July 6, 2006

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - North Carolina field hockey coach Karen Shelton has announced her squad's team awards for the 2005 season. Junior Rachel Dawson was named the recipient of the Anderson Mark of Excellence Most Valuable Player Award after she led the team in scoring with 30 points despite missing five games while competing as part of U.S. national teams.

Katy Tran and Naomi Weatherald, the sole seniors on the 2005 squad, shared the Carmen and Michael Hooker Leadership Award, which recognizes a Tar Heel who provides significant leadership throughout the season and inspires her teammates to perform at a higher level in practices and in games.

Britt van Beek was the winner of the Ken and Cheryl Williams Rookie of the Year Award. She played in all 21 games as a true freshman, starting 12 and finishing third on the team in scoring with 19 points.

Junior Laree Beans was selected by her teammates as the recipient of the Lingo Award as Players' Player of the Year. Players determine the award's winner by voting for the teammate who represents Carolina with the most dedication, commitment and intensity, and embodies what it means to wear a Tar Heel uniform. Beans, who missed three games during the season while representing the U.S. in the Junior World Cup, finished the season with two goals and three assists in 18 games.

For the second year in a row, Brooke Miller received the Marjorie Moses Schwab Unsung Hero Award, which goes to an individual who plays an integral part in the team's overall success but receives little attention. A junior on the 2005 squad, Miller started every game for the Tar Heels and finished the year with a goal and two assists.

In another repeat, Beans again received the Keller Award for Open-Play Assists. She shared the 2005 honor with van Beek.

The 2005 Tar Heels finished the season 14-7. They were ranked in the nation's top five all season and made the program's 23rd NCAA Tournament appearance.