When a Harvard athlete has already been honored as the most outstanding collegiate player in her sport and the most valuable player in her World Championship, then the question of Athlete of the Year ceases to be debatable. Junior women's hockey co-captain Jennifer Botterill, the 2000-01 Crimson Female Athlete of the Year, did all of that and more this past season.

Botterill led the nation with 42 goals, 78 points and seven game-winning goals and averaged an impressive 2.8 points per game this past season. She also set the collegiate hockey record for consecutive games with a single point-an 80-game streak that began with her first game at Harvard and ended with the final game of her junior season.

What makes those statistics even more impressive is that they don't even begin to tell the story of her performance in the clutch and the way she elevated the play of her teammates.

Botterill centered the most prolific scoring line in the country alongside senior Tammy Shewchuk and sophomore Kalen Ingram. When Shewchuk broke the Harvard career goal-scoring record, she was quick to give a large portion of the credit to her Canadian National teammate.

"My linemates help me out so much," said Shewchuk, who led the nation with 46 assists this past season, thanks in large part to Botterill. "Jen knows where I am at all times. She makes my job easy."

Botterill's goal-scoring really began to heat up in mid-January, as the Crimson began a seven-game win streak. In the process, Botterill scored three goals in three consecutive games-an unprecedented hat trick of hat tricks. She was averaging at least two goals per game in ECAC play until February.

"I think [Botterill's performance] is a testament to that entire line," said Harvard Coach Katey Stone. "Adding her game to that line is making it quite dominant."

During the week of the Beanpot in mid-February, Botterill established herself as the heavy favorite for the Patty Kazmaier Award-the prize given to the most outstanding player in women's college ice hockey. Against Northeastern in the Beanpot championship game, Harvard trailed 3-1 going into third period. The Crimson was letting its third straight Beanpot slip away.