
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: Field Hockey Wins; Volleyball, Women's Soccer Both Lose On the RoadSeveral UNC women’s sports programs were in action Sunday. The field hockey team earned a ranked win at home, while the volleyball team and the top-ranked women’s soccer team both fell on the road to highly-ranked foes. In field hockey, a late goal from Charly Bruder broke a 1-1 tie with No. 13 Syracuse and […]

UNC Sports: Field Hockey, Men's Soccer, Volleyball All Earn ACC WinsIt was a successful Friday evening for multiple UNC sports teams, as the field hockey, men’s soccer and volleyball squads each earned big wins in ACC action. In field hockey, the Tar Heels returned home to Karen Shelton Stadium for the first time in almost a month and celebrated the occasion with a 4-0 win […]

This Week in UNC Sports: October 12-18More and more of UNC's winter sports are beginning their seasons as we hit the middle of October, and "crossover season" is upon us.

UNC Sports: Field Hockey Loses at No. 17 Liberty, Volleyball Sweeps Virginia WeekendBoth the UNC field hockey and volleyball teams were in action in the state of Virginia over the weekend. The field hockey team couldn’t follow up a blowout win at Saint Joseph’s Friday with a win at No. 17 Liberty Sunday, falling to the Flames 2-1. The volleyball team, meanwhile, earned two resounding wins at […]

Second-Half Explosion Helps UNC Field Hockey Win at Saint Joseph'sUNC scored six goals in the third quarter to blow the game open at Saint Joseph’s Friday afternoon in Philadelphia, and the Tar Heels won 8-0 for their fourth consecutive victory. It's always sunny when the Heels win ☀️#GoHeels x @WellsFargo pic.twitter.com/k44jy2Djq3 — Carolina Field Hockey (@UNCFieldHockey) October 9, 2026 Carolina controlled possession and all […]

This Week in UNC Sports: October 5-11, 2026This series of posts will be made weekly on Chapelboro with a full schedule of UNC sports contests, both in Chapel Hill and elsewhere. Note that game times and broadcast information are subject to change due to inclement weather or other factors. The first full week of October will be relatively quiet until the weekend […]

Win Streak Rolls On as UNC Field Hockey Shuts Out No. 16 LouisvilleUNC scored two goals in less than two minutes in the third quarter to break a scoreless tie, and the Tar Heels didn’t let up in a 3-0 win at No. 16 Louisville Friday afternoon. Off to the races! Heels keep rolling!#GoHeels x @WellsFargo pic.twitter.com/Qeb6CjBRnx — Carolina Field Hockey (@UNCFieldHockey) October 2, 2026 The game […]
![]()
Jury Selection in Hedgepeth Murder Trial, UNC Field Hockey Regains Star Trio – The Morning News (September 28, 2026)The Hill News Director Brighton McConnell substitutes for Aaron Keck and shares the latest local news stories on Monday, September 28.

This Week in UNC Sports: September 28-October 4, 2026After a relatively quiet in week featuring teams on the road or off entirely, plenty of Tar Heel action returns to Chapel Hill this week.
›