'On This Day' Field Hockey Senior Captain Bourn Named NEAC Defensive Player of the Year
'On This Day' is a Wells College Athletics feature series taking a look back on events that occurred on this day, Oct. 29, five years ago in 2015.
Wells College senior Shelby Bourn was named NEAC Defensive Player of the Year on Oct. 29, 2015, after an excellent season for the Express.
Bourn started in all 15 Express contests and anchored a defense that allowed just four total goals to NEAC opponents to help Wells clinch a spot in the upcoming NEAC Championship.
Bourn, a NEAC Defensive Player of the Week selection this season, was the team leader in minutes played and posted a team-best five defensive saves, which was the fourth-most in the conference. That helped the Express post a 1.93 goals-against average on the season, which was the team's second-best mark in the last decade.
"I am so proud to have three players receive All-Conference accolades," remarked Head Coach Kat Heterbring. "I am also pleased that my peers have recognized Shelby as a top defensive player. Never stepping off the field during her four-year career, she has made every minute of playing time count. Her selection as the Defensive Player of the Year proves that her work speaks for itself."
A four-year member of the field hockey program at Wells, Bourn will graduate this spring as one of the top defensive players in team history. The team leader in minutes played since 2012, Bourn enters this Saturday's NEAC Championship game having played on the field every minute of her team's 60 games during her career, making 14 defensive saves.
A senior captain, Bourn also led a stout Wells defense that allowed only 1.93 goals per game in 2015, standing as the unofficial second-best mark in team history. She becomes the first player since Kate McLaren '05 to win a major award issued by a field hockey conference – McLaren was named the Most Outstanding Player by the Atlantic Women's College's Conference in 2004.
Bourn also garnered a spot on the NEAC All-Conference First Team and was joined by a pair of teammates. Senior Cat Taylor and junior Shianne Stokes joined Bourn for the first-ever all-conference selections for the NEAC in field hockey.
Wells will return to action this Saturday, Oct. 31, playing in the first-ever North Eastern Athletic Conference Field Hockey Championship Game against the host Phoenix of Wilson College at 1 p.m. in Chambersburg, Pa.
A complete list of the 2015 All-NEAC selections can be found at: https://www.neacsports.com/sports/fh/2015-16/releases/15-10-29_FH_All-Conference
