Sports Briefs

Author: Peter Baumann

TERRY ALDRICH NAMED NATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR

Middlebury cross country coach Terry Aldrich has been named National Coach of the Year, capping off an incredible season that saw his women's team rise from being ranked 14th at the beginning of the year to a national championship. The award is the fifth for Aldrich, who was also named the New England Coach of the Year two weeks ago.

The national championship was the fifth for the women's cross country team this decade, solidifying its place as one of Middlebury's most consistent teams. Aldrich's squads won the 2000, 2001, 2003, and 2006 national championships, with Aldrich winning NESCAC, New England and National Coach of the Year during each of the championship seasons.

Aldrich has been involved in Middlebury athletics for over 30 years, serving as cross country and ski coach before becoming the Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance and Event Management two years ago. He still serves as a member of the NCAA ski Committee, where he has been the rules editor since 1988.

This year stands as one of his most impressive coaching jobs because of the young roster that he molded into champions. Of the seven runners that the Panthers took to Nationals, all except for one were sophomores and first-years, and of the five scorers, three were first-year runners.

DELANO '11, PETRELLI '09 EARN ALL-AMERICAN ACCOLADES

Middlebury Field Hockey players Chase Delano '11 and Taryn Petrelli '09 were named All-American honors by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association. Delano earned first-team honors during only her second season on campus, while Petrelli capped off a successful four-year career with a second-team selection.

Delano's 27 goals and seven assists were good enough for 61 points - the most by a single player in Middlebury history. Her 1.5 goals per game were good enough for second in the NESCAC, and she scored in all but three games on the season. She was a key component to a Panther offense that finished second in the NESCAC in goals per game.

Unlike Delano, Petrelli did not post gaudy statistics on the season, finishing with only a single assist on the year, but she anchored a Middlebury defense that stood strong against some of the best offenses in the nation. Rarely coming forward to join the attack, Petrelli was content to be a rock on the back-line, organizing the defense and using her wealth of knowledge and experience to act as a coach-on-the-field. The selection was the first for her following three straight All-NESCAC selections.

HANDEL '12 NAMED ALL-AMERICAN IN FIRST SEASON

Middlebury volleyball player Jane Handel '12 has been named an Honorable Mention All-American following her first-year campaign. The accolade comes on top of being named to the All-NESCAC second-team as well as garnering NESCAC Rookie of the Year honors.

The first-year outside hitter was often the focal point of the Panther attack, leading the squad with 3.55 kills per game. She also recorded 265 digs on the year, proving that she has the versatility to step into the role vacated by teammate Lindsay Patterson '08.5.

Handel was one of only seven NESCAC players to be named any level of All-American.