US Field Hockey News

US Field Hockey News

U.S. Field Hockey’s 2003 Summer League Opens in New Haven

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. —U.S. Field Hockey’s Summer League, the Association’s annual elite-level competition, opens its sixth season May 31-June 1 at Yale Univ. in New Haven, Conn.

Games begin at 1 p.m. Saturday and resume at 8 a.m.on Sunday. There is no charge for admission to the games.

The opening weekend features team from the League’s North Division including the New England Eclipse, Metro Rush, Philadelphia Fury and Pennsylvania Pride. The League’s South Division, featuring the Midwest Cyclones, Tidewater Tempest, U.S. Under-20 team and the defending league champion Southern Charm, open play the weekend of June 7-8 at the U.s. Field Hockey National Training Center in Virginia Beach, Va. The teams will meet for interdivision play the weekend of June 21-22 in Virginia Beach, with the top four teams advancing to the semifinals, July 6, also in Virginia Beach.

Initiated in 1998, the League features eight franchise teams comprised of top players from around the country including U.S. Olympians, U.S. 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 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.

The North Division’s opening weekend features 1996 Olympians Antoinette Lucas and Barb Marois and 2002 Univ. of New Hampshire All-America selection Marcie Boyer with the new England Eclipse, in addition to a Penn State-rich Pennsylvania Pride team that includes former U.S. National team members and Nittany Lion alumnae Kiley Kulina and Tara Maguire as well as former Ball St. All-America and NCAA Player of the Year, Sally Northcroft.

The young Metro Rush squad features U.S. U16 team members Sarah Reinprecht and Alexandra Malatesta, but should get some much needed experience and guidance from Princeton All-America Claire Miller and former U.S. national team member and current Princeton head coach, Kristen Holmes-Winn. Holmes-Winn also serves as the head coach of the Rush.

Head coach Lauren Fuchs (Temple) leads the Philadelphia Fury into the opening weekend with a team that includes former Australia national team member Justine Sowry, Drexel head coach Denise Zelenak and high school All-America selection Laree Beans (Emmaus HS).

League Rosters