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2001 Delaware Field Hockey Outlook Quick Facts | Outlook     General Information Location Newark, Delaware 19716 Founded 1743 Enrollment 16,000 Undergraduates Nickname Fightin' Blue Hens Official Mascot YoUDee Colors Royal Blue & Gold Affiliation NCAA Division I Conference America East Joined Conference 1991-92 (10th season) President Dr. David P. Roselle NCAA Faculty Rep Dr. John L. Burmeister  Athletic Information Athletic Director Edgar N. Johnson Athletic Office Phone 302-831-4006 Sr. Assoc. Athletic Director Mary Ann Hitchens Associate AD/Programs & Facilities Kate Pohlig Assoc. AD/Business Affairs Scott Eatough Asst. AD/Compliance Sue Groff Marketing Director Curt Krouse Operations Associate Jerry Oravitz Events Supervisor Shane Brey Athletics Development Kathleen Houghton Sports Medicine Physician Dr. Vincent Disabella Head Athletic Trainer Keith Handling Assoc. Head Trainer Joan Couch Assistant Trainer Mike Higgins Assistant Trainer John Smith Strength & Conditioning Coach Russell Barbarino  Sports Information Office Phone 302-831-2186 Sports Information Director Scott Selheimer Selheimer's Home Phone 302-368-8639 Assistant SID Mike Hirschman SID Interns Craig Everett (FH Contact), Jon Markle Everett's E-mail Address ceverett@udel.edu SID FAX 302-831-8653 Blue Hen 24-Hour Sports Hotline 302-831-8139 E-Mail Address 36246@udel.edu Internet Address www.udel.edu/sportsinfo  Field Hockey Information Head Coach Carol Miller (Delaware '82) Record at Delaware 92-65 (8 seasons) Career Record 177-114-18 (16 seasons) Office Phone 302-831-6721 Asst. Coaches Valerie Coyle (Rutgers '96) Cindy Botett (Maine '99) Home Field Rullo Stadium Features ActionTurf/Lights Capacity 2,000 Press Box Phone 302-831-3526 2000 Record 8-12, 5-3 America East (3rd), lost in America East semifinals All-Time Record 330-183-39 (30 seasons) 2001 Captains Juli Byrd, Jenn Fotiou Letterwinners Ret. / Lost 16 / 2 Starters Ret. / Lost 9 / 2   Blue Hens' Expectations High Heading into Last America East Tour Delaware coach Carol Miller looks to the 2001 season with great anticipation. The Blue Hen coach enters her ninth season at her alma mater and 17th overall with expectations higher than she has had in many preseasons. She lost just two players from last year's team and returns nine starters from a year ago. Juli Byrd Add to that mix three freshmen who she feels make up the best recruiting class she has brought to Delaware and a pair of redshirts who will contribute immediately and Miller thinks she's got a winner in this last season for Delaware in America East. "We put it together this past spring," said Miller, who will be inducted into UD's Athletics Hall of Fame for her playing accolades at Delaware in the early 1980's. "This is the deepest team we've ever had. Every player on this team can compete with each other &endash; there is no weak link this season." Miller's recruiting class of Leah Gieb, Carly Compana and Lauren Carr are the highest touted class she has had at Delaware. Gieb was an USFHA "A" Camp participant this past summer, trying out for the Under-18 National Team,, while Compana and Carr were "B" Camp members. "It is a versatile group where they could play anywhere we need them. I am looking for them, though, to give us a spark up front," said Miller. "They are a young, but very capable group." Gieb was an all-conference, all-area and all-state selection at Souderton Area HS (PA) and played at the Under 16 and Under 19 National Futures Tournaments. Compana was a Regional All-American and an all-state selection last year at Piscataway HS (NJ), and was a three-time all-area selection and received Area Player of the Year awards each of those years. Carr was a three-time all-conference honoree and three-time all-area selection by the Philadelphia Inquirer. The native of Downingtown, PA was the Inquirer's Player of the Year last year at Downingtown HS. Joining the rookie class on the forward line are a mix of youth and veterans. Along with the three freshmen, Erica LaBar will look to gain her first collegiate experience. LaBar missed all of last season after tearing up her knee in a practice the first week of the season. Prior to coming to Delaware, LaBar was a two-time all-state selection and the 1999 Delaware High School Player of the Year at nearby William