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The William and Mary field hockey team made tremendous strides in 2011, improving in every statistical category and reeling off six wins in the first seven matches. Now with an even deeper and more experienced team than last year, head coach Peel Hawthorne ’80 and her staff look to take the next step and return to the top of the Colonial Athletic Association this fall. The Tribe returns 17 of 21 athletes from last season’s squad, including all but a single goal from the stat sheet, and adds six highly talented newcomers who can all challenge for immediate playing time.
Offense
The Tribe attack made a huge leap in potency last fall, and looks to become even more deadly in 2012 with the return of nearly every player to the line-up. The team also adds several talented newcomers and players returning from injury, giving the Tribe significant scoring power.
Leading the charge will be fifth-year senior Leah Zamesnik, who earned first-team all-conference honors in 2011 and was the College’s top scorer with seven goals. Zamesnik is one of the most creative players in the conference with the ball on her stick, and from her spot in the attacking midfield can create scoring chances either for herself or for her teammates. Her value to the team is not just in her scoring ability, but also in drawing multiple defenders to her in order to open up the field.
Running alongside Zamesnik in the middle of the field will be sophomore Emma Clifton, whose breakout freshman year was rewarded with all-rookie honors. The Australian import scored four goals and six assists in 2011, making good use of the aggressive playing style and stick-handling skills she picked up while representing her country internationally. Senior Allison Moran is the Tribe’s top option out on the wing, where her speed allows her to play either on the front line or in the midfield and quickly push the ball up on breakaways.
Likely to start in the forward position is senior Ashley Kyle, who’s scored three goals and an assist each of the past two years. Kyle is one of the fastest players in the league, and plays with a hard-nosed style that few defenders are capable of matching. Her speed and aggressiveness also serves her well on the other end of the field, where she is an integral part of the Tribe’s penalty-killing unit. Sophomores Lindsey Buckheit and Brittany Hopkins saw significant playing time alongside Kyle last fall, where their greater size and superb handling skills make a potent one-two punch in combination with Kyle’s quickness.
Also on the attacking line, redshirt-sophomore Taylor Gladey returns after redshirting last year due to injury. Another speedster with a terrific stick, Gladey had an impressive off-season and gives the team the ability to work an additional line of attack at full speed. Sophomore Kayleigh Ross saw only limited time last fall, but with a full year in the Tribe’s system under her belt will be able to challenge for a greater role in 2012. Charlotte Mabon was an all-state honoree from Pennsylvania in last year’s freshman class – coming off of a successful spring season, she will be looking to contribute as forward or midfielder.
Joining the team on the attack this year are three freshmen. The trio includes Pip Saunders from Australia, who has represented New South Wales (alongside Clifton) on her age-group squad every year since 2008. She is an all-around player with extremely good footwork, skills, and speed that will contribute greatly to the offensive effort. Also new to the team is Esty Byrd, a two-time all-state selection at North Carolina’s Charlotte Country Day. A Strength and Conditioning Prep All-American in 2011, Byrd adds a strong physical presence in the midfield. The third newcomer to watch is Maddy Moore, the District Player of the Year at Maury HS in Virginia last fall. She already possesses great speed, tenacity, and vision on the field, but the coaching staff believes she’s only just now starting to tap into her potential.
Defense
Just as it was last year, the defense looks to be one of W&M’s greatest strengths again in 2012. Eight players with at least two years of experience could see action either in the defensive line or in a holding-midfield position, giving Coach Hawthorne and her staff an almost unheard-of depth and flexibility. Figuring to start every match in the middle of the defense for the second year in a row is senior captain Christine Johnson. A second-team all-state selection last fall, Johnson wields both great speed and vision to devastating effect, frustrating opposing breakaways and shifting the defense to quickly react to any threat. She also has one of the team’s most powerful shots, and was one of the most prolific scorers on the team’s corner unit in 2011.
Johnson’s co-captain is another senior with great field-sense in all-conference honoree Maria Caro. Limited by injury to just eight matches last fall, Caro is nonetheless one of the most skilled players in the league and can play all over the field. She’ll most likely see action in the back half of the midfield where she can help direct the Tribe’s flow between offense and defense, and contribute to the stat sheet on either end of the field. Through two and a half years of action, Caro has collected five goals, three assists, and seven defensive saves. Five of those stops came in 2010, when she ranked 10th in the nation in that category.
Also roving the back-half of the midfield will be redshirt-sophomore Jesse Ebner, who claimed all-rookie honors last year while starting every match. Ebner uses her size to tremendous advantage while harrying opponents into turnovers, and also has a knack for placing herself in the right space at the right time to create a big play. That talent led her to ranking third on the team in points last year, scoring four goals and four assists as part of the Tribe’s penalty unit.
