University of Massachusets Athletics
Sowry Era Set To Begin At UMass
August 14, 2007 | Field Hockey
Aug. 14, 2007
AMHERST, Mass. -
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With preseason camp now in full swing, the UMass Field Hockey team, under first-year head coach Justine Sowry, look forward to a new beginning. The Minutewomen will take the field on Saturday at 1 p.m. against Northeastern in an exhibition game at Garber Field. The regular season starts on Sunday August 27 when UMass travels to Syracuse to take on the Orange in a 6 p.m. contest.
Coach Sowry had these comments about the 2007 campaign:
After weeks of practice in the off-season, and with pre-season just around the corner, we look ahead to the 2007 season with much excitement and anticipation. With the hiring of Assistant Coach Chrissy Needham (UConn '01) and Volunteer Assistant Coach Tina Edmonds (Maryland `07), our coaching staff is now complete. The coaching contingent holds a combined five National Championships, ten Final Four appearances, numerous conference titles, and knows what it takes to get the job done.
This season UMass Field Hockey welcomes seven newcomers to round out a 21 player roster. Each athlete brings with them a different style of play and a unique skill set that will give them the opportunity to compete for a starting position within the UMass lineup. I anticipate this talented lot of newcomers will bring an elevated level of enthusiasm and excitement to the program and will push the veterans to raise their level of play.
It will be important to be process-focused and take things one week at a time in order to move forward in a positive manner. Our physical conditioning was a focal point of the spring season and we expect the team to come back ready to compete and better prepared to handle the pressure situations. We need to be healthy and to manage our injuries in order to keep the strongest lineup on the field. We will be relying on our set plays to be very slick and effective on game-day.
Our schedule is a challenging one that will be a great measuring stick on where we sit amongst our competitors as well as an indicator of what areas we will need to pay the greatest attention to for the future. The Atlantic 10 Conference is wide open this year with a number of coaching changes and player turnover. It is our goal to compete for this year's title. To this end, we must work hard, stay process-focused and have the desire to be the best that we can be each and every time we take the field. Mix that with a splash of luck and you never know what can happen!
This is the beginning of a new era of UMass Field Hockey. We are all extremely motivated to succeed, from the coaching staff and players to the support staff and the athletic department. Everyone wants UMass Field Hockey to get `back to the top' but recognize that it might not happen overnight and that it will require a lot of hard work, teamwork and persistence. We ask for all alumni, family and friends of UMass Field Hockey 2007 to get behind the team and show your support. Roll UMass!