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2000 Delaware Field Hockey Outlook Quick Facts | Outlook    Quick Facts 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 (since 1991-92) President: Dr. David P. Roselle NCAA Faculty Representative: Dr. John L. Burmeister Athletics Staff Athletic Director: Edgar N. Johnson (302-831-4006) Sr. Associate Athletic Director: Mary Ann Hitchens Associate AD/Programs & Facilities: Kate Pohlig Assistant Athletics Directors: Scott Eatough (Business); Sue Groff (NCAA Compliance); Maryann Rapposelli (Recreation & Intramurals) Marketing Director: Curt Krouse Operations Associate: Jerry Oravitz Events Supervisor: Shane Brey Athletics Development: Kathleen Houghton Sports Medicine Physician: Dr. Vincent Disabella Head Trainer: Keith Handling Associate Head Trainer: Joan Couch Assistant Trainers: Mike Higgins, Jennifer Grunzweig 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 (FH Contact): Mike Hirschman Hirschman's Home Phone: 410-620-4177 SID Intern: Kevin Tritt 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: 84-53 (seven seasons); Career Record: 169-102-18 (15 seasons) Office Phone: 302-831-6721 Assistant Coach: Valerie Coyle (Rutgers '96) Graduate Assistant Coach: Cindy Botett (Maine '99) Volunteer Assistant Coaches: Rachel Barger (Delaware '00), Kelly Ottati (Delaware '00) Home Field: Rullo Stadium (2,000, Action Turf); Press Box Phone: 302-831-3526 1999 Record: 9-12, 4-4 America East (4th); lost in America East semifinals All-Time Record: 322-171-39 (29 seasons) Letterwinners Returning / Lost (Starters Ret./Lost): 11/8 (4/7) 2000 Delaware Field Hockey Outlook After losing nine seniors from last season's 9-12 squad that made the team's fourth straight America East Tournament appearance, Delaware head coach Carol Miller has to look at the upcoming 2000 season as one of learning. "We need to take this season one day at a time beginning with the opening of camp Aug. 11," said Miller. "As a coaching staff, we know that there is new blood in the program this year. Even the returnees have new opportunities. Jenn Fotiou "We have a tradition to uphold here at Delaware and the kids know it. We had a disappointing season last year, but I think some of our goals may have been too lofty. I want our returning players to be able to look at the mistakes of last year and make them the lessons of tomorrow." Being so young, Miller will do a lot of shuffling in the pre-season to figure her starting line-up. Players will show their versatility and move according to where they are needed most. One of the youngest spots on the field will be at goalkeeper. A year ago, the Blue Hens were inexperienced at the position and senior Kelly Ottati, who hadn't started a game in her first three seasons as a Blue Hen, came through with a stellar season in earning the team's Most Valuable Player award. This year will be no different. Junior Andrea Grasso saw only three minutes of action last year as Ottati's backup. She will battle with sophomore Stephanie Judefind and freshman Heidi Hibshman. Judefind had an outstanding summer league season, while Hibshman, the starter for the Pennsylvania Class AAA state champions at Warwick HS, had a great high school career and was in the Futures program, but will need to adjust to the college game. With a young goalkeeping corps, pressure will be put on the front line to score goals… a problem the Blue Hens had last year. During a nine-game span in the middle of last season, Delaware scored just five goals. In fact, when Delaware scored two or more goals last year, it was 7-1 (the lone loss at Ball State), but were just 2-11 when held to less than two goals. Adding to that, 18 of the 32 goals scored last year came from players who have now graduated. Miller hopes to add to the offensive threat, though, with a talented group of freshman and a better percentage off of the Blue Hens' penalty corners. "Some of the incoming freshman are natural goal scorers. We also have to perfect our penalty corners and having seniors Juli Byrd and Megan Fortunato back on that unit should help." One of those freshmen is Jenn Breault, a Mid-Atlantic High School All-American last year. At Pomperaug Regional High School in Southbury, CT, Breault was an all-conference and all-state selection last year and earned a spot on the Under-18 Avon Futures team. Byrd, a first-team all-region and all-conference selection last year, scored eight of her nine goals as the striker off the penalty corner unit last year. Fortunato, a native of Willow Grove, PA who is also a standout on the UD women's lacrosse team, returns as Byrd's stopper. Miller sees Fortunato (who earned second-team all-conference honors in field hockey last year and has earned first-team all-conference and second-team all-region in lacrosse each of the last two seasons), Byrd and Katie Phillips as key elements to this year's squad. "Megan Fortunato is extremely versatile. She'll stay in the midfield, but may be more offensive-minded this year. With her versatility, she will slide to counter the opponents' strong side." Phillips, a senior from Downingtown, PA, grew tremendously in the spring after appearing in 20 of 21 games with 13 starts last year. "Katie developed nicely during spring practice, especially in taking a leadership role," said Miller. "With Megan (Fortunato) playing lacrosse, Katie really stepped up with some of our younger players and took the lead." Byrd, a junior from Pocomoke, MD, will start the season in the same place she was last year on the back line. "Being young in goal, we'll need Juli back there at the start. But, that could change. If some younger players develop back there, we will move Juli up front and take advantage of her ability to score goals, too." Miller will look to juniors Jenn Fotiou and Kate Johnson, sophomores Kelly Coyle and Kim Wagaman and freshman Megan Henry as candidates to take over the defensive anchor for Byrd. Coyle, the younger sister of assistant coach Valerie Coyle, had a strong summer league and has bounced back from a string of injuries in spring practice. Henry was an all-area honorable mention selection at Boyertown (PA) High. Wagaman, a native of Oley, PA who appeared in 10 games last year and came on late in the season to play in four conference games, may also step into the penalty corner offense as a striker to give a second threat along with Byrd. This year's team will certainly have a Delaware flavor with six players from the First State expected to see action, including three freshmen who earned all-state honors last year &endash; 1999 Wilmington News Journal State Player of the Year Erica LaBar and first-team all-state selections Gloria Compello and Jill Stevens.