In the mix for major minutes alongside the above trio are several more veterans. Redshirt-junior Sarah Morehouse has seen significant action the past two years, and will be counted on to use her speed alongside that of Ebner and Johnson to help the defense keep its shape. Chaney Manganello started every match last year, and has seen the field in all but two matches during her career. As one of the most experienced of the Tribe’s midfield defenders, she plays a key role in the transition game and can lock down her edge of the field.
Junior Mia Cherry enjoyed a breakout campaign in 2011, starting each of the first 16 matches of the year in the defense alongside Johnson and Ebner. She can play on either side of the field, and her out-sized impact on play will once again force opponents to play into double- and triple-coverage to avoid her stick. Classmate Taylor Hodge is another speedster, and like Morehouse a former forward, who can range all over the field and spring breakaway opportunities for the Tribe offense.
Junior Giovanna Golen was one of several players who moved up the field last year after working with the attack as a freshman, and will look to see increased minutes this season to go along with her increased familiarity with the defense. Kelsea Hull was a reserve in 14 matches as a freshman, and will be battling for increased time along the wings as well.
W&M also has three players on the defense who will be looking to make their first impacts on the program. Junior Navneet Singh joins the Tribe from New Zealand, where she has been a member of the New Zealand Indians U/23 team for the past three years. She has the skill to challenge immediately for playing time, and will have three years of eligibility remaining after transferring from Auckland University.
Sophomore Katherine Ault earned two all-state honors for Solanco HS in Pennsylvaniva, but did not see action last year in a crowded Tribe backfield. Freshman Peyton Smith captained St. Catherine’s School in Richmond to back-to-back Virginia state championships, earning a pair of all-state honors along the way. She was also invited to participate in the National Futures program in both 2010 and 2011.
Goal
In the goal, the Tribe benefits from having three terrific players to choose from as the last line of defense. Fifth-year senior Elizabeth Frey leads the way after challenging for starting duties each of the past two years. In 2010 she stepped into the starting line-up for the last half of the year, and ranked among the league and national leaders in saves, saves per game, and save percentage. While she wasn’t called on to do as much last fall, Frey will be looking to regain top form this fall, and will be especially crucial in helping the Tribe get off to a fast start in the early part of the schedule.
Behind the veteran Frey, Coach Hawthorne also has two highly-touted newcomers that are eager to earn playing time in their first seasons. Catherine Johnson redshirted last fall after starring at Albemarle HS in Virginia, averaging nearly 10 saves per game and stopping 88% of the attempts against her. The coaching staff has been impressed in practice and during the offseason with Johnson’s quick grasp of the Tribe system, and she figures to earn ever-more playing time. Meredith Savage joins the College from Princess Anne HS, where she was chosen to be part of USA Field Hockey’s talent development programs each of the past two years.
Offense
The Tribe attack made a huge leap in potency last fall, and looks to become even more deadly in 2012 with the return of nearly every player to the line-up. The team also adds several talented newcomers and players returning from injury, giving the Tribe significant scoring power.
Leading the charge will be fifth-year senior Leah Zamesnik, who earned first-team all-conference honors in 2011 and was the College’s top scorer with seven goals. Zamesnik is one of the most creative players in the conference with the ball on her stick, and from her spot in the attacking midfield can create scoring chances either for herself or for her teammates. Her value to the team is not just in her scoring ability, but also in drawing multiple defenders to her in order to open up the field.
Running alongside Zamesnik in the middle of the field will be sophomore Emma Clifton, whose breakout freshman year was rewarded with all-rookie honors. The Australian import scored four goals and six assists in 2011, making good use of the aggressive playing style and stick-handling skills she picked up while representing her country internationally. Senior Allison Moran is the Tribe’s top option out on the wing, where her speed allows her to play either on the front line or in the midfield and quickly push the ball up on breakaways.
Likely to start in the forward position is senior Ashley Kyle, who’s scored three goals and an assist each of the past two years. Kyle is one of the fastest players in the league, and plays with a hard-nosed style that few defenders are capable of matching. Her speed and aggressiveness also serves her well on the other end of the field, where she is an integral part of the Tribe’s penalty-killing unit. Sophomores Lindsey Buckheit and Brittany Hopkins saw significant playing time alongside Kyle last fall, where their greater size and superb handling skills make a potent one-two punch in combination with Kyle’s quickness.
Also on the attacking line, redshirt-sophomore Taylor Gladey returns after redshirting last year due to injury. Another speedster with a terrific stick, Gladey had an impressive off-season and gives the team the ability to work an additional line of attack at full speed. Sophomore Kayleigh Ross saw only limited time last fall, but with a full year in the Tribe’s system under her belt will be able to challenge for a greater role in 2012. Charlotte Mabon was an all-state honoree from Pennsylvania in last year’s freshman class – coming off of a successful spring season, she will be looking to contribute as forward or midfielder.
