Aug. 25, 2016 Villanova, Pa. -
"We have a lot of talent on this team. With great leadership, great work rate and complete dedication, this team is ready to compete."- Head coach, Joanie Milhous
With the 2016 academic year underway, the field hockey team approaches the start of a new season. Joanie Milhous enters her 22nd season as a Wildcat and looks for a successful BIG EAST finish, especially being able to play on their brand new turf field. Milhous is, "Very excited to start the next era in Villanova Field Hockey! There have been a ton of hard working and dedicated student-athletes who have gone through our Villanova field hockey program who were not able to play on carpet surface. So, with our new turf facility, we are extremely fortunate and excited to continue the hard working tradition and show all the talent that our 2016 Villanova field hockey team has to offer."
Milhous is assisted by Kate Scholl, who heads into her seventh season, as well as, Kelly Broadway, who enters her second season with the Wildcats. Both serve as recruiting coordinators for the program. Also added to the coaching staff this year, was former player, Ann Romanowski, who enters her first season as a volunteer coach for the program.
Last season, Villanova finished third in the BIG EAST, falling to Temple in the semi-finals in overtime. Fellow BIG EAST opponent, Connecticut, has clinched the title for the past four years. The BIG EAST also welcomes Liberty and Quinnipiac to the conference this year. "The BIG EAST is very strong and we look forward to competing and showing Villanova Pride," said head coach, Milhous.
The 2016 season opens up in Kent Ohio, on August 27th and 28th, where the Wildcats will face off against Kent State on Saturday, and Michigan State on Sunday. Both games will be played at Kent State.
This year, the team was picked to finish sixth in the BIG EAST out of all eight teams. Leading the team as captains this season will be fifth year seniors, Carolynn Clark (Haddonfield, N.J.) and Taylor Kidwell (Reinholds, Pa.), and seniors, Courtney Devine (Newton Square, Pa.) and Kristen Mericle (Shavertown, Pa.).
Conference play will begin on September 16 as the Wildcats face off to the newly added, Liberty Eagles. The Wildcats will play home again, on September 18, against Ohio University. This will be a big day for the field hockey Wildcats, as it will be the first game ever to be played on the Villanova Field Hockey Field, in Conshohocken, Pa. and Milhous believes "Our new surface will be one of the premier field hockey facilities in the country and will take our program to the next level."
This season, the Wildcats return 14 letterwinners, while welcoming nine freshmen to the team.
"We are excited to have these nine freshmen join our Villanova Field Hockey program. This group is very talented and we are looking forward to them having a significant impact on our team this year. This class has a very positive attitude, a great work rate and are ready to compete and contribute immediately."
Forwards:
"We have a nice combination of experience and strong young talent on our forward line. Last season we struggled with goal scoring but I do not expect that to be a concern this season. We have very hungry girls in front of the goal who are ready to do what it takes to put the ball in the cage. 2016 Preseason All-Big East and 2015 All-Big East 1st Team Fresca Bello will lead the attack along with Megan Vermeil and Emma McLaughlin. We also have versatile players who have the ability to be on the front line including Captain Courtney Devine and Emily Cliggett. Maddy Lewis, Jordan Allegretto and Claire Weaver will add to this front line."
Senior, Courtney Devine, finished with four goals and five assists last season and saw action in all 17 games.
Francesca Bello (Princeton, N.J.), was named to the Preseason All-BIG EAST season for this upcoming year. Last season, she started every game for the Wildcats, while leading the team in goals (10) and recording a team high of 25 points.
Maddy Lewis (West Chester, Pa.), made six appearances for the Wildcats during her freshman year and recorded her first career assist last season against Ball State.
With the loss of two powerful forwards, the Wildcats have welcomed four freshmen to maintain the attack.
Megan Vermeil (Downington, Pa.), a talented freshman, from the main line, was also a four year varsity letterwinner at Villa Maria Academy. Vermeil was named to the AACA All Star ream, the NFHCA All Region Second Team, the PA All State Team, the Max Field Hockey All Region Team, the All Phila Main Line First Team, and the Phila Inquirer All Area First Team. She led her team in goal scoring for three seasons and scored 88 goals during her high school career, 36 of those goals, were scored during her senior year.
Freshman, Jordan Allegretto (Ocean City, N.J.) was a four year varsity letterwinner in field hockey at Ocean City High School. She was named to the First Team All-South Jersey Honors in 2015, as well as the Second Team All-State Group 3 Honors. She notched 78 career goals and 30 assists during her high school career.
Another freshman, Claire Weaver (Winnetka, IL.), was a three-year varsity letter winner at New Trier High School. She was named an Illinois All Scholar Athlete, and named to the All-State Team her senior year, as well as Impact Plater of the Year. Weaver notched 83 goals during her high school career.
Lastly, freshman, Emma McLaughlin, from Quakertown, Pa., was a four year letterwinner in field hockey. During her senior season, she was selected to the Senior All-Star Team and the Suburban One First Team All-League, and was a captain.
Midfielders:
"Captain Kristen Mericle, 2015 All-Big East 2nd Team, will be leading our midfield as well as Abby Siana, Allison Sayia, Devine and Cliggett. We will also see help there from junior Molly Turner, as well as freshmen Christen Pennington, Suzie Clark and Lauren Callahan. This group has great vision and will create many scoring opportunities. They also have great speed for transitional attack and defense."
