USA Field Hockey News

Injury Sidelines Gannon for Olympic Qualifier

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - A chronic injury will force USA Field Hockey forward Kelli Gannon (Escondido, Calif.) to miss the Olympic Qualifying Tournament, March 19-28 in Auckland, New Zealand.

The former All-America selection from the Univ. of Michigan was scheduled to leave with the team for its final Qualifer preparations in Australia next week, but will instead continue treatment in Virginia Beach.

"This is a great loss to our team and Kelli's attributes, both on and off the field, will be sorely missed," said USA assistant coach Nick Conway.

With Gannon's absence, the USA will lose one its most dangerous scoring threats. She scored two goals at the Pan American Games including the eventual game-winner against Canada, and connected on the eventual game-winning goal against India in a 2002 series to clinch the USA team's spot in the 2002 World Cup.Gannon also collected a pair of goals at the 2003 Champions Challenge in Catania, Italy.

Gannon's sister, Kristi, is also a member of the USA team and will compete at the Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

Gannon will be replaced on the USA roster by Abbey Woolley (Ocean City, N.J.). A member of the USA Pan American Games team, Woolley scored two goals at the tournament in helping the USA to a Pan Am silver medal.

The USA must finish among the top five teams at the ten-team Olympic Qualifier to earn a spot in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.

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