VICTORIA — University of Toronto forward Tegan Stairs was named the CIS player of the year in women's field hockey Wednesday night.
Stairs led the Blues with 13 goals while helping Toronto compile a stellar 11-1 record.
The fifth-year criminology student, who played two seasons with the Guelph Gryphons before joining the Varsity Blues, picked up OUA rookie-of-the-year honours in her university debut, has been named an OUA all-star every season and is a four-time all-Canadian.
"Tegan is the player every coach dreams of having," said Varsity Blues head coach John DeSouza. "She is fast, creative and unselfish. Her speed helps our team transition into offence very quickly. Her creativity and unselfish play helped this Blues team become a goal scoring threat every time we get the ball. She is just a joy to watch when she gets the ball."
Stairs, a Kitchener, Ont., native, is the sixth U of T winner of the Liz Hoffman Award, and the second in as many seasons. U of T midfielder Amanda Woodcroft won the award last year.
Stairs' older sister, Brienne, won back-to-back Hoffman Awards as a member of the Guelph Gryphons in 2009 and 2010.
Other winners were Calgary midfielder Sabrina Wong, rookie of the year; Victoria midfielder Kathleen Leahy, winner of the Gail Wilson Award for contributions on and off the playing field; Victoria head coach Lynne Beecroft, coach of the year; and OUA referee Denise Pelletier, official of the year.
The 2015 CIS women's field hockey championship begins Thursday, with Guelph facing UBC and Toronto taking on host Victoria.
