EMAIL THIS PAGE

Field Hockey Adds 10 to Roster For 2002 Season
Coach Jennings Expects Freshmen to Contribute Immediately

July 11, 2002

AU Field Hockey coach Steve Jennings added 10 new recruits to his 2002 Eagles squad.

WASHINGTON -- The 2002 American field hockey team expects its incoming freshmen to make an impact from the start - all 10 of them.

Head Coach Steve Jennings and his staff signed recruits from seven different states including two each from Maryland, Massachusetts and Virginia. The Eagles added much-needed depth with five new midfielders, three defenders and a pair of forwards.

“We expect them to step up right away and make an immediate impact,” said Jennings, who spent part of the summer as an assistant with the U.S. Women’s National Team. “We’re hoping they will push us up to the top and win Patriot League titles.”

Heading up the list are several prize recruits including midfielder Sara Carpenter (Boyertown, Pa./Boyertown), who hails from a powerhouse Pennsylvania program. Defender Heather Maranzano (Williamsburg, Va./Jamestown), who earned district, region and state honors in her last two years, could be a major player in the young backfield. Leveling off the midfield will be Shannon Goans (Ellicott City, Md./River Hill), who earned league player of the year honors in her senior campaign.

Many of the new faces captured state titles during their careers including defender Caroline Vo (Watertown, Mass./Watertown), who comes from one of the most lauded programs in the Bay State.

Maureen Daniel (Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenedehowa) and Jessica Potter (Springfield, Va./West Springfield) will compete for time on the front line while Emily Berlin (Greenfield, Mass./Greenfield), another state champion winner, will keep tabs on defense.

Midfielders Kristen Collins (Gaithersburg, Md./Quince Orchard), Lindsay Carroll (Pittstown, N.J./Delaware Valley Regional) and Tiann Smith (Fort Worth, Texas/Fort Worth Country Day) are expected to raise the level of play for the Eagles.

"They will have to get used to Division 1 field hockey and figure out what it’s all about,” said Jennings. “They should give us a lot of competition in practice.”

American University, which fields a 19-sport NCAA Division I athletics program featuring 10 women’s sports and nine for men, recently completed its inaugural year of membership in the Patriot League. The University had an extremely successful year on respective fields of play, capturing league championships in men’s soccer, women’s volleyball, men’s tennis and women’s tennis, and regular-season titles in men’s basketball and women’s lacrosse.

Chartered by an Act of Congress in 1893, American University features students from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and more than 160 nations worldwide.