Ivy League's three-meter champion each of her four seasons, and as a senior she helped deliver the key diving points that gave Princeton the Ivy League championship.
Her academic and service achievements, combined with her athletic success, earned her Princeton's NCAA Woman of the Year nomination.
A psychology major, she was a three-time Academic All-America and an Academic All-Ivy selection before graduating with honors.
Lutz also was involved in such activities as the Take Kids Out to the Ballgame program, taking inner-city kids to Trenton Thunder baseball games. She was a S.A.V.E. animal shelter volunteer and a behavioral/language therapist working with autistic children.
C a r e e r H i g h l i g h t s
* 2001 All-America one-meter dive
* 1998, 1999, 2000. 2001 Ivy League three-meter diving champion
* 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 first-team All-Ivy
* 2001 Jerry Horton Award for the women's most valuable member
* 2001 Academic All-Ivy League
* 1998 second-team All-Ivy League one-meter dive
* 1998 honorable mention All-America
* 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 NCAA participant
* 1998 Women's Freshman Award
Hilary Matson
It is easy for a single star to sometimes outshine those around it, yet it's true beauty often breaks through only when that star finds it's place amongst the others. Hilary Matson is not only one of the most talented field hockey athlete in the nation but also one of the greatest team player that the Princeton program has ever seen.
In the four years that Matson competed for the Orange and Black, the Tigers won four Ivy League championships, going 27-1 against league competition. Princeton also advanced to the NCAA Final Four once during Matson's career.
"The Princeton field hockey team recognizes her for her determination, dedication and unselfishness as much as for her skill," says field hockey coach Beth Bozman. "Her desire for team success was unsurpassed. We all knew that everything Hilary did, every goal she scored, every play she broke up, every injury she sustained, she did it for Princeton field hockey. Hilary's legacy won't be her honors or records, it will be the ideals she has imprinted on this team."
Hilary began her career at Princeton with Ivy League Rookie of the Year honors. In a similar fashion, her careers end was distinguished with Ivy League Player of the Year honors. Throughout her four years at Princeton, Hilary was recognized as one of the top field hockey players in the league and was named first-team All-Ivy for three consecutive years.
She was twice named All-America, including first-team All-America honors as a senior.
C a r e e r H i g h l i g h t s
* 2000 first-team All-America
* 2000 first-team regional All-America
* 2000 Ivy League Player of the Year
* 1998, 1999, 2000 first-team All-Ivy League
* 1999 third-team All-America
* 1998, 1999 first-team regional All-America
* 1997 Ivy League Rookie of the Year
* 1997 second-team All-Ivy League
* 2000 captain
* 2000 Thorp Van Dusen Goodfellow '41 Award
Julie Shaner
Size is terribly overrated. Just ask lacrosse coach Chris Sailer about her best player this season, and she won't hesitate when offering 5' 2" Julie Shaner. The catalyst behind the Tigers' past two NCAA Final Four appearances, Shaner was one of four women to win the C. Otto von Kienbusch Award.
"Julie is clearly one of the very best players to ever grace the lacrosse fields at Princeton," Sailer says of her captain. "She has made her mark with her hustle, determination, energy and competitive fire, and like every good leader has brought out the best not only in herself but also in her teammates."
Shaner scored a hat trick in the first 14 minutes of her collegiate career in the 1998 season opener against Duke, and she was later named 1998 Ivy League Rookie of the Year. She was a three-time All-America selection, four-time All-Ivy honoree and was a finalist for the prestigious 2001 Tewaaraton Trophy, which is awarded to the best collegiate lacrosse player.
While she made her mark in lacrosse, Shaner was also a tremendous soccer player, earning All-Ivy honors each of her four years. She led Princeton to the 2000 NCAA tournament as a captain, and she was a three-time winner of the team's Women's Soccer Award.
"She is a mighty mite," says soccer coach Julie Shackford. "She's a relentless worker who led our team by example. Julie has clearly been blessed with an enormous amount of ability, and she put it to the best possible use."
Princeton will certainly miss this little gem, who serves as proof that good things can indeed come in small packages.
C a r e e r H i g h l i g h t s
SOCCER
* 1997 second-team All-Ivy League
* 1998 honorable mention All-Ivy League
* 1999, 2000 first-team All-Ivy League
* 2000 captain
* 1997, 1999, 2000 Women's Soccer Award
* 2000 All-Mid Atlantic All-America
LACROSSE
* 1998 Ivy League Rookie of the Year
* 1998 second-team All-Ivy League
* 1999, 2000, 2001 first-team All-Ivy League
* 1998, 1999 first-team All-Mid-Atlantic
* 2000 NCAA all-tournament team
* 2001 captain
* 1999 second-team All-America
* 2000, 2001 first-team All-America
* 2001 Tewaaraton Trophy finalist