News

Events & Results

About U.S. Field Hockey

USFHA Programs

US National Teams

Club Teams

About Field Hockey

History & Tradition

The Games

Links

Contact US Field Hockey at

Contact US Field Hockey at usfha@usfieldhockey.com

United States Field Hockey Association
A member of the United States Olympic Committee

Latest News

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.— The U.S. Field Hockey Association has selected its 16-member team to represent the United States at the XIII Pan American Games, July 24 - Aug. 4, in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Selections to the team are subject to approval from the United States Olympic Committee (USOC).

"The selection process for the team for Pan Ams has been an extended one," said USA head coach Tracey Belbin.   "It  has been based on each camp and tournament since February, and subsequently final decisions were not made easily.

"I would hope that this team will give the USA every opportunity of winning at  the Pan Ams and thus qualifying for the Olympic Games in 2000," said Belbin.   "(the team) has a combination of youth and experience, and it will be my job to get this group together over the next few months to ensure they are a formidable team both on and off the field."

The team, selected during trials held May 11-19 at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif., features seven members from the 1996 Atlanta Olympic team including Tracey Fuchs (Ann Arbor, Mich.), Kris Fillat (San Diego, Calif.), Kelli James (Medford, N.J.), Antoinette Lucas (Richmond, Va.), Katie Kauffman (West Lawn, Pa.) and Jill Reeve (Hoosick Falls, N.Y.) and Cindy Werley (Allentown, Pa.) The team placed fifth at the Olympic Games in Atlanta.

The only U.S. player to appear in all three previous women's Pan American Field Hockey Tournaments, Fuchs has played in more international contests (165) than any player in USFHA history.  In earning her fourth trip to the Pan Am Games, Fuchs joins Fillat ('91, '95), James ('91, '95), Lucas ('91, '95), Reeve ('95), Werley ('95) and Eleanor Stone (Atlanta, Ga., '95) among players making return trips to the Games.

The team also includes some of U.S. Field Hockey's newest stars including 1998 World Cup standouts  Kate Barber (West Chester, Pa.), Chris DeBow (West Chester, Pa.),  Michelle Vizzuso (Fairfield, N.J.) and goalkeepers  Peggy Storrar (Mahopac, NY) and Jana Withrow (Hockessin, Del.).

All-America selections from the 1998 collegiate season are also well represented on the team with  Mimi Smith (Virginia Beach, Va.) of 1998 NCAA national champion Old Dominion Univ., Jana Toepel (Perkiomenville, Pa.) of the University of North Carolina, Carla Tagliente (Cortland, N.Y.) of the Univ. of Maryland and Vizzuso of the Univ. of Virginia. The Pan Am Games will mark the first international contests for Smith and Toepel as members of the U.S. Senior National Team.

The four alternates to the Pan American Games team each earned collegiate All-America honors in the 1998 season. Goalkeeper Lisa Cellucci (Broomall, Pa.) of the University of Iowa, midfielder Tracey Larson( Morrisville, Pa.) of Penn State, forward Nancy Pelligreen (St. Louis, Mo.) of the University of North Carolina and midfielder Courtney Sommer (Tulsa, Okla.) of Duke University will continue training with the National Team through the end of the year.

The winner of the Pan American Games tournament earns an automatic berth into the 10-team field at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia. Argentina has won the gold medal in each of the three previous Pan American Games women's tournaments, with the U.S. earning silver medals in 1987 and '95, and a bronze medal in 1991.

###

U.S. Field Hockey 1999 Women's Pan American Team