Tara Vittese Named South Region Player of the Year

Nov. 28, 2017

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia field hockey senior midfielder Tara Vittese (Cherry Hill, N.J.) has been named the 2017 Longstreth/NFHCA South Region Player of the Year, as announced on Tuesday (Nov. 28) by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association.

A four-time first-team All-South Region honoree, Vittese ranked second in the country in goals per game (1.25) and points per game (3.20) this season as well as finishing in the top-10 in assists at 0.70 per game. The two-time NFHCA National Player of the Year and ACC Offensive Player of the Year finished her collegiate career with 195 points, third-most in program history. Vittese also ranked third with 51 career assists and fifth with 72 goals.

This is Vittese’s third straight season being named the South Region Player of the Year. She is the first Virginia player to earn the honor three times and only one of two Cavaliers to ever earn the accolade, alongside Paige Selenski (2009, 2012).

The four other 2017 Regional Player of the Year honors went to Delaware junior midfielder Greta Nauck (Mid-Atlantic), Connecticut senior forward Charlotte Veitner (Mideast), Boston University junior defender Ally Hammel (Northeast) and Louisville senior forward Nicole Woods (West).

The Longstreth/NFHCA Division I All-America squad will be announced on Dec. 5 and the National Player of the Year will be awarded to one of the Regional Players of the Year on Dec. 14.