US Field Hockey News

USA Field Hockey Names International Atlantic Cup Team

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 26, 2003) – USA Field Hockey and women’s national team coach Beth Anders have selected their team for the International Atlantic Cup, Oct. 8-12 at the USA Field Hockey National Training Center in Virginia Beach, Va.
Presented by Cox Communications, the tournament features four of the world's top ten ranked teams, including fifth ranked Great Britain, seventh-ranked Germany and 10^th  ranked Japan. The host U.S. team is ranked ninth in the world. The tournament represents a preview of the Olympic Qualifying Tournament, March 19-28 in Auckland, New Zealand with all four teams headed for the Qualifier. The top four or five teams at the 10-team qualifying tournament will join the five continental champions at the 2004 Olympic Games. Argentina, Australia, China and the Netherlands have already secured their spots in Athens.

The 18-member U.S. squad includes 15 athletes from the silver medalist U.S. team at the 2003 Pan American Games including captain Katie Beach (West Lawn, Pa.), Kate Barber (West Chester, Pa.), Tracey Fuchs (Centereach, N.Y.), Kelli Gannon (Escondido, Calif.), Tara Jelley (Greenfield, Mass.), Robyn Kenney (Readington, N.J.), Tracey Larson (Morrisville, Pa.), Carrie Lingo (Rehoboth Beach, Del.), Kristen McCann (Allentown, Pa.), Jill Reeve (Hoosick Falls, N.Y.), Dina Rizzo (Walpole, Mass.), Keli Smith (Selingsgrove, Pa.), Peggy Storrar (Mahopac, N.Y.), Amy Tran (Grantville, Pa.) and Abbey Woolley (Ocean City, N.J.). The team also includes Virginia Beach native Mimi Smith as well as two of the newest members of the U.S. squad in Meredith Keller (Wilmington, Del.) and Carissa Messimer (Mountaintop, Pa.). Standout on past U.S. junior teams, Keller and Messimer will make their senior national team debuts at the tournament.

The USA women will take on Great Britain in a "friendly" exhibition game at the Univ. of Pennsylvania prior to the tournament, 2:30 p.m, Oct. 4 at Penn's Franklin Field.

The Great Britain squad features a combination of athletes from the England, Scotland and Wales national teams including five athletes who competed for Scotland in 2002’s inaugural International Atlantic Cup. Vikki Bunce, Louise Carroll, Linda Clement, Emma Rochlin and Cheryl Valentine all represented Scotland at last year’s tournament, while two-time Great Britain Olympian and Scotland national team member Rhona Simpson was sidelined with an injury at the Virginia Beach event. The Great Britain squad also includes England standouts Jennie Bimson, Karah Blanks, Helen Grant, Frances Houslop and Rachel Walker who helped England to a fifth place finish at last year’s World Cup. Grant ranked among the team’s top scorers at last month’s European Nations Cup. Michelle Thomas and Sarah Thomas represent Wales on the Great Britain roster.

Fresh off a bronze-medal performance at the European Nations Cup, Germany enters a veteran squad that includes five members from its 2000 Olympic team. Former FIH Player of the Year Natascha Keller, Nadine Ernsting-Krienke, Denise Klecker, Marion Rodewald and Franziska Gude played on Germany’s 7^th place team in Sydney, and helped lift the team to a first place finish at the 2003 Champions Challenge. Klecker and Ernsting-Krienke ranked among the leading scorers at the 2002 World Cup in helping Germany to its 7^th place finish.

Japan’s squad features 14 members from its 2002 World Cup team including goalkeeper Rie Terazono and 2002 FIH Player of the Year nominee Sachimi Iwao. Japan placed third at the 2002 Asian Games and earned a second place finish at the 2003 Champions Challenge. The U.S. and Japan to a scoreless draw in the 9^th/10^th place game at last year’s Word Cup before the U.S. won in penalty strokes, 4-2.

Tickets for the 2003 International Atlantic Cup are available for advanced purchase at  $8 for adults and $4 for students, or at the gate for $10 for adults and $5 for students. Additional ticket information is available by calling 719-866-4371 or visiting www.usfieldhockey.com.

Oct. 8
2 p.m. Japan vs. Germany
4 p.m. USA vs Great Britain

Oct. 9
2 p.m. Great Britain vs. Japan
4 p.m. USA vs. Germany

Oct. 10 – Rest Day

Oct. 11
2 p.m. USA vs Japan
4 p.m. Germany vs Great Britain

Oct. 12
1:30 p.m. Consolation
4 p.m. Championship

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