
UNC field hockey star Ashley Hoffman was named Wednesday as the winner of this year’s Mary Garber Award, the annual honor recognizing the ACC’s top female athlete.
Hoffman recently joined Luke Maye as winners of the Patterson Medal, the most prestigious athletic honor awarded by UNC.
She becomes the first Tar Heel to win the Mary Garber Award since current U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team member Crystal Dunn won it back in 2013.
This past season, Hoffman led the Tar Heels to a perfect 23-0 record and the program’s seventh national championship. In addition, she was also named a First Team All-American, the ACC Tournament MVP and the NCAA Tournament MVP.
“Ashley is simply phenomenal – as a player and a person – and I’m thrilled to see her recognized this way,” UNC head coach Karen Shelton said. “She was so clearly the best player in the country in 2018, and beyond that she was such a great leader and teammate. And then she earned her degree and went on to play for the U.S. team, where she continues to make us proud. I’m just so excited for her and her family that she’s receiving the Garber Award.”
Photo via UNC Athletics
Related Stories
‹

Erin Matson Named Recipient of Mary Garber Award as ACC Female Athlete of the YearUNC sophomore field hockey star Erin Matson was recognized last week as the winner of the 2019-20 Mary Garber Award, which honors the ACC Female Athlete of the Year. Matson is the second straight Tar Heel field hockey standout to win the award, following Ashley Hoffman–who helped lead UNC to its first of two straight […]

UNC Sports: Volleyball, Field Hockey Win; Women's Soccer Falls at DukePlenty of UNC Olympic sports teams were in action Sunday, as the field hockey and volleyball teams picked up big wins while the women’s soccer team lost at Duke. In volleyball, the Tar Heels traveled down to Atlanta to face Georgia Tech and came away with their first win against the Yellow Jackets since 2017. […]

UNC Field Hockey Wins at No. 2 Virginia, Deals Cavaliers First LossA fourth-quarter goal from Charly Bruder broke a scoreless tie in Charlottesville and helped Carolina beat No. 2 Virginia 1-0, sending the Cavaliers to their first loss of the season. Hoo Dat Think They Can Beat the Heels? #GoHeels x @WellsFargo pic.twitter.com/9oprAe4VxR — Carolina Field Hockey (@UNCFieldHockey) October 10, 2025 “Really pleased,” said head coach […]

UNC Women's Lacrosse Coach, Former Soccer Star Welcomed Into Order of the Long Leaf PineThe governor inducted six people to the state's Order of the Long Leaf Pine on Friday, including two accomplished UNC sports figures.

UNC Field Hockey, Women's Soccer Each Earn Sunday WinsThe UNC field hockey and women’s soccer teams were both in action Sunday, and both sides earned wins: field hockey won at Old Dominion, and women’s soccer defeated Pitt at Dorrance Field. In Norfolk, Carolina controlled possession against the Monarchs and took an early lead thanks to a first-quarter goal from Isabel Boere. Kara Heck […]

Late Rally Helps UNC Field Hockey Avoid Second Straight Loss at Boston CollegeUNC rallied from a 1-0 deficit in the last nine minutes of play at Boston College Sunday, scoring twice late to steal a 2-1 win and avoid its second straight loss of the season. Battled together. Won together. Heels on top!#GoHeels x @WellsFargo pic.twitter.com/XUi0CQIeNz — Carolina Field Hockey (@UNCFieldHockey) September 28, 2025 UNC entered the […]

UNC Field Hockey Drops First Game of 2025 Season at No. 13 Wake ForestA double-overtime winner from No. 13 Wake Forest helped the Demon Deacons upset UNC 2-1 in Winston-Salem Friday evening. It’s the Tar Heels’ first loss this season and second loss in ACC play in three seasons under head coach Erin Matson. The game was a defensive struggle throughout, entering the fourth quarter in a scoreless […]

UNC Field Hockey Cruises Past Cal and Stanford to Open ACC PlayCarolina defeated both Cal and Stanford at Karen Shelton Stadium during the weekend to continue its perfect start to the 2025 season. The two games were the first ACC contests of the season for the Tar Heels. Against Cal Friday evening, Ryleigh Heck paced the UNC offense by assisting Charly Bruder for the Tar Heels’ […]

UNC Field Hockey Beats App State and Liberty in First Home Games of 2025Carolina opened its 2025 home season at Karen Shelton Stadium with wins against Appalachian State and Liberty during the weekend. On Friday against the Mountaineers, No. 2 UNC took the lead inside of a minute and led 2-0 after the first quarter thanks to goals from Ryleigh Heck and Charly Bruder. Bruder struck again in […]

UNC Field Hockey Beats Penn, No. 10 Princeton in Ivy League WeekendCarolina beat both Penn and No. 10 Princeton as part of the ACC-Ivy League Conference Crossover in New Jersey during the weekend. In the first game against Penn Friday afternoon, five different Tar Heels accounted for six total goals in a dominant offensive display. UNC led 2-0 inside of eight minutes played, scored two goals […]
›