VCU, Providence Next Up For Field Hockey

University of Massachusetts Field Hockey Game Notes
Game 13	Massachusetts (8-4 overall, 3-1 Atlantic 10) vs. VCU (8-3 overall, 2-1 Atlantic 10)
Date \| Time	Friday, Oct. 6 \| 1 p.m.
Location	Gladchuk Field Hockey Complex; Amherst, Mass.
Series History	Massachusetts leads, 5-1. Last meeting: Massachusetts 6, VCU 0; Oct. 16, 2016
Live Statistics	Sidearm Sports
Watch	Atlantic 10 Digital Network
Team Information	Massachusetts \| VCU
Twitter	@UMassFH \| @UMassAthletics
Instagram	UMass Field Hockey
Special Events	Sun Safety Awareness Game

University of Massachusetts Field Hockey Game Notes
Game 14	Massachusetts at Providence
Date \| Time	Sunday, Oct. 8 \| 1 p.m.
Location	Lennon Family Field; Providence, R.I.
Series History	Massachusetts leads, 18-7. Last meeting: Providence 3, Massachusetts 2 (OT); Nov. 1, 2008
Live Statistics	GameTracker
Watch	College Sports Live
Team Information	Massachusetts \| Providence
Twitter	@UMassFH \| @UMassAthletics
Instagram	UMass Field Hockey

Setting The Scene
University of Massachusetts field hockey returns to its home pitch on Fri., Oct. 6, hosting Atlantic 10 foe VCU in a 1 p.m. match at the Gladchuk Field Hockey Complex. The Minutewomen will then head to the Ocean State and face Providence on Sun., Oct. 8 at 1 p.m.

Friday's contest against VCU will also serve as UMass' inaugural Sun Safety Awareness Game. As part of the initiative, representatives will be on hand distributing sunscreen, sunglasses and information about sun exposure. Prior to the game, UMass track & field student-athlete Mary Lavery will share insight for fans on protection from the sun.

Recap In A Minute
UMass split a pair of matches last weekend, knocking off conference rival La Salle (Sept. 29) by a 3-1 score before being dealt an 8-0 setback at No. 1 Connecticut (Oct. 1). The Minutewomen were in part guided by a pair of Melanie Kreusch penalty strokes in the La Salle win as well as Emma Bressler's first collegiate tally. Emily Hazard made three saves in the cage throughout that contest.

Back-To-Back Like Jordan '96, '97
UMass field hockey won the 2016 Atlantic 10 Championship with a 2-1 victory over Saint Joseph's in the title game on Sat., Nov. 5. It marked the second consecutive season and fourth in the last five years the Minutewomen claimed the league's crown.

The 2016 title was the team's 16th with the Atlantic 10, more than all other current or former league members combined (13). UMass also went back-to-back in 1992 and '93, won six straight from 1996-2001, claimed the 2007-08 crowns and again won back-to-back in 2012 and '13.

HAWK-SMASH
Then-junior midfielder and forward Sarah Hawkshaw won the 2016 Atlantic 10 Championship Most Outstanding Player Award with seven points over the two-game slate, split between three goals and one assist. She ended the year with a team-high 16 goals scored, also a single-season career best. The Dublin, Ireland, native is the active leader in goals scored with 38 and points recorded with 87.

Hawkshaw now ranks among the program's all-time scoring leaders. She is seventh in career goals and tied for seventh all-time in points scored. Next on the list for goals is Jenn Salisbury (1990-93) and Megan Donnelly (1982-85) with 41. She is tied with Donnelly and Laura O'Neil (1977-80) on the all-time points list.

Immediate Impacts
Two of Massachusetts' top four scorers through 12 matches are freshmen in Lucy Cooper and Georgie McTear. Cooper, a native of New Zealand, has 13 points via four goals and five assists. McTear adds six points through two goals and two helpers. Both have started all 12 games–Cooper at forward and McTear split between midfield and defense.

The Vet In Net
Redshirt senior goalkeeper Emily Hazard is in her second season as a starter in the cage for the Minutewomen. Though 12 games, Hazard holds a 1.90 goals-against average and .692 save percentage with 45 stops and 20 tallies allowed in 806 minutes of action. She started all 12 contests and posted three shutouts–two individual and one combined with freshman goalkeeper Camille Lecrone.

Massachusetts Among The NCAA Leaders In...
Massachusetts field hockey ranks among the top 25 teams in the NCAA in two team categories through 12 games of the 2017 season, including winning percentage (19th; .667) and shutouts per game (24th; 0.25).

Weinberg Named UMass Field Hockey Head Coach
University of Massachusetts Director of Athletic Ryan Bamford announced Barb Weinberg as the ninth head coach of the field hockey program on Dec. 15, 2016. Weinberg joins Massachusetts after serving as Wake Forest's associate head coach and recruiting coordinator for the 2014-16 seasons. The Demon Deacons advanced to the NCAA Tournament twice and won the 2014 Atlantic Coast Conference title during her tenure.

Weinberg made assistant coaching stops at American University (2013-14), the University of Maryland (2010-13) and the University of Iowa (2008). During her time with the Terrapins, the team captured back-to-back NCAA titles in 2010 and 2011.

A 2005 Iowa graduate, Weinberg was a two-time All-American, three-time All-Big Ten performer and two-time team captain for the Hawkeyes (2000-04). She was a member of the U.S. Women's National Team from 2005-10, making 19 international appearances in that span. Weinberg also served as the alternate goalkeeper for the U.S. at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

Welch Joins Staff As UMass Field Hockey Assistant Coach
University of Massachusetts field hockey head coach Barb Weinberg announced the hiring of Ed Welch as an assistant coach on July 27. Welch joins the Minutewoman staff to guide the UMass offense following a tenure with the Canterbury Hockey Club in Canterbury, England, as the Ladies 1st XI Head Coach.

As the leader of the Canterbury Ladies Hockey Club 1st XI, Welch guided the squad in Women's Premier Division action, as well as to a sixth place finish in European Cup play, European hockey's premier club event, held in the Netherlands. His role included planning and executing team training sessions, match day preparations and coaching and postgame video review. He also served as a liaison for Great Britain and England Hockey's "High Performance" programs with a focus in assisting with training and development of prospective national team athletes.

Next Up
Following Sunday's match at Providence, Massachusetts will prepare for a trip to the Midwestern United States, visiting Saint Louis on Fri., Oct. 13 and Northwestern on Sun., Oct. 15.

UMass Field Hockey On Social Media
Follow University of Massachusetts field hockey on social media throughout the season via Twitter (@UMassFH), Instagram (@UMassFieldHockey) or Facebook (UMass Field Hockey).

Scoreboard

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Emma Bressler

Lucy Cooper

Sarah Hawkshaw

Emily Hazard

Melanie Kreusch

Camille Lecrone

Georgie McTear

Scoreboard

University of Massachusets Athletics