University of Massachusets Athletics
Field Hockey Signs Seven For 2010
February 03, 2010 | Field Hockey
Feb. 3, 2010
AMHERST, Mass. - UMass field hockey head coach Justine Sowry has announced the commitments of seven players for the 2010 season. The class of 2014 is comprised of one goalkeeper and six very versatile athletes that can play across the three lines. They will join a Minutewomen squad that has won two Atlantic 10 Championships and advanced to two NCAA Tournaments in three years under Sowry.
"I could not be more excited about our 2010 incoming class," Sowry said. "All of these individuals are talented student-athletes in their own right and either come from very successful high school/club programs or have had distinguished individual high school careers."
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Mika Black is a 5-1 midfielder/forward from Northampton, Mass. where she was a four-year member of the varsity team at Williston Northampton School. She was named team captain and MVP her senior season, while leading her team to the playoffs as a junior and a senior. Black was All-Scholastic First Team in 2007 and went on to be named Boston Globe Preps All-Scholastic in 2008 and Boston Globe All-Star in 2009. She has been a USFH Futures participant since 2008, taking part in Futures Elite, the Futures Developmental Invitational Camp and the AAU Junior Olympics. She has also taken part in the National Field Hockey Festival in 2007-09, the Disney Showcase in 2008, and the National Indoor Tournament in 2008 and 2009 as well. Black has been a member of the Western Mass Nomads since 2007 and was a gold medal winner at the 2008 Bay State Games in 6v6 and bronze medal winner in 11v11 that same year. She took home NEPSAC All-Star and All-Tournament honors in 2008 and 2009. Black also was a member of the ice hockey and lacrosse teams, serving as lacrosse captain as senior.
"UMass has a great coaching staff and a great team," Black said. "I really like the atmosphere of the school."
"Mika is a local talent," Sowry said. "She is a strong and powerful athlete who will add another dimension to the forward line. Mika has incredibly quick hands and deft stick work. She has shown great motivation and passion to be a Minutewoman and we are delighted that she is going to continue her field hockey career at UMass."
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Marisa Dunn is a 5-7 midfielder/defender from Ashburnham, Mass. and played for Oakmont Regional High. She led her team to the District 2 Championship and to the state finals as a senior in 2009 after taking the team to the district finals as a junior. Dunn was named Central Massachusetts Player of the Year in 2009 in addition to League All-Star, Team MVP, Best of 60 All-Star, and New England Premier All-Star. As a junior in 2008, she was also named League All-Star and Team MVP, in addition to League MVP and Telegram and Gazette All-Star. She participated in last summer's Bay State Games, winning gold with the 6v6 team and bronze with the 11v11 team. A Presidential Scholar, Dunn has played with fellow incoming freshman Kori Huffman on the IAS Club team since her sophomore year.
"UMass has a lot to offer me as a student and an athlete," Dunn said. "UMass has a phenomenal team, coaching staff, and program where I will be able to learn and grow as a player."
"Marisa was first identified playing on Garber Field and we are thrilled that we will see her there on a more permanent basis," Sowry said. "She is a well-rounded and hardworking student-athlete and over the last twelve months she has matured into a great leader for her high school program. With outstanding athleticism, we expect her to compete as soon as she steps back onto Garber."
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Lauren Hague is a 5-7 midfielder/defender from Cheshire, Conn. where she played at Cheshire High. Hague was captain of her high school team last fall. She was named team MVP as well as taking All-League and All-State First Team honors. Her 38 points on 15 goals and eight assists led Cheshire High in 2009. Hague was also named All-State and All-League First Team as a junior in 2008. She participated at the National Futures Championship in Virginia Beach, Va. in both 2008 and 2009.
"The first thing that caught my eye about UMass was the excellent field hockey program," Hague said. "Not only is this program nationally known, but the academics at UMass are very strong. UMass is also located in an ideal area for me because I was born and raised in New England."
"Lauren is an incredible multi-sport athlete with a strong and unyielding demeanor on the hockey field," Sowry said. "She is a fierce competitor and will add size and athleticism to both our backfield and midfield lines. We are excited for Lauren's future as a Minutewoman as she has the potential to make a considerable impact within our squad."
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Kori Huffman is a 5-5 goalkeeper from Brattleboro, Vt. where she played for Brattleboro Union High. The Team MVP her junior and senior seasons, she served as team captain in 2009. Huffman was named All-State First Team as a senior after taking All-State Second Team honors as a junior. A Marble Valley League First Team All-Star in 2008 and 2009, she has also been named Vermont Twin States Team in 2009-10. Huffman set the school record with 27 saves in a game in 2009. She was named to the Vermont Super Sophs in 2007, also taking All-Tournament honors. Huffman played in goal for the Team Vermont in the 2009 Cape Cod Classic. Huffman played for the IAS Select from 2006-10 with fellow incoming freshman Marisa Dunn. A National Honor Society member, she will graduate with High Honors in the spring.
