Northwestern University Athletics
Nielsen, Finch Pick Up WomensLax.Com Yearly Awards
5/27/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse
May 27, 2008
2008 WomensLax.Com Yearly Awards 
EVANSTON, Ill. -- The honors continue for the four-time national champion Wildcats, as junior Hannah Nielsen (Adelaide, Australia/Brighton Secondary) was named the WomensLax.com Player of the Year, while senior Christy Finch (Hudson, Ohio/Hudson) picked up Defender of the Year honors. Along with junior Hilary Bowen (Rochester, N.Y./Brighton), the three were also named to the 2008 All-American team.
Nielsen, who was also named the American Lacrosse Conference Player of the Year, became the first Wildcat to record back-to-back 100 point seasons. She finished the year with 114 points (51g, 63a) and was second in the nation in both points and assists. NU's all-time assist leader, Nielsen was named to the NCAA all-tournament team and is a finalist for the Tewaaraton Trophy for the second-straight year. She ranks fourth all-time in Northwestern history in points (256) and has put together the top-two season point totals (119 in 2007, 114 in 2008).
Finch, the `Cats team captain, capped off her collegiate career with her fourth national championship, compiling an overall record of 83-3 as a Wildcat. She leads the nation in caused turnovers (70) and her 183 caused turnovers for her career is fourth in the NCAA record book. A Tewaaraton Trophy finalist as well, Finch was named to the American Lacrosse Conference first team as well as the NCAA all-tournament team after notching the game-winning goal against Penn.
Bowen, the NCAA tournament Most Valuable Player for the second-straight year, holds the single-season Wildcat scoring record with 81 goals, and tied the NCAA tournament record with 17 goals, including six in the semifinal win over Syracuse. Her 101 points on the year (81g, 20a) is the fifth-best single-season performance as she ranks sixth on the Wildcat scoring list with 233 points. Named to the American Lacrosse Conference first-team and all-tournament team, Bowen has scored at least one goal in 40 consecutive games and a point in 44-straight.
The Wildcats' three selections is tied with Penn for the most from a single school. Up next for Nielsen and Finch is a trip to Washington, D.C., for the 2008 Tewaaraton Trophy presentation Thursday, May 29.
2008 WomensLax.com Award Winners and All-American Team
Player of the Year - Hannah Nielsen, Northwestern
Attacker of the Year - Katie Rowan, Syracuse
Midfielder of the Year - Dana Dobbie, Maryland
Defender of the Year - Christy Finch, Northwestern
Goalie of the Year - Sarah Waxman, Penn
Rookie of the Year - Emma Hamm, Duke
Coach of the Year - Kerstin Kimel, Duke
All-American Team
Hilary Bowen, Northwestern
Jillian Byers, Notre Dame
Sarah Dalton, Boston University
Carolyn Davis, Duke
Ali DeLuca, Penn
Dana Dobbie, Maryland
Christina Dove, Syracuse
Amber Falcone, North Carolina
Christy Finch, Northwestern
Kelly Kasper, Maryland
Ashley McCulloch, Virginia
Holly McGarvie, Princeton
Hannah Nielsen, Northwestern
Hilary Renna, Penn
Katie Rowan, Syracuse
Sarah Waxman, Penn