Kristen Mericle started all 17 games last season, while being named to the All BIG EAST Second Team, and the BIG EAST Honor Roll. She had two games where she scored two goals and had two assists in one game.
Junior, Molly Turner, made 12 appearances at midfield for the Wildcats last season.
Sophomores, Emily Cliggett (Warrington, Pa.) and Allison Sayia (Short Hills, N.J.) remain strong as midfielders for the Wildcats, having much more experience. Cliggett started 15 games for the Wildcats, while appearing in all 17 games during her freshman season. She scored her first collegiate goal against Ball State, and finished her season with three goals. Sayia, started and appeared in 15 games for the Wildcats last season. She collected her first career goal and assist against Ball State, while finishing the season with three goals and two assists.
Three freshmen were added to the team to help the midfield line, Abby Siana (Chester Springs, Pa.) Suzie Clark (Haddonfield, N.J.), and Lauren Callahan (Roseland, N.J). Abby Siana (Chester Springs, Pa.), will be a huge addition to the midfield line, as she brings much talent to the Wildcats. In 2015, she was awarded the Villa Maria Academy- MVP, and was named to the senior All Star game selection. She was also named as a Catholic Academy All State first team and named to the All Main Line First Team.
Suzie Clark, sister of, Carolynn Clark, was a four year varsity letterwinner in field hockey at Haddonfield Memorial High School. In 2015, she was named to the First Team All-Conference Midfield and Second Team All-Conference Midfield in 2014.
Callahan, from Roseland, N.J., was a four year varsity letterwinner in field hockey. She was named to the All-State, Non-Public Third team her senior year, as well as team captain. She currently holds the school record for most goals and assists, leading her team in all four seasons, at Mount Saint Dominic Academy.
"Our experience is in our backfield as we are very excited to have two 5th year seniors Carolynn Clark and Taylor Kidwell as well as Mackenzie Harding. Catie Ward will also be seeing time in our backfield along with Catie Ebner. Freshmen, Pennington and Caroline Coladonato will join the backfield as well. This group is very determined and we look for a lot of discipline and great decision making out of them."
Backs: The defensive line is very experienced this year, as the Wildcats return five, and add two freshman to carry the Wildcats defensively. Captains, Carolynn Clark, and Taylor Kidwell will lead the team in defense as they both returned for their fifth year.
Clark started all 17 games for the Wildcats, while finishing the season with six assists and three defensive saves. She was also named to the BIG EAST Honor Roll and Philafieldhockey.com Student Athlete of the Week. Kidwell, also started all 17 games for the Wildcats, while leading the team with four defensive saves.
Junior, Mackenzie Harding (Warrington, Pa.) also returns as a powerful back for the Wildcats. She, as well, started all 17 games for the Wildcats last season.
With a year under her belt, Catie Ebner (Fair Haven, N.J.) will be able to add some experience to the back line this year. Ebner made seven appearances in her freshman season at defense. As well as sophomore, Catie Ward (Kennett Square, Pa.), who made appearances in 15 games with seven starts last season, while scoring her first collegiate goal against Saint Francis.
Newcomer, freshman, Caroline Coladonato (Paoli, Pa.), was a two year varsity letter winner in field hockey for Conestoga High School.
Lastly, Pennington, from Langhorne, Pa., was a four year varsity letterwinner in field hockey, as well as a starter all four years. She recorded 37 goals and 44 assists during her high school career. She had 22 assists during her senior year, where she was top five in the Philadelphia area for assists.
Goalkeepers: The Wildcats have returned both of their goalies this year, Jordan Clipstone (Harare, Zimbabwe) and Erika Miller (Malvern, Pa.).
"We have two fantastic goalkeepers in Erika Miller and Jordyn Clipstone. Miller was named to the 2015 Big East All-Tournament Team and Clipstone was named to the Zimbabwe National Team. They are both very athletic and will be the backbone of our team defense."
Clipstone made two appearances in the net for the Wildcats, playing a total of 42.30 minutes with a .583 save percentage.
Miller, played in all 17 games for the Wildcats, while starting in all games, but one. She had a career high of 12 saves during the BIG EAST Semi-Final game. She finished the season with 100 saves and a .719 save percentage and will the starting goalie for this year.
Schedule: Villanova begins the season traveling to Kent Ohio, where they will have back to back games on 8/27 facing off against Kent State, and on 8/28, against Michigan State. Nova hosts Longwood on 9/2, at Ursinus College, since the new field will not ready in time. They then go on a three-game road trip against, St. Joseph's (9/4), Michigan (9/10), and Rider (9/13). The cats return home for their BIG EAST opener AND the first game ever played on the Villanova Field Hockey Field, against Liberty on 9/16 and then play a non-conference matchup versus Ohio University on 9/18. Nova travels to Providence 9/23 for another BIG EAST matchup, then goes into a three-game home series; Towson 9/25, Quinnipiac, a BIG EAST matchup (9/30), and Long Island University, 10/2.
The Wildcats travel to Connecticut on 10/7, to face off against defending BIG EAST champs, UCONN, and then play at Fairfield, 10/9. They host Temple home on 10/15 and team travels to Old Dominion on 10/22, for their last regular season road game. Nova finishes up their season with two homes games, hosting, UPENN on 10/25, and finishing regular season conference play with Georgetown on 10/29.
All home games will now be played the Villanova Field Hockey Field in Conshohocken, Pa. Live stats will also be available for all home games.
