MIDDLETOWN, Conn. - Wesleyan field hockey first-year midfielder Emily Smith '29 has been named the National Offensive Player of the Week in NCAA Division III by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA). Smith was previously named NESCAC Player of the Week on Monday, which prompted her nomination to the National Player of the Week pool. 

The first-year starred over the weekend for the Cardinals in a pair of massive road wins at Williams and Middlebury. On Saturday, Smith tallied an assist on the only goal scored in a 1-0 road win at Williams. That goal from Marley Procopio '29 proved vital as teh Cardinals landed a shutout win over the Ephs, clinching the team's first Little Three Championship since 2003 and just the fourth title in team history.

She followed that up with a two-goal performance on Sunday in a 2-1 double overtime win over the Panthers in Vermont. The two goals against Middlebury were the first two goals of Smith's career, as she netted a game-tying goal late in the third quarter off a penalty corner to send the game into overtime. Then with 1:23 left in the second overtime period, Smith netted the game-winner as Wesleyan beat the Panthers for the first time since 2000 and for the first time in team history on the road. 

Wesleyan (8-3, 4-3 NESCAC) heads into Senior Day on Saturday having won four straight games, three of which coming against nationally ranked teams. Next up for the Cardinals is a showdown against No. 8 ranked Bowdoin (9-3, 5-2 NESCAC) at Noon from Hicks Field.