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Weather delays United Airlines Field Hockey League  Opener at Chapel Hill

Thunderstorms and heavy rains in North Carolina have postponed the opening of The United Airlines Field Hockey League, U.S. Field Hockey’s elite-level summer competition series. Friday's opening games have been rescheduled for Saturday and Sunday, June 2-3, at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

      Entering its fourth season in 2001, the League features seven franchise teams composed of top players from around the country including U.S. Olympians, U.S. National and Junior national team members, collegiate All-Americans and high school standouts.  The League encourages mixed-aged teams which allows athletes as young as 15 to play on the same teams with players with more than 15 years of international experience. Players earned spots on the League rosters through open trials held in the early spring at locations throughout the eastern United States.

      In addition to all the members of the U.S. national team and selections from the US Under-21 and Under-18 squads, rosters of the 2001 United Airlines Field Hockey League include 11 Olympians, 21 collegiate All-America selections and 13 high school All-America selections.

      In addition, the League features some of the nation’s top coaches including Princeton head coach Beth Bozman (Metro Rush), University of North Carolina Assistant Nick Conway (Southern Charm), St. Michael's College head coach Carla Hessler (New England Eclipse), James Madison Univ. head coach Irene Horvat (Tidewater Tempest), Temple Univ. head coach Lauren Fuchs (Philadelphia Fury), Michigan State Univ.  head coach Michelle Madison (Midwest Cyclones) and  Lehigh University head coach Michele Finegan.

      The two-time defending League champion, the Southern Charm opens the defense of its title with the home field advantage at Chapel Hill. Many of the Charm's players have ties to the University of North Carolina as well as neighboring Duke and Wake Forest. The UNC/Charm alumni expected to see action in the first week include Olympians Cindy Werley and Leslie Lyness . as well as current UNC stars Abbey Woolley, Meredith Keller, Susan Hayes, and goalkeeper Amy Tran. The team also includes Wake Forest head coach Jennifer Averill and All-American Jemima Cameron as well as Duke head coach and 1996 Olympian Liz Tchou and All-American Courtney Sommer. Local high school standout and U.S. Under-18 team member Amy Stopford of Durham Academy is also expected to be on the field for the Charm.

      League play continues the weekend of June 15-17 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology before concluding with the League semifinals and championship game, June 30 and July 1 at the University of Maryland, College Park. All games are open to the public and admission is complimentary.

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