Aug. 21, 2007
Iowa City –
Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
This Week
The University of Iowa field hockey team opens the 2007 season at the Big Ten/ACC Challenge in Ann Arbor, MI this weekend. On Saturday, the Hawkeyes will play 2006 national runner-up, No. 2 Wake Forest at 10 a.m. (CT) with No. 3 North Carolina following on Sunday at 10 a.m.
#2 Wake Forest
Wake Forest lost to Maryland last year in the national championship game. They tied Maryland for first place in the ACC and beat the Terrapins for the ACC Tournament championship. Wake Forest finished with an overall record of 22-2.
Returning for Wake Forest is first-team all-American midlfielder/back Michelle Kasold. The Deamon Decons are led by three-time National Coach of the Year Jennifer Averill.
The Deamon Decons downed the Hawkeyes by a score of 6-0 in the 2006 season opener.
#3 North Carolina
North Carolina finished with an overall record of 14-8 last season. The Tar Heels fell to Penn State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Returning for North Carolina will be Rachel Dawson, sister of former Hawkeye Sarah Dawson, who redshirted last season while playing with the U.S. National team. Dawson is a two-time all-American.
Last season, the Hawkeyes were narrowly defeated by the Tar Heels 2-1.
PreSeason Top-Ten
The Hawkeyes are ranked No. 10 in the first NFCHA poll. Last season, the Hawkeyes were ranked No. 12 in the first poll.
NFCHA Rankings
Iowa will play ten of the top 20 teams during the season, including the second (Wake Forest), third (North Carolina) and fourth (Duke) ranked teams in its first three games.
Last Season
The University of Iowa field hockey team fought through one of the nation’s toughest schedules in 2006 to finish with a record of 12-9. The Hawkeyes shined at the end of the season by winning three games in three days (No. 15 Michigan, No. 5 Ohio State and No. 6 Penn State) on their way to winning the Big Ten Tournament and earning a trip to the NCAA Tournament.
All-American Says Goodbye
Heather Schnepf was a first-team all-American back last season. That marked the ninth all-American (fourth, first-team selection) under Head Coach Tracey Griesbaum.
Schnepf, a two-time all-American, is currently a student-assistant on Iowa’s staff.
2006 Regional All-Americans
Last season, four Hawkeyes were named Midwest Region all-Americans in Heather Schnepf, Kadi Sickel, Caitlin McCurdy and Lauren Pfeiffer. The four student-athletes up Griesbaum’s total of regional all-Americans to 26.
2006 Big Ten Honorees
Heather Schnepf joined an exclusive group within the Big Ten. She became only the third athlete in Big Ten history to earn consecutive Defensive Player of the Year awards. She was also a unanimous first-team all-Big Ten selection.
Kadi Sickel and Caitlin McCurdy were second all-Big Ten selections.
Meghan Beamesderfer was the second Hawkeye in as many years to earn the Big Ten Freshman of the Year award (McCurdy).
It’s Great to Be a Hawkeye
The Hawkeyes welcome five freshmen to the team.
Amy Baxter is a back/midfielder from Warrington, PA. She played in the 2004 and 2005 Junior Olympics.
Paige Lowry is a back/midfielder from Denver, CO. She was a state finalist three years in a row and was voted the Most Valuable Player by her teammates.
Chelsea Miller is a midfielder from Dallas, TX. She was a Futures Elite selection in 2005-06.
Maggie Neill is a back from Ambler, PA. She was a first team all-state selection.
Sarah Pergine is a back/midfielder from Collegeville, PA. She was a second-team Philadelphia Inquirer all-southeastern in 2006.
Welcome Back Caroline!
Caroline Blaum returns to the field after sitting out last season with an injury. She was a team captian last season as well as her sophomore season.
Blaum was a second-team all-Big Ten selection during the 2005 season. She has started every game, scored nine goals along with five assists in her career.
HPTC… Meet The Hawkeyes
The High Performance Training Center had a bit of an Iowa flavor. The Hawkeyes had six players in addition to one alternate selected to play for the Midwest Region team.
Kadi Sickel, Caroline Blaum, Roz Ellis, Caitlin McCurdy, Lauren Pfeiffer and Meghan Beamesderfer were each selected to the team. Goalkeeper Lissa Munley was selected as an alternate to the team.
In addition to the players, Assistant Coach Lisa Cellucci was a member of the Midwest’s coaching staff.
Click HERE to learn more about the Big Ten Network.