USA Field Hockey News

Lauren Powley

USA National Team Member Lauren Powley to Bike Across America for USA Field Hockey

 After concluding a very successful field hockey season that included an NCAA I championship, All-America honors and a best-ever 7^th place finish with the USA Under-21 team at the Junior World Cup, USA Field Hockey national team member Lauren Powley will embark on a new challenge in December and January: Biking across the United States.

A Mountain Top, Pa. native and a senior at the Univ. of Maryland, Powley and her father Ken will begin their cross-country bicycle tour Dec. 19 in San Diego and will complete the eight-state, 3,280-mile journey Jan. 26 in St. Augustine, Fla. Along the way, Powley hopes to raise some funds for the USA Field Hockey women’s national team by inviting sponsorships for her trip across the USA.

“A penny a mile,” says Powley who earned first-team All-America honors for the second straight year after helping the Univ. of Maryland to the NCAA field hockey championship. “That’s all I’m asking. Sponsor us at a penny a mile and I’ll ring up the miles for USA Field Hockey.”

Individuals can track Powley's progress and support the ride by making donations from the USA FieldHockey website at www.usfieldhockey.com/.

Powley will begin her quest, Sunday, Dec. 18 from Ocean Beach Park in San Diego. The trip will take the USA midfielder through California, Arizona, Nevada, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. On their way through the Gulf Coast communities recently ravaged by Hurricane Katrina, the Powleys plan to make their own contribution to the daunting recovery efforts now underway in the region.

Following the ride, Powley will have little time to rest as the U.S. team prepares for the World Cup Qualifier in April.

“It will take an enormous amount of work and commitment,” says Powley on the U.S. team’s quest to earn a spot in the 2006 World Cup. “But the spirit and energy on this team are tremendous.  We’ll be there.”

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