Melissa Leonetti

Born: 28 June 1982

Position: Back

Height/Weight: 5-6, 135

International Caps: 69

International Goals: 1

Years on National Team:  (2003)
2003 USA National Team
2004 USA National Team
2005 USA National Team
2006-07 USA National Team

Birthplace: Erdenheim, Pa.

Hometown: Erdenheim, Pa.

Residence: Virginia Beach, Va.

High School: Springfield Township '00

College:

• Old Dominion Univ. ('04)
• Health and physical education

Club: Red Rose (2003-pres.)

Employer: Home Depot (Paint Associate)

Playing Career:

• Early Career
  Started playing field hockey in the 7th grade - only fall sport offered for girls...Two-time all-league and all-area selection at Springfield Township high school...Named the Springfield Sun Best Female High School Athlete as a senior...Also played basketball and lacrosse.
  
• Collegiate Career
  2000 - Played in 16 games as a freshman, scoring 1 goal...  2001 -Second team All-CAA...NFHCA All-Academic Team...Scored 5 goals and 7 assists; 2002 - NFHCA Second Team All-America...NFHCA All-Academic...All CAA First Team...First Team All-South Region...Scored 5 goals with 19 assists...2003 - NFHCA Third Team All-America...First Team All South Region...CAA Defender of the Year...Scored 3 goals with 12 assists...Finished career with 14 goals.

• International Career
  2003 - Named to the USA National Team during individual trials, Dec. 2003...2004 - U.S. National Team...Earned first career international cap vs Canada (1/23/04) at Stanford, Calif...2nd Pan American Cup Team...2005 - USA National Team...New Zealand Tour...Australia test series (Virginia Beach)...Rabobank Champions Challenge (Virginia Beach, 5th)...Canada Series (Virginia Beach)...Argentina 3 Nation Tournament (2nd)...2006 - USA National Squad...Argentina Four Nation Tournament (4th, Rosario, ARG)...World Cup Qualifying Tournament (4th, Rome)...AstroTurf March on Madrid, Virginia Beach (1. NED, 2 ARG, 3. AUS, 4. USA)...Scored first career goal in a 3-1 loss to Australia at the AstroTurf March on Madrid...World Cup (Madrid, 6th place)...2007 - Netherlands Tour team...Chile 4-Nation Team Champions, Santiago (1. USA, 2. ARG, 3. CHI, 4. CAN)...Selected to AtaHoldings Champions Challenge Team (Baku, AZE, 4th)

Personal:

• Nickname: "Mel"
• Career high: Making the U.S. National Team
• Career low: Tearing my ACL 6 months after making the U.S. team
• Sport Ambition: Play in the Olympic Games
• Ambition after field hockey: Coaching/teaching, graduate school
• Most influential person in your sporting career: Parents (Craig & Marie) and brothers (Eric & Cole)
• Other than U.S. athletes, which international player would you want to have as your teammate: Marina DiGiacomo (ARG) and Lotte Bant (NED) (teammates at Old Dominion)
• Before a game I: Listen to music
• The most unusual thing that's happened to me: I get de ja vu
• I am a natural at: being sarcastic
• I can't live without: My family
• Other than field hockey, my favorite Olympic Sport is: definitely not curling
• Most people don't know that I: I am really afraid of spiders
• Hobbies/Activities: Helping with my high school field hockey team
• Favorites: Food- Homecooked meals in Pennsylvania Pro Teams: Eagles, Sixers, Phillies, Flyers Athlete: Michael Jordan