Tessa Jopp's year just keeps getting better.
The 21-year-old from Maniototo made her Black Sticks debut against Argentina in February and has already made 13 appearances for her country.
She has been one of the sport's rising stars for a few seasons and that status was confirmed when she was named Black Sticks under-21 player of the year at the New Zealand Hockey awards on Friday.
Jopp had an inkling she might win the award when she looked around and realised she was the only under-21 nominee at the event.
Her speech was ''off the cuff'' and came from the heart.
''I just thanked everyone who had helped me along the way,'' she said.
Jopp got her start in the sport at Maniototo Area School and would travel through to Cromwell to play each week.
She continued her hockey education while at St Kevin's College in Oamaru before shifting to St Hilda's Collegiate in year 11. She made the Southern under-21 team when she was just 15.
Jopp moved to Auckland two years ago to further her hockey ambitions. The midfielder is studying for a bachelor of business studies degree at Massey University and has just made the dean's list.
''It has been quite a successful month for me,'' she said.
Jopp will be hoping her luck holds out for a bit longer. The Black Sticks play India in a five-test series in Auckland and Hamilton this month.
The series opener is on Mother's Day at Rosa Birch Park in Pukekohe.
New Zealand beat India 4-1 at the International Hockey Open in Darwin in May last year. But India will bring some form into the series, having won the FIH World League Round 2 event in Canada.
Jopp was not the only southerner to collect a prize at the New Zealand Hockey awards. Black Sticks and Southern defender Blair Tarrant was named players' player.
