Princeton University Athletics
Miller, Nemeth Win Ivy Player, Rookie of the Year Awards
November 11, 2003 | Field Hockey
Nov. 11, 2003
Senior Claire Miller, who captained the Princeton field hockey team to a fourth straight undefeated Ivy League season in 2003, and freshman goalie Allison Nemeth, who has ranked among the national leaders in goals-against average for much of the year, were named the Ivy League's Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year respectively in a vote of the league's eight head coaches today.
Miller, a unanimous first-team All-Ivy selection, was third on the team during the regular season with six goals and 15 points. The Ivy League Player of the Week on Sept. 9 after scoring goals against Virginia and Drexel, she also earns first-team All-Ivy honors for the third year in a row. Miller, who also earned second-team All-Ivy accolades as a freshman, has started all 74 games in her career and has 72 career points (23 goals, 26 assists).
Nemeth split starting goalkeeping duties early in the season with fellow freshman Juliana Simon before taking over the starting role for good eight games ago. A four-time Ivy Rookie of the Week honoree during her freshman season, she also earned Ivy Player of the Week honors Oct. 21 after saving 12 shots in a 2-1 Princeton victory over No. 7 Old Dominion. She is currently ranked 17th nationally in goals-against average (1.47 GAA) after ranking in the top five in Division I for much of the season. Eight Princeton players overall earned All-Ivy honors, the most of any team. In addition to Miller, senior captain Cory Picketts and junior Natalie Martirosian each earned unanimous first-team all-league honors. Martirosian leads the team with seven assists and earns first-team All-Ivy accolades for the second time, while Picketts has 12 points and earns first-team honors for the first time in her career.
Junior Lizzie Black, Princeton's leading scorer in 2003 with 20 points, and sophomore Maren Ford, who leads the team with eight goals, were each named second-team All-Ivy selections. Nemeth and juniors Shahrzad Joharifard and Ashley Sennett were named to the honorable mention All-Ivy team.
Princeton finished 12-5 overall during the regular season and a perfect 7-0 in Ivy League play for the fourth straight season. The Tigers have won 31 consecutive Ivy League games dating back to a loss at Brown in October 1999, and no player on the current team has lost an Ivy League game.
The Tigers, who are an automatic qualifier as the Ivy League champion, will make their ninth NCAA tournament appearance in the past 10 seasons when the tournament begins on Saturday, Nov. 15. Selections for the NCAA Division I Field Hockey Championship will be announced Tuesday night.