July 10, 2002

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - In Diane Madl's first season as head coach of the Providence College field hockey team, the Friars are looking to begin a new era of successful and exciting collegiate field hockey with a focus on consistency and renewed confidence.

In 2002, the Friars return 20 letterwinners, including nine starters from the 2001 squad that finished the season with an 11-8 overall record and a trip to the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Championship tournament. PC also celebrated its first winning season since 1997, when the Friars finished the year with an 11-10 overall mark.

With a wealth of talented and athletic players returning, Madl plans to raise the level of expectation. The 2002 team also will benefit from the addition of two freshmen, Katharine Lary (Canaan, N.H.) and Allison Klugman (Westborough, Mass.), as well as one transfer student from James Madison University, Amie Hutton (Nantucket, Mass.).

FORWARDS

Senior Jennifer Chin (Norwood, Mass.) returns for her final season at Providence and is expected to lead the Friar attack with her speed and gutsy attitude around the cage. In 2001, Chin led the Friars in overall scoring and finished 13th among BIG EAST Conference players in overall scoring with 19 points on nine goals and one assist. Juniors Casey Geary (Norwood, Mass.) and Kelly Romanowicz (Shrewsbury, Mass.) are expected to compliment Chin on the forward line. Geary started all 19 games for the Friars in 2001 and finished the year with one assist. Geary has a tremendous work ethic and determination. She continues to improve her game everyday. Romanowicz played in 16 games last season and scored her first collegiate points (four) on two goals. Romanowicz adds speed to the attack, and her skills continue to develop and become more deceptive to the defense. The addition of Amie Hutton, who played for James Madison in 2000, has a shooting and attack mentality that adds another dimension to the forward line. Sophomores Stephanie Wise (South Burlington, Vt.), Melissa Kroslak (Hopkinton, Mass.) and Amy Phillips (Worcester, Mass.) will divide their time and skills between the forward and midfield units. Wise missed the majority of the 2001 campaign with a stress fracture in her foot and played in just one game. Phillips played in 18 games and made seven appearances in the starting line-up, as she led her fellow freshmen teammates in scoring with five points on two goals and one assist. Kroslak scored two points on one goal as a freshman during the 2001 season. Junior Maura Desfosses (Plymouth, N.H.) and freshman Katharine Lary all add depth to the attack.

MIDFIELD

The midfield returns a great deal of experience and leadership. Leading the midfield will be senior captain Lyndsey Brooks (New Fairfield, Conn.). Brooks, a 2002 tri-captain and 2001 All-BIG EAST Second-Team selection, started all 19 games for PC at centerback last season. She scored five points on two goals and one assist. Brooks provides poise and a subtle deceptiveness in the midfield that poses challenges for opposing defenses. Brooks will be joined in the midfield by seniors Courtney Dow (Hampstead, N.H.) and Kelly Piwinski (Seabrook, N.H.). Dow finished second on the team in scoring in 2001 with career-highs of 15 points, six goals and three assists. Both Dow and Piwinski provide attack options in the midfield and a steady balance on defense. Forwards Wise, Phillips and Kroslak will also see time in the midfield along with sophomore Sarah Dagrosa (Haddon Heights, N.J.), who will be used primarily as a back in 2002.

BACKS

Fifth-year senior and tri-captain Kara Lukens (Pennsburg, Pa.) will once again be the backbone of the Friar defense. She earned STX/NFHCA Second-Team Regional All-America and All-BIG EAST Second-Team honors in 2001. Lukens provides skill, experience and leadership to the backfield and has a sound understanding and knowledge of the game. She started all 19 games last season and scored her first career points (three) on one goal and one assist. Joining Lukens in the defensive unit will be senior tri-captain Katie Kelly (Weston, Mass.) and junior Stefanie Suehnholz (Flemington, N.J.). Kelly, in addition to leadership, brings a poised, consistent style of play to the defense. Suehnholz is a very skilled, aggressive defender. Last year, she led all Friar defenders in scoring with four points on one goal and two assists. Suehnholz was selected to the BIG EAST All-Rookie Team as a freshman in 2000. Senior Kim Bradbury (Mahopac, N.Y.) has played in just eight games over the last three seasons at Providence due to injury, but is expected to return for her final season with the Friars and be a major contributor to the defense. Junior Becky Drake (Bellingham, Mass.) is another defender who has been plagued by injury, and has not seen action in a single game because of injury. Madl expects Drake to return this season to provide depth on defense. Freshman Allison Klugman, junior Elizabeth Nolan (North Easton, Mass.) and sophomores Dagrosa and Karaline Nolen (Blue Bell, Pa.) will all challenge for playing time in the backfield.

GOALKEEPERS

Junior Meaghan Moran (Framingham, Mass.) and sophomore Meredith Jones (Lake Forest, Ill.) will challenge one another for the starting spot in goal this season. Moran started all 19 games in the cage for Providence in 2001, earning an 11-8 overall record. She posted a 1.57 goals against average and a .762 save percentage in 1,337 minutes of action. Jones, who possesses sound skills in the cage, has the potential to be an outstanding goaltender for the Friars. Last season, Jones played in two games for a total of 44 minutes, made two saves and did not allow a single goal.

WRAP-UP

Confidence and consistency will be the key ingredient to PCs success in 2002. The Friars' experience and skill at every position will provide options of several different styles of play ranging from aggressive to a more poised and controlled game.