University of Massachusets Athletics
Dickson, Harding and McKenzie Selected as UMass Student-Athletes of the Week
September 15, 2026 | Field Hockey, Football, Women's Soccer, Athletics Department
AMHERST, Mass. – Three student-athletes earned this week's UMass Student-Athletes of the Week, presented by UMassFive College Credit Union. Caroline Dickson of women's soccer, T.Y. Harding of football and Niamh McKenzie of field hockey will all be honored at the UMass Sports Luncheon this week.
The luncheon takes place on Wednesday, September 16, at noon in the Berkshire Room of the Berkshire Dining Commons. Cost to attend is $17.50 ($15.75 for UMass Alumni).Â
Caroline Dickson | Sr. | Forward | Danbury, Conn. / Danbury
Caroline Dickson and the Minutewomen went 2-0 on the week defeating Yale, 5-1 and Northeastern, 3-0. Through 119 minutes on the pitch, Dickson totaled four goals for eight points, including two game-winning goals and six shots all on frame. The senior had back-to-back multi-goal games, scoring two goals vs. Yale and a pair at Northeastern, becoming the first UMass player since the 2019 season to score two goals in consecutive games. Her two braces marked the first and second of the season, and second and third of her career. Against Yale she tallied two shots on net and had four shots on goal at Northeastern. Dickson was named the MAC Offensive Player of the Week
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T.Y. Harding | Sr. | Wide Receiver | Cambridge Mass. / Buckingham Browne & Nichols
T.Y. Harding led Massachusetts to a 37-10 win over Sacred Heart on Saturday as the Minutemen started the season 2-0 for the first time since 2011. Harding had a 48-yard touchdown grab on the game's second play to give UMass an early 7-0 lead. He then posted an 82-yard punt return touchdown to put the Minutemen up 14-0. It marked his second career punt return touchdown. For the day, Harding finished with 141 yards on two punt returns to go along with 49-yards receiving for 190 all-purpose yards on the day. He was named the MAC Special Teams Player of the Week.
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Niamh McKenzie | Grad. | Forward | Christchurch, New Zealand / St. Margaret's College
McKenzie had a hand in four goals in UMass' 2-0 weekend. In Friday's win at Harvard, McKenzie made a strong move near the top of the circle to give herself some space, as she found Jenna Herbster for what proved to be the game-winning goal in the third quarter. UMass handed Harvard its first loss against a nonconference opponent (regular season or postseason) since 2024 when the Minutewomen defeated the Crimson in the NCAA Tournament National Quarterfinals. McKenzie then had two goals and an assist for a career high five points in Sunday's 6-0 win against New Hampshire. She had a goal in the first quarter, assist in the third and goal in the fourth. She has two multi-goal games in her first six contests at UMass. Named MAC Co-Offensive Player of the Week, McKenzie stands second on the team in goals (5) and points (14) on the season.
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The luncheon takes place on Wednesday, September 16, at noon in the Berkshire Room of the Berkshire Dining Commons. Cost to attend is $17.50 ($15.75 for UMass Alumni).Â
Caroline Dickson | Sr. | Forward | Danbury, Conn. / Danbury
Caroline Dickson and the Minutewomen went 2-0 on the week defeating Yale, 5-1 and Northeastern, 3-0. Through 119 minutes on the pitch, Dickson totaled four goals for eight points, including two game-winning goals and six shots all on frame. The senior had back-to-back multi-goal games, scoring two goals vs. Yale and a pair at Northeastern, becoming the first UMass player since the 2019 season to score two goals in consecutive games. Her two braces marked the first and second of the season, and second and third of her career. Against Yale she tallied two shots on net and had four shots on goal at Northeastern. Dickson was named the MAC Offensive Player of the Week
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T.Y. Harding | Sr. | Wide Receiver | Cambridge Mass. / Buckingham Browne & Nichols
T.Y. Harding led Massachusetts to a 37-10 win over Sacred Heart on Saturday as the Minutemen started the season 2-0 for the first time since 2011. Harding had a 48-yard touchdown grab on the game's second play to give UMass an early 7-0 lead. He then posted an 82-yard punt return touchdown to put the Minutemen up 14-0. It marked his second career punt return touchdown. For the day, Harding finished with 141 yards on two punt returns to go along with 49-yards receiving for 190 all-purpose yards on the day. He was named the MAC Special Teams Player of the Week.
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Niamh McKenzie | Grad. | Forward | Christchurch, New Zealand / St. Margaret's College
McKenzie had a hand in four goals in UMass' 2-0 weekend. In Friday's win at Harvard, McKenzie made a strong move near the top of the circle to give herself some space, as she found Jenna Herbster for what proved to be the game-winning goal in the third quarter. UMass handed Harvard its first loss against a nonconference opponent (regular season or postseason) since 2024 when the Minutewomen defeated the Crimson in the NCAA Tournament National Quarterfinals. McKenzie then had two goals and an assist for a career high five points in Sunday's 6-0 win against New Hampshire. She had a goal in the first quarter, assist in the third and goal in the fourth. She has two multi-goal games in her first six contests at UMass. Named MAC Co-Offensive Player of the Week, McKenzie stands second on the team in goals (5) and points (14) on the season.
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Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Soccer
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/ Football
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/ Field Hockey
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/ Field HockeyTuesday, September 15
Tuesday, September 15
Monday, September 14
Sunday, September 13