Penn HS. In addition, seniors Megan McGuin and Jenn Fotiou and sophomore Erin Shaklee return up front. McGuin, a native of Newark, DE, struggled through back problems for the first half of last season, but managed to start the last 13 games of the season, scoring three goals. Fotiou has struggled through injuries as of late. The senior from Oley, PA who started all 20 games last year (2g, 1a) suffered a torn ACL in a scrimmage last spring. Miller hopes to have her back before the conference season gets underway in September. Shaklee had an outstanding freshman campaign. The Severna Park, MD native appeared in 17 games as a reserve and was four on the team in scoring with eight points (2g, 4a). In the midfield, the Blue Hens return a host of players who saw time a year ago. Sophomore Jess Breault, who was second on the team in scoring last year with 16 points (8g, 0a), moves back to the midfield as does junior Kelly Coyle (1g, 4a last year). The duo spent much of last season on the front line. They are joined in the midfield by sophomores Gloria Compello and Meghan O'Meara and juniors Stephanie Dorsch, Katie Kelly, Stacy Thomas. Compello (1g, 0a) started 14 games as a freshman, while O'Meara (0g, 2a) appeared in 10 games in her rookie campaign. Dorsch, Thomas and Kelly all earned letters last season and look to move into the starting lineup this season. Kelly started five games last season as a sophomore. Freshman walk-on Jessi Balmer and junior transfer Megan Heuberger will also add support in the midfield. Heuberger, who sat out last year per NCAA transfer regulations, comes to Delaware after one season at Lebanon Valley, where she was a member of LVC's NCAA Division III Runner-up team. In the backfield, two-time all-region selection Juli Byrd returns to lead the defense. Byrd was moved around most of last season and wound up on the front line. This season, though, Miller plans to use Byrd as a back or sweeper, depending on the Blue Hens' alignment. "This season should be much better for Juli," said Miller. "She'll get more support this season. With the players around her, her role can be more of a supportive one this season, rather than shouldering the burden as she did last year." Byrd didn't fare badly shouldering that burden. She led the team in scoring with 20 points (10 g, 0a). She enters this season with 59 career points &endash; No. 14 all-time at Delaware. However, the Delaware defense suffered without her in the backfield a year ago. The Blue Hens allowed 52 goals last season &endash; more than any other Blue Hen team had ever allowed in a season &endash; and recorded just three shutouts all season. Joining Byrd in the backfield will be sophomores Megan Henry and Jill Stevens, senior Kate Johnson and junior Kim Wagaman. Wagaman started all 20 games as a sophomore and played at USFHA's "B" Camp this past summer. In goal, two experienced netminders and one talented redshirt freshmen will battle for the starting job. Junior Andrea Grasso became the starter at the beginning of last season. However, she suffered a concussion midway through the season and gave way to Stephanie Judefind. By the end of the season, Grasso and Judefind were sharing the duties. Grasso was just 2-6, but had a 2.28 GAA and a .734 save percentage. Judefind, on the other hand, was 6-5, but had a 2.89 GAA and a .710 save percentage. Now, though, Heidi Hibshman has come on the scene. Hibshman redshirted last season and appears to have the early jump on the starting job for this season. A native of Lititz, PA, she led Warwick HS to the 1999 Pennsylvania state title and was a three-year starter in high school, despite not playing the sport until her sophomore year. "Heidi played for one of the top USFHA Summer League teams this season, along with Kelly Coyle and Jessica Breault," said Miller. "That experience has really helped her along. "The job is out there when camp starts, though. Whoever stays healthy and wants it more will be the starter." Miller knows, though, the key to this season will be scoring goals. "Overall, we need to find more goalscorers within ourselves," said Miller "Last year, we made adjustments to try to spark the offense and we'd like to see people step up into those roles as they did in the spring. We played more in summer leagues and at Supercamp than we ever have before. I think we'll be ready."