U N H w i l d c at s
Season Outlook
OVERVIEW The University of New Hampshire field hockey team won the America East regular-season championship in 2010 and 2011 – with a combined league record of 9-1 – and takes aim at a three-peat in 2012 under the direction of 22ndyear head coach Robin Balducci, who was honored as the league’s Coaching Staff of the Year both of those championship seasons. The Wildcats, who return 13 letterwinners, including six starters, and welcome nine newcomers to the program, tied the school record for victories (17) and broke the single-season benchmark for goals, assists and points en route to winning the 2011 league tournament title and advancing to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2000. In addition to a third consecutive regular-season title, successful defense of its tourney crown and another trip to the NCAAs, UNH looks to extended its streak of double-digit victories to four consecutive years, which is a feat that hasn’t been accomplished since the 1997-2000 seasons. attack UNH graduated two of its all-time top point producers (All-America selections Whitney Frates and Hayley Rausch), which will give its five returners and four newcomers a chance to step into the spotlight and continue the Wildcats’ recent stretch of prolific offenses. Mary Quill, a senior from neighboring Greenland, had a breakthrough season in 2011. She entered last season with 15 career games played in two years and more than doubled that number with 16 appearances, including one start, as a junior. As an important part of the rotation on the front line, Quill recorded six points – all on goals. Mackenzie Joyce (South Pomfret, Vt.) has seen limited playing time wearing the Blue and White for two years. She played in just one game as a freshman and saw action in nine games, including the America East Championship title game, last year as a sophomore. When Joyce was on the field, she was part of the offensive penalty corner unit as the insert. Hannah Richard – another Granite State native (Hopkinton) – was also a key component off UNH’s bench in 2011. She played in 18 of 22 games, including all three in the postseason. As a freshman in 2010, Richard appeared in all 21 regular-season games and was in the starting lineup six times. She has played in all 10 America East conference games in two years as a Wildcat. Claire Grogan (Canton, Mass.) has seen limited playing time – 13 career games, all off the bench – since joining the program as a walk-on before the start of the 2009 season. Sophomore Meg Flatley (Townsend, Mass.) is another student-athlete who walked onto the team; she did not see any game action last fall. The four newcomers looking to provide a scoring touch for the ‘Cats on the front line are Meg Carroll (Mansfield, Mass.), Emma Compagna (Canton, Mass.), Lynne Lehman (Landisburg, Pa.) and Cari Posternak (York, Maine). Both Carroll and Compagna were named to the Hockomock League All-Star Team a year ago. Lehman was an All-State Second Team selection and three-time all-conference honoree. Posternak was a two-time selection to the All-State Team and led York to consecutive state titles. Midfield The midfield, patrolled by seniors Emma Erler (New Hampton, N.H.) and Melyssa Woods (Glens Falls, N.Y.) as well as junior Casey Pohlmeyer (Millersville, Md.), is the backbone of the 2012 Wildcats. This triumvirate boasts seven years of starting experience and all three student-athletes are integral to both the defensive and offensive penalty corner units. Woods immediately stepped into a starting role upon arriving in Durham and has America East All-Rookie Team (2009) on her résumé. She recorded five points (two goals, one assist) last year to duplicate her personal-best numbers from that freshman year. Erler, an America East All-Academic Team selection each of the past two years for her excellence in athletics and academics, stepped into a starting role as a sophomore and, in terms of offensive statistics, had a breakout season in ‘11. Erler finished with four goals and 10 assists for 18 points, and those numbers ranked third overall in assists and fourth in points; she is UNH’s top returner in both assists and points. Pohlmeyer was selected to the America East All-Rookie Team in 2010 and followed that with an even stronger sophomore campaign in which she tallied five goals and three assists for 13 points. Pohlmeyer ranked fifth in points and tied for fourth in goals; among returning players, she is second to Erler in points and tied Megan Bozek atop the goals leaderboard. Pohlmeyer also tops all returning ‘Cats in shots (28). Kellie Joyce (South Pomfret, Vt.), who joined older sister Mackenzie at UNH last year as a freshman, is another Wildcat midfielder who has garnered America East All-Rookie Team recognition. Kellie led all Wildcat freshmen in goals (two), assists (three) and points (seven) in 2011. Among returning players, she was the team’s fourth leading point producer and tied for second – with Pohlmeyer – in assists. Taylor Rideout (Barrington, R.I.) is the only new addition to an experienced quartet of midfielders. Rideout was named to the NFHCA All-America Third Team as a high school senior and was selected to the All-State First Team twice.
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Tradition. Pride. Excellence.