Harvard Women’s Rugby players Tiahna Padilla and Gemma Ogoke were named as finalists for the MA Sorensen Award, with fan voting open until March 31 at 11:00 p.m., according to a March 27 announcement.
The MA Sorensen Award is presented each year to the top collegiate woman rugby player in the United States. The award honors MaryAnn (MA) Sorensen, a former player, coach, and physician who captained the U.S. team to victory at the 1991 Women’s Rugby World Cup. She continues to present the award annually at the Washington Athletic Club awards dinner in Seattle.
Padilla, a senior captain, has received her fourth nomination for this honor. She has played a key role in leading Harvard to three consecutive championships and was named Most Valuable Player for the second time this fall. Padilla also earned First-Team All-NIRA recognition for four straight years and holds Harvard’s record for career assists. This season she recorded 95 tackles, 11 turnovers, six assists, and set up two crucial tries including a last-second play that secured victory against Dartmouth in the Ivy Title match.
Ogoke, a first-year player, had an impressive debut season by earning First-Team All-NIRA honors while helping secure a NIRA Division I championship for Harvard. She led her team with nine tries—marking the first time a forward topped this category—and added 117 tackles with a high success rate of 91 percent. Ogoke also forced 18 turnovers and made 92 carries during her campaign. Her performance resulted in invitations to winter pathway camps with both Rugby Canada and USA Rugby as well as selection for USA’s senior domestic camp.
The current list of nominees will be narrowed down to four or five finalists before members of the selection panel vote on this year’s winner. The recipient of the MA Sorensen Award will be announced in June at an event held by the Washington Athletic Club.
