Caroline Adams of the Middlebury women's lacrosse team was named the Division III Commissioners Association (D3CA) Region I Student-Athlete of the Year. The honor, in its fifth year, highlights two graduating seniors from each of the 10 regions who have demonstrated excellence in athletics, academics, leadership and service throughout their collegiate careers.

HONOREE HIGHLIGHTS

• Adams joins Erin Nicholas '22, who played field hockey and women's lacrosse; Elise Morris '23 from women's soccer; and former teammate Hope Shue '25 as the fourth Middlebury student-athlete to earn the accolade.
• The Panther received numerous national and regional accolades. She became the fifth consecutive player to be named the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Association (IWLCA) National Player and Attacker of the Year, alongside her third All-American honor. 
• Adams was recognized as the NCAA Tournament's Most Outstanding Player and the NESCAC Offensive Player of the Year, alongside her third all-region and all-conference selections.
• The Green Mountain State native enjoyed a career year, as her 72 goals, 117 points and 124 draw controls each paced the NESCAC.
• Adams became the first Middlebury player to eclipse 100 victories in three different campaigns. Her 473 draw controls over 86 contests are the most in a Panther uniform.
• Off the field, Adams graduated summa cum laude in May with a dual degree in neuroscience and Spanish.
• The Phi Beta Kappa inductee received the Middlebury athletic department's Hazeltine-Klevenow Trophy, awarded to a women's team member who best combines ability in athletics and excellence in scholarship.
• She served as a teacher's assistant in the psychology department and a research assistant for neuroscience and organic chemistry.
• The four-time national champion earned the Middlebury First Year Ward Prize for Writing and the President's Undergraduate Language Scholar laurel in 2024. She is a three-time NESCAC All-Academic honoree and a member of the IWLCA Division III Honor Roll.
• Adams was equally impactful in the Middlebury community. She served as Co-Leader and Sustainability Chair of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and a mentor for the Women in Health Science Club.
• Off campus, she volunteered as an interpreter at the Open Door Clinic and as an Everybody Wins mentor at Mary Hogan Elementary School. Adams finished among the top 30 volunteers in Middlebury's Helper Helper campaign this year and participated in United Way Days of Caring.

All 20 regional winners advance to the national ballot. The D3CA Men's and Women's Sport Student-Athlete of the Year winners will be announced on September 3.