Bridget Instrum ’12 was named the NCAA Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player after leading the Middlebury Panthers to the 2015 NCAA National Field Hockey Title!

Instrum was recently honored as a member of the Division III All-Region First Team by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association for her strong performances throughout the season, where she played in all of Middlebury’s 22 games and finished with 8 goals and 10 assists for 26 points.

The two-time all-conference forward scored a point in 13 contests, including eight-straight during the middle of the season and tallied a season-best four-points (1 G, 2 A) in a victory over Smith on September 14. The senior saw action in 54 games during her three years on the team, tallying 35 goals and adding 21 assists for 91 points.

Ann Pickrell, Bridget’s field hockey coach at Williston, recalls Instrum’s talent and love for the game, “Her speed, quickness, and ability to read the defense made her extremely difficult to stop in the midfield and in the penalty circle.  What I recall most about Bridget is her enjoyment of the game – she loved to practice and play, and she worked hard every day to get better.”

Instrum had a decorated career at Williston, where she set numerous records for assists and goals and was instrumental in leading the team to both the WNEPSA Class B Championship and NEPSAC post season play in each year she competed for the Wildcats.

Under the leadership of Head Coach Katharine DeLorenzo, Middlebury’s field hockey program has emerged as one of the strongest in the nation.  Since DeLorenzo took over in 2001, the Panthers have gone 211-51 for a winning percentage of .805, and they have won New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Championship four times. This is Middlebury’s second NCAA national title in field hockey, with their first coming in 1998.