Princeton University announced this week that senior field hockey player Beth Yeager and swimmer Mitchell Schott have been selected as the recipients of the institution’s most prestigious senior awards, the C. Otto von Kienbusch Award and the William Winston Roper Trophy respectively.
Yeager, an economics concentrator from Greenwich, Connecticut, has become a trailblazer in Ivy League athletics, earning first‑team All‑American honors in each of her four seasons and being named Ivy Offensive Player of the Year four times, a first in her sport.
Her impact extended beyond the collegiate stage as she took a sabbatical to represent the United States at the Paris 2024 Olympics, helping the national team advance to the quarterfinals and ultimately the championship match.
During the recent fall season she contributed 15 goals and 10 assists, was crowned Most Outstanding Player at the Ivy tournament, and earned a spot on the NCAA tournament All‑Tournament Team, finishing her Princeton career with 60 goals and 36 assists.
The award she receives, the C. Otto von Kienbusch Award, honors a senior woman who exemplifies high scholarship, athletic proficiency and the qualities of a true sportswoman.
A Dual Celebration of Athletic Excellence
Schott, a three‑time CSCAA Scholar All‑American and two‑time Academic All‑District selection, rewrote the Tigers’ record book by setting school bests in twelve events and captured nine Ivy League titles.
A two‑time Ivy Championships High Point Swimmer of the Meet, he helped the team achieve its first undefeated season since 2015‑16 and secure back‑to‑back Ivy League championships, while also becoming Princeton’s first Top‑8 NCAA finisher since 2012.
His academic pursuits in East Asian Studies and consistent scholarly recognition underscore a commitment to excellence both in the pool and the classroom.
Their recognitions reflect Princeton’s tradition of fostering leaders who excel at the highest level of competition while upholding academic rigor, a legacy that continues to inspire future generations of student‑athletes.