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US Field Hockey Women To Host Canada, Ireland in Tune-Up Series

The U.S. Women's National Field Hockey team continues its tune-ups for next month's Olympic Qualifying Tournament with two five-games series with Canada and Ireland at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif.

The U.S. Team will face Canada Feb. 12, 14, 16, 17 and 18 before taking on Ireland Feb. 21, 23, 25, 27 and 28. All games begin at 3 p.m. (PST) with the exception of the Feb. 16 (10 a.m.), Feb 27 (2 p.m.) and Feb 28 (10 a.m.) matches. The games are free and open to the public.

The games highlight a month-long training session for head coach Tracey Belbin and the team at the Olympic Training Center in their preparations for the Olympic Qualifying Tournament, March 24-April 2 in Milton Keynes, England. The U.S. Team will need to finish in the top five of the 10-team tournament to advance to the Olympic Games in Sydney. The team will continue training in Chula Vista, March 6-19, just prior to its departure for England.

The U.S. squad features eight  members from the 1996 Atlanta Olympic team including Tracey Fuchs (Ann Arbor, Mich.), Kris Fillat (San Diego, Calif.), Kelli James (Medford, N.J.), Antoinette Lucas (Richmond, Va.), Katie Kauffman (West Lawn, Pa.),  Jill Reeve (Hoosick Falls, N.Y.), Cindy Werely (Allentown, Pa.) and Andrea Wieland (Atlanta, Ga.) The team placed fifth at the Olympic Games in Atlanta.

The team also includes some of U.S. Field Hockey’s newest stars including 1999 Pan American Games silver medalists Kate Barber (West Chest, Pa.), Chris DeBow (West Chester, Pa.), Mimi Smith (Virginia Beach, Va.), Eleanor Race (Atlanta, Ga.), Carla Tagliente (Cortland, N.Y.), Jana Toepel (Perkiomenville, Pa.) , Michelle Vizzuso and goalkeepers Peggy Storrar and Jana Withrow.

Tagliente (Univ. of Maryland), Toepel (Univ. of North Carolina) and Tracey Larson (Morrisville, Pa./Penn St.) earned first-team All-America honors during their collegiate seasons, while first-time national team selection Kristen McCann (Allentown, Pa.) earned third team All-America honors at North Carolina.

Rounding out the team, Nancy Pelligreen (St. Louis, Mo.) was a member of the 1999 National squad while Tara Jelley (Greenfield, Mass.) returns to the team after playing as a member of the U.S. National Team in 1998. Coleen Kreiger (Trooper, Pa.) makes her first appearance on the National roster after previously playing for the U.S. Under-19 team in 1995.

The series will give the U.S. a good preview of the Irish team prior to playing Ireland in the Olympic Qualifier. The U.S. is in Pool A with Ireland, 1998 World Cup bronze medalist Germany, 1992 Olympic gold medalist Spain and traditional field hockey power India. Pool B includes host Great Britain, China, New Zealand, Japan and Russia.

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