Joining the team on the attack this year are three freshmen. The trio includes Pip Saunders from Australia, who has represented New South Wales (alongside Clifton) on her age-group squad every year since 2008. She is an all-around player with extremely good footwork, skills, and speed that will contribute greatly to the offensive effort. Also new to the team is Esty Byrd, a two-time all-state selection at North Carolina’s Charlotte Country Day. A Strength and Conditioning Prep All-American in 2011, Byrd adds a strong physical presence in the midfield. The third newcomer to watch is Maddy Moore, the District Player of the Year at Maury HS in Virginia last fall. She already possesses great speed, tenacity, and vision on the field, but the coaching staff believes she’s only just now starting to tap into her potential.
Defense
Just as it was last year, the defense looks to be one of W&M’s greatest strengths again in 2012. Eight players with at least two years of experience could see action either in the defensive line or in a holding-midfield position, giving Coach Hawthorne and her staff an almost unheard-of depth and flexibility. Figuring to start every match in the middle of the defense for the second year in a row is senior captain Christine Johnson. A second-team all-state selection last fall, Johnson wields both great speed and vision to devastating effect, frustrating opposing breakaways and shifting the defense to quickly react to any threat. She also has one of the team’s most powerful shots, and was one of the most prolific scorers on the team’s corner unit in 2011.
Johnson’s co-captain is another senior with great field-sense in all-conference honoree Maria Caro. Limited by injury to just eight matches last fall, Caro is nonetheless one of the most skilled players in the league and can play all over the field. She’ll most likely see action in the back half of the midfield where she can help direct the Tribe’s flow between offense and defense, and contribute to the stat sheet on either end of the field. Through two and a half years of action, Caro has collected five goals, three assists, and seven defensive saves. Five of those stops came in 2010, when she ranked 10th in the nation in that category.
Also roving the back-half of the midfield will be redshirt-sophomore Jesse Ebner, who claimed all-rookie honors last year while starting every match. Ebner uses her size to tremendous advantage while harrying opponents into turnovers, and also has a knack for placing herself in the right space at the right time to create a big play. That talent led her to ranking third on the team in points last year, scoring four goals and four assists as part of the Tribe’s penalty unit.
In the mix for major minutes alongside the above trio are several more veterans. Redshirt-junior Sarah Morehouse has seen significant action the past two years, and will be counted on to use her speed alongside that of Ebner and Johnson to help the defense keep its shape. Chaney Manganello started every match last year, and has seen the field in all but two matches during her career. As one of the most experienced of the Tribe’s midfield defenders, she plays a key role in the transition game and can lock down her edge of the field.
Junior Mia Cherry enjoyed a breakout campaign in 2011, starting each of the first 16 matches of the year in the defense alongside Johnson and Ebner. She can play on either side of the field, and her out-sized impact on play will once again force opponents to play into double- and triple-coverage to avoid her stick. Classmate Taylor Hodge is another speedster, and like Morehouse a former forward, who can range all over the field and spring breakaway opportunities for the Tribe offense.
Junior Giovanna Golen was one of several players who moved up the field last year after working with the attack as a freshman, and will look to see increased minutes this season to go along with her increased familiarity with the defense. Kelsea Hull was a reserve in 14 matches as a freshman, and will be battling for increased time along the wings as well.
W&M also has three players on the defense who will be looking to make their first impacts on the program. Junior Navneet Singh joins the Tribe from New Zealand, where she has been a member of the New Zealand Indians U/23 team for the past three years. She has the skill to challenge immediately for playing time, and will have three years of eligibility remaining after transferring from Auckland University.
Sophomore Katherine Ault earned two all-state honors for Solanco HS in Pennsylvaniva, but did not see action last year in a crowded Tribe backfield. Freshman Peyton Smith captained St. Catherine’s School in Richmond to back-to-back Virginia state championships, earning a pair of all-state honors along the way. She was also invited to participate in the National Futures program in both 2010 and 2011.
Goal
In the goal, the Tribe benefits from having three terrific players to choose from as the last line of defense. Fifth-year senior Elizabeth Frey leads the way after challenging for starting duties each of the past two years. In 2010 she stepped into the starting line-up for the last half of the year, and ranked among the league and national leaders in saves, saves per game, and save percentage. While she wasn’t called on to do as much last fall, Frey will be looking to regain top form this fall, and will be especially crucial in helping the Tribe get off to a fast start in the early part of the schedule.
Behind the veteran Frey, Coach Hawthorne also has two highly-touted newcomers that are eager to earn playing time in their first seasons. Catherine Johnson redshirted last fall after starring at Albemarle HS in Virginia, averaging nearly 10 saves per game and stopping 88% of the attempts against her. The coaching staff has been impressed in practice and during the offseason with Johnson’s quick grasp of the Tribe system, and she figures to earn ever-more playing time. Meredith Savage joins the College from Princess Anne HS, where she was chosen to be part of USA Field Hockey’s talent development programs each of the past two years.
