Freda Tafuna Wins the MA Sorensen Award for the 2nd Time in a Row
Freda Tafuna Wins the MA Sorensen Award for the 2nd Time in a Row
Lindenwood University loose forward Freda Tafuna has won the MA Sorensen Award for the second year in a row.
The first multiple winner of the award, Tafuna was a unanimous choice by the Sorensen Award selection committee.
The MA Sorensen Award is given to the best woman collegiate rugby player in the USA, and this is the 10th year of the award, which is presented and sponsored by the Washington Athletic Club in Seattle, Wash.
Of the nine women who have won the award, six are playing in this weekend’s USA vs Canada test match.
Two others played Rugby 7s in the Olympics for the USA, and one is not eligible for the USA as she is Canadian.
Tafuna joins Hope Rogers, Ilona Maher, McKenzie Hawkins, Emily Henrich, and Keia Mai Sagapolu in the USA lineup to face Canada.
It is enormously difficult to win the Sorensen Award twice in a row, injuries, a change in a team’s fortunes, or even just bad luck can get in the way. For Tafuna, she not only was able to stay fairly healthy but she raised her game. A defensive powerhouse and offensive terror, Tafuna became a more sophisticated player on attack. She also took on new responsibilities, kicking for goal and throwing in at the lineouts, and at the same time her team improved, winning the D1A (D1 Elite) final over Life this season, something they didn’t do last year.
“Freda was clearly an Eagle last season,” said GoffRugbyReport Editor Alex Goff, who oversees the selection process for the award on behalf of the Washington Athletic Club. “But she managed to ask more of herself this year and drive herself to be better and more valuable to her team. That’s why the committee voted her to win the award for the second year in a row.”
The other finalists were Tiahna Padilla of Harvard, Nina Mason of Life University, and Cindy Taulava of Dartmouth.
“We four finalists are excellent rugby players,” said Goff. “Not winning the Sorensen Award doesn’t mean that you are not a great rugby player; it means for the three finalists who didn’t get the award that they have the potential for greatness.”
Freda Tafuna will officially receive her award at a gala even June 7 in Seattle. Wash.
