- Publish date:
Faces in the Crowd
Lauren Aird
HARARE, ZIMBABWE > Field Hockey
Aird, a junior forward at UConn, set the record for goals in a Big Eastchampionship game, scoring three times to lead the Huskies to a 4--3 victoryover Providence and their ninth conference title. She was the tournament's MVPand was named to the All--Big East first team.
Dan Dierking
WHEATON, ILL. > Football
Dan, a senior running back at Wheaton Warrenville South High, scored his 88thtouchdown, the most in Wheaton since Red Grange finished with 75 in 1920. Danalso set a school record with 5,885 rushing yards. He ran for 2,200 yards with32 TDs this season and was named the Chicago Sun-Times player of the year.
Andre Akpan
GRAND PRAIRIE, TEXAS > Soccer
Akpan, a freshman forward at Harvard, was named national rookie of the year byTop Drawer Soccer after starting all 19 games for the Crimson and setting aschool record for freshmen with 34 points on 11 goals and 12 assists. He wasIvy League rookie of the week five times and scored game-winning goals againstYale and Princeton.
Kelsey Maffin
VAN METER, IOWA > Basketball
Maffin, a senior forward at North Dakota, led the Fighting Sioux to an 86--78overtime win over Texas A&M--Commerce for the Group Energy Division titleat Disney's Division II Women's Tip-Off Classic. She had 26 points and 11rebounds in the final and was voted the division's most outstanding player.
ElizabethGuess
ATHENS, GA. > Soccer
Guess, a senior forward at North Carolina, scored the winning goal in a 2--1overtime victory against Florida State. The win gave the Tar Heels the AtlanticCoast Conference title. Guess, who was named to her third straightall-tournament team, also had the game-winner in the team's 3--0 semifinal winagainst Clemson.
Ben Palmer
Parkersburg, W.Va. > Golf
Ben, a senior at Parkersburg South High, shot 149 over two rounds on the JonesCourse at Oglebay Resort in Wheeling, giving him a one-stroke victory and theindividual title at the West Virginia Class AAA high school golf tournament.His win also helped the Patriots take the team title.
NOMINATE NOW ONSI.COM
To submit a candidate for Faces in the Crowd, go to SI.com/faces.
PHOTO
UCONN ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS
PHOTO
COURTESY OF THE DIERKING FAMILY
PHOTO
DSPICS.COM
PHOTO
KORY WALLEN/NORTH DAKOTA ATHLETICS
PHOTO
JEFFREY CAMARATI/UNC ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS
PHOTO
LIFETOUCH