"I chose UMass because I am really excited to play for the excellent coach staff," Huffman said. " I am also interested in the excellent Sport Management program."
"Kori will enter her freshman year as the understudy to one of the best goalkeepers in the country," Sowry said. "She has shown great respect and admiration for the UMass field hockey program and we expect Kori to work hard and take in as much information as possible. Her drive and dedication to the position will enable her to improve on an already solid skills set."
Alyssa Ineson is a 5-5 forward from Shrewsbury, Mass. where she was a four-year starter at Shrewsbury High. Ineson was named Offensive League MVP and Central Massachusetts Player of the Year after leading Central Mass. in scoring with 63 points on 20 goals and 23 assists, also a school record. She also took home team MVP and Gazette Super Team MVP as a senior. Ineson was Shrewsbury's leading scorer three times, was named Rookie of the Year as a freshman, and was team captain as a senior. She was named a league All-Star and a Telegram and Gazette All-Star three times. A four-year honor roll student, Ineson also participated in ice hockey and lacrosse at Shrewsbury, serving as captain ice hockey team as a junior and senior, while being named a league All-Star both seasons a team MVP and the league's scoring leader as a senior.
"UMass is a good fit academically for me and the field hockey is challenging," Ineson said. "I like to challenge myself. I felt comfortable with the girls and liked the dynamic of the team."
"Alyssa is a talented, smart and skillful multi-sport athlete," Sowry said. "She has a cool and calm presence on the field and we will be looking for Alyssa to challenge and battle for a position on the forward line. She has just completed an impressive senior season for Shrewsbury and we expect nothing but her best effort moving forward."
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Hannah Prince is a 5-3 defender from Gorham, Maine where she was a standout for Gorham High. She was the state's top player, being named Miss Maine Field Hockey in 2009, in addition to Western Maine Player of the Year. Prince was named to the All-State Team for three years in a row, 2007-09, and was NFHCA High School All-Region in 2008. She has participated in the USFH Futures program since 2006, taking part in the National Futures Championship four times, 2006-09, Junior National Camp in 2008 and 2009, AAU Junior Olympics in 2007 and 2008, and Olympic Development Select in 2007-09. Prince traveled with the U16 Holland International Tour Squad in 2009, gaining international experience.
"I love the team and coaches and look forward to being a part of it," Prince said. "I also love the atmosphere at UMass."
"Hannah is a phenomenal athlete and will positively add a spark and a solid skill-set in the UMass backfield," Sowry said. "She has also had strong representative honors in the USA field hockey programs. That experience, coupled with her instincts, will certainly assist her in pushing for a position in the first year."
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Alexa Sikalis is a 5-1 midfielder from Acton, Mass. where she played for Acton Boxborough Regional. A four-year varsity player and three-year starter, Sikalis led Acton Boxborough to two Division 1 Massachusetts State Championships in 2007 and 2009. The 2009 squad, with her serving as captain, went a perfect 24-0. She owns the school record with 133 career points on 88 goals and 55 assists. Sikalis was named a NFHCA Second Team High School All-American in 2009, while also being named to the NFHCA All-High School Team in both 2008 and 2009. She was named Boston Herald All-Scholastic, Lowell Sun Player of the Year, Best of 60 All-Star, and Team-Above-Self Award recipient for both her junior and senior seasons, while also taking Dual County League All-Star honors from her sophomore season on. Sikalis has been part of the USFH Futures Elite program since 2007, participating in the Olympic Development program for 2009 and 2010, while also taking part in the Junior Olympic program from 2006-08, winning gold in 2007. She has played for the Cape Ann Coalition club team since 2006, taking part in the National Field Hockey Festival since 2006, winning gold in 2006, and the National Indoor Tournament since 2006. An honor roll student, Sikalis also played two seasons of varsity lacrosse.
"UMass has a very strong field hockey program, a great coaching staff and the team will continue to grow and be extremely successful," Sikalis said. "UMass also has a lot to offer academically as well with many opportunities."
"Alexa has been a strong leader on an incredibly successful high school program and an established club program," Sowry said. "She is a proven multi-sport athlete and has developed into a solid and consistent field hockey player. She has the potential to be a significant player in her freshman year and will most likely see playing time in either the midfield or forward line."
"Our squad is going to be relatively young, so we are looking for many of the freshmen to step up and demand a position on the field," Sowry said. "It is going to be extremely competitive, but this class is filled with tremendous athleticism, drive, experience and it has the ability to put the ball in the back of the goal."
