|
| Aug 23 |
at U Michigan |
6:30 |
| Aug 25 |
at U Maryland |
1:00 |
| Sept 5 |
at Wake Forest |
7:00 |
| Sept 7 |
at Princeton |
1:00 |
Collegiate Challenge Schedule/Results
Tickets
Information
US National Team to
Take on NCAA Semifinalists Michigan,
Maryland, Wake Forest, Princeton
US Field Hockey Women Open College Season with Collegiate
Challenge
The U.S. Field Hockey women’s national
team is going back to school.
Fresh off a qualifying berth to this
fall’s World Cup, the U.S. women will help open the 2002 college season with games
against last year's national semifinalists Michigan, Maryland, Wake Forest and Princeton
in the Collegiate Challenge at each school’s home campus. The Challenge begins at
defending National Champion Michigan on Aug 23 before heading to NCAA runner-up Maryland
on Aug. 25. The tour resumes at Wake Forest on Sept. 5 and concludes at Princeton Sept. 7.
"It’s exciting," says U.S. head coach Tracey Belbin. "I think the
girls are looking forward to playing at their home colleges. High school kids and college
players alike need to know who their role models are and I think this tour can add to
that. Plus, we need as many games as we can get in preparation for the World Cup, so the
fact that we're still playing is a bonus for us."
The tour will serve as a homecoming for some of the U.S. athletes including return visits
to their alma maters by Kelli Gannon (Michigan), Melanie Meerschwam (Princeton), Jenny
Everett (Wake Forest) and Carla Tagliente, Keli Smith and Katie Kauffman (Maryland). U.S.
captain and two-time Olympian Tracey Fuchs also serves as an assistant coach on the
Michigan staff, and U.S. goalkeeper Peggy Storrar has worked as an assistant with the
Wolverine keepers.
The defending national
champions, Michigan defeated Maryland, 2-0, in last year’s NCAA
championship game, and lost only three starters from a team that went 18-5 in 2001. Maryland lost 10 letterwinners and six
starters from its Atlantic Coast Conference champion team that went 20-4 last year.
Princeton went 17-3 last season and returns virtually intact after losing to Michigan,
4-2, in last year’s semifinals, while Wake Forest will look to earn a third straight
trip to the semifinals following last
season’s 16-5 mark. Wake Forest lost to Maryland, 3-2 in overtime in last year’s NCAA semifinals.
"This is a fantastic opportunity for a somewhat inexperienced (Terrapin) team,"
says Univ. of Maryland head coach Missy Meharg. "I am looking for our National Team
and coaching staff to teach Maryland hockey in the areas of preparing and competing for 70
minutes. Our Terps need to witness individual and team leadership throughout the match. We
want to learn by example."
Likewise, Michigan’s Marcia Pankratz welcomes the chance for her team to learn from
the national squad.
"We are thrilled that the U.S. Team will be coming to Ann Arbor this August,"
says Pankratz of the defending national champions. "What a tremendous opportunity for
our players to compete against the highest level. Our team is always trying to learn,
improve and execute our skills at a quicker tempo. The best way to achieve that is to play
opponents that push you outside of your comfort zone."
Princeton's Beth Bozman also sees a chance for some higher education for her experienced
Tiger team.
"Playing the national team is a win/win situation for us," says Bozman. "We
will quickly see where our weaknesses and our strengths are. And hopefully, we will do
this in front of a large crowd. Field hockey is extremely popular in the area, and it's a
great opportunity for hockey fans to see a great game."
"This is a great experience," adds Wake Forest head coach Jennifer Averill.
"You couldn't ask for a better prep going into the season. It's a great opportunity
for the college players to get some exposure playing against the best in the country, and
it's great for the younger kids with aspirations of playing at the next level."
The tour could also serve as a preview to the next wave of U.S. national team players.
Current U.S. Under-19 and Under-23 team members on the college team's rosters include Ilvy
Friebe (U23), Natalie Martirosian (U23), Alexis Martirosian (U19), Claire Miller (U23) and
Kelly Baril (U23) at Princeton; Emily Boyer (U19), Tiffany Marsh (U19), Lauren Powley
(U19) and Colleen Barbieri (U19) at Maryland; Claire Laubach (U19) at Wake Forest and
April Fronzoni (U23), Katy Moyenur (19) and Kristi Gannon (U23) at Michigan.
Tickets for the matches are available at the gate the day of the game.
World Cup Prep
The college tour will feature the U.S. team in its first competition since earning a spot
in the 2002 World Cup following its best-of-three series win over India in June. The
much-delayed series became necessary when the U.S. was unable to compete in last
September’s World Cup Qualifying Tournament following the terrorist attacks of 9/11.
But after eight months of delays, the two teams finally met June 22-25, in Cannock,
England. After playing to 1-1 draws in the first two games, the U.S. defeated India, 3-1,
in the decisive match to clinch a spot in the World Cup, Nov. 24-Dec. 8 in Perth,
Australia.
"We played with a difference passion and a different tempo, and for the first time
that I have seen, everyone stepped up and played at the right level for international
hockey,” said Belbin on her team's performance against India. "And for me,
that's really promising because, if that can be our base, than we can only get better. And
if we can play like that every time, we can be competitive with anyone in the world."
Belbin played on two World Cup teams for her native Australia and joins some of the tour's
college coaches in sharing the World Cup experience.
Meharg, Averill and Pankratz were all members of the 1986 U.S. World Cup team in Amsterdam
where the team placed 9th. Meharg would later serve as an assistant coach and Pankratz
would return as a player on the 1994 team that won the bronze medal in Dublin.
"As part of the coaching staff for the ’94 World Championships, I simply recall
the excitement of being so prepared and organized, so fit and the team so willing,"
said Meharg. "They were special and the outcome took care of itself."
"My fondest World Cup memory....beating Holland in '94," recalls Pankratz.
"We played so resiliently as a team. The Dutch were so frustrated with our intense
team play. We never let up. It was fun and satisfying."
Following the Collegiate Challenge, the U.S. will host Ireland, Mexico and Scotland in the
International Atlantic Cup, Oct. 8-13 at the U.S. Field Hockey National Training Center in
Virginia Beach.
The current U.S. team includes Kate Barber (West Chester, Pa.), Jenny Everett (Rutland,
Vt.), Tracey Fuchs (Ann Arbor, Mich.), Kelli Gannon (Escondido, Calif.), Tara Jelley
(Greenfield, Mass.), Katie Kauffman (West Lawn, Pa.), Robyn Kenney (Readington, N.J.),
Tracey Larson (Morrisville, Pa.), Carrie Lingo (Rehoboth Beach, Del.), Antoinette Lucas
(Richmond, Va.), Kristen McCann (Allentown, Pa.), Melanie Meerschwam (Amstelveen,
Netherlands), Kim Miller (Virginia Beach, Va), Jill Reeve (Hoosick Falls, N.Y.), Keli
Smith (Selinsgrove, Pa.), Mimi Smith (Virginia Beach, Va.) and goalkeepers Peggy Storrar
(Mahopac, NY) and Jill Dedman (Orange, Conn.).
www.usfieldhockey.com
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