Nov. 26, 2001
Vital Statistics
Class: Senior
Position: Defensive Back
Height: 5-4
Hometown: Macungie, Pa.
High School: Emmaus
2001 Terp record: 20-4
2001 Terp Postseason: NCAA Finals
Honors and Awards
Two-time All-American (1st team in 2001, 2nd team in 2000)
Four-time Mid-Atlantic All-Region Selection (1998-2001)
2001 ACC Co-Player of the Year
Three-time All Atlantic Coast Conference Honoree (2001, 2000, 1999)
2001 All-NCAA Tournament Team
2001, 2000 ACC Tournament MVP
Two-time ACC Player of the Week (Oct. 22, 2001, Nov. 6, 2001)
1998 ACC Rookie of the Year
Maryland Student-Athlete of the Week (Nov. 6, 2001)
The Complete Student-Athlete
Two-time National Field Hockey Coaches Association Academic Squad Member (1999 and 2000)
Two-time ACC Honor Roll selection (1999 and 2000)
Secondary Education/Math major with a 3.61 GPA
Co-author of "Inside the Circle," a weekly behind-the-scenes look at Maryland field hockey
By The Numbers
Backbone of the top-rated defense in the nation (0.88 goals against average)
Tied for the national lead with 16 assists as the Terps' stick-stop on penalty corners
Defense posted 11 shutouts on the season and allowed only 5.6 shots per game (vs. Maryland's 24.4 spg)
Defense also sacrificed only 3.6 penalty corners per game, while Maryland forced 10.4 corners per game
20-4 record in 2001 marked the third time in school history a Maryland field hockey team has captured 20 or more victories
Maryland won the 1999 NCAA title and four ACC Championships during Welsh's tenure
International Flavor
Member of 2001 U.S. National Field Hockey Team, helping the "Stars and Stripes" to a silver medal at the Americas Cup
Member of the U.S. Under-21 squad at the 2000 Junior Pan American Games, helping the team qualify for the Junior World Cup
Has been involved in international play since a junior in high school (1996)
What They're Saying About Welsh
"Autumn has made a major impact since her arrival in the program. She came from the U.S. Under-16 and Under-18 teams and became Rookie of the Year in the strongest conference in the country. She is a four-time ACC champion, a national champion and has made three trips to the NCAA semifinal. She's been on the U.S. National Team and the U.S. Junior National Team that played in the Pan Am games -- she's really all-world."
-- Maryland Head Coach Missy Meharg
"Autumn has been a great player since she got [to College Park], and she's the kind of player you've got to get through in order to use your advantages. She gives a great deal of control and strength to [the Terps] lineup. Like any great player that you have to worry about, you can never disregard her and stick to your game plan because she's in the lineup."
-- Princeton Head Coach Beth Bozman
"[Welsh] is very talented. She can distribute the ball very well. She's a stopper, she's very difficult to get around. I think she is a key to their team."
-- Old Dominion Head Coach Beth Anders
"Autumn is an outstanding, tremendous, fabulous player."
-- North Carolina Head Coach Karen Shelton
