Oct. 9, 2006

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Former North Carolina field hockey player Amy Tran, who lettered for the Tar Heels from 1999-2002, was named Goalkeeper of the Tournament at the 2006 Samsung World Cup, which wrapped up on Sunday in Madrid, Spain. Tran was selected by a vote of media representatives and tournament organizers at the event.

The U.S. team's starting goalkeeper, Tran recorded three shutouts at the tournament, including a 1-0 win over Germany, the gold medalist at the 2004 Olympics. The U.S. team, which entered the tournament seeded 11th, finished sixth overall. The Netherlands won the title, followed by Australia in second and Argentina in third.

The award was the third in a row for Tran at International Hockey Federation world events. She also was named Goalkeeper of the Tournament at the 2005 Rabobank Champions Challenge in Virginia Beach and the 2006 World Cup Qualifier in Rome.

At UNC, Tran earned All-America honors in 2000 (first team) and 2001 (second team) and also was named All-Atlantic Coast Conference in both of those years. From Grantville, Pa., she is in her seventh year on the U.S. National Team.

Tran was one of four Tar Heels on the 18-player U.S. roster, joined by captain Kate Barber, Rachel Dawson and Carrie Lingo. Dawson, who has a year of eligibility remaining and will return to UNC for her senior season in 2007, was one of six nominees for the FIH Young Player of the Year Award at the World Cup. Given each year to the world's top player under age 23, this year Korea's Mi Hyun Park, Dawson is the first U.S. player to be nominated for the award.