**By Andrew Palmer**

Maya Herm, a 2009 graduate and three year member of the varsity field hockey team, has become a key contributor to the Dartmouth field hockey team as a freshman this fall. The 2008 Gazette player of the year, she is the starting at left mid-fielder for the Big Green.

The team started off its season with a 7-7 record, and is has just three games remaining, which all look to be big challenges. They will face UMASS on Wednesday, Oct 28, which is ranked in the top 20 in the nation, then will finish off the season with Ivy League rivals Harvard on Nov 1 and then Cornell.

Herm was a highly recruited athlete out of high school. In addition to being the Gazette Athlete of the year, Herm was named to the Washington Post second team All-Met, the All-Beltway first team, First team All-Extra, and was a recipient of the Perlo Athlete award.

Herm has made an immediate impact for the Big Green, and has adjusted well to the transition from high school athletics to the collegiate scene.

“It was almost surreal. It was just so much to take it at once, that it stunned me, but at the same time, I absolutely love it,” she says. “I’ve gotten so much better playing at the division one level, my coaches are great, the girls on the team are awesome.”

“They best part is they’re all here for the same reason as me: to play field hockey. They all want to be here, they want to practice, they want to win.”