Massachusetts Field Hockey Welcomes Eight Newcomers Ahead of 2018 Season

AMHERST, Mass. – University of Massachusetts field hockey and head coach Barb Weinberg announced on Friday that the program will welcome seven incoming freshmen and one graduate transfer ahead of the 2018 season. Three U.S. states and five other countries are represented by the group, which includes freshmen Mus Defauwes, Maggie Ellington, Katherine Furry, Chloe Hillier, Sophie Johnson, Antonet Louw, and Johanna von dem Borne. Graduate transfer Clodagh Moloney also will join the Minutewomen for 2018.

"We are extremely thrilled to welcome this 2018 incoming class to our UMass family," said Weinberg. "Each student-athlete brings a wealth of experience, diversity and passion both on the field and in the classroom. Given the hockey caliber of these young women, we are excited to see them mesh with our returning players. We look forward to their contributions both athletically and academically and cannot wait to bring them on campus in early August. This team is ready to get to work."

Massachusetts' eight new faces will join the team's 13 returners in August for preseason training in Amherst. The Minutewomen open up the 2018 regular season on Fri., Aug. 24 at New Hampshire.

Meet The Newest Minutewomen
Name: Mus Defauwes
Hometown: The Hague, Netherlands
Position: Midfield
Height: 5-4
High School: Segbroek College
Club Team: HDM/HBS Craeyenhout
Notes: Played with HDM from 2010-17 and led her squads to top-four finishes each of the last four years ... Played for Pieter van Marken with HDM as well as Mark Langemeyer and Rolf Sanders at Craeyenhout ... In 2015, finished third in HDM's International Youth Easter Hockey Tournament behind the Scottish National Team ... Helped capture a Dutch Indoor Championship in 2011-12 ... Academically intends to pursue the Isenberg School of Management.

Defauwes on UMass: "I chose UMass because athletically and academically it is the perfect fit. I felt immediately at home when I was walking on campus and really clicked with the coaches as well as the team."

Name: Maggie Ellington
Hometown: Rockville, Maryland
Position: Midfield/Defense
Height: 5-4
High School: Our Lady of Good Counsel
Club Team: Freedom HKY
Notes: Played for Kelly Massino at Our Lady of Good Counsel ... Club program was directed by former U.S. National Team member Sarah Dawson, who played collegiately at Iowa with Barb Weinberg before the duo together were named to the national squad ... Led Our Lady of Good Counsel to a WCAC Conference Championship as a freshman before posting runner-up finishes her final three seasons ... The Falcons were slotted No. 9 in the Washington Post Top 10 in 2017 ... Made 64 career starts with 12 goals and 15 assists with 20 defensive saves in 2017 ... Freedom HKY achieved a No. 4 national ranking and was atop Maryland ... Is interested in pursuing education as an academic major.

Ellington on UMass: "I felt at home within campus and in Amherst. I knew Coach Weinberg because she founded by club team and it felt like UMass was calling my name. Having these connections allowed me to look past the distance away from home."

Name: Katherine Furry
Hometown: Andover, Massachusetts
Position: Forward/Midfield
Height: 5-6
High School: Andover
Club Team: Seacoast United
Notes: Was coached by Maureen Noone at Andover High School ... Led the Golden Warriors to three consecutive (2015-17) Merrimack Valley Conference crowns as well as a 2017 MIAA state championship ... In Furry's senior season, MAX Field Hockey ranked Andover No. 1 in New England and No. 17 nationally ... Tallied a team-high 17 goals and 16 assists as a senior ... Earned All-Conference accolades in her final two seasons ... Made the 2015 and 2016 Shooting Stars U19 Tournament Team as a member of Seacoast United ... Collected MVP honors in 2016-17 ... Intends to major in marketing.

Furry on UMass: "UMass is a great fit for me academically and has a high-intensity field hockey program that is close to home. The dining halls are top-notch. UMass has everything that I am looking for in a school."

Name: Chloe Hillier
Hometown: Kitchener, Ontario
Position: Forward/Midfield
Height: 5-7
High School: Resurrection Catholic
Club Team: GoA Reds
Notes: Captained the squad at Resurrection Catholic Secondary School under the guidance of Joe Dietrich ... Was among the leading scorers each season in District 8 and and top three in Ontario ... Two-time District 8 Gold Medalist, CWOSSA Finalist and team MVP ... Also led the Phoenix to multiple provincial championships and a runner-up performance in 2016 ... In 2016-17, was selected to take part in Ontario's Talent ID Camp led by Canadian National Team assistant Steph Andrews ... Will look to study public health.

Hillier on UMass: "UMass boasts a strong, competitive team, with lots of opportunities to play and a solid junior and senior core to continue to develop and grow. The school also offers the academic program I am looking for."

Name: Sophie Johnson
Hometown: Alexandria, Virginia
Position: Defense
Height: 5-3
High School: TC Williams
Club Team: Freedom HKY
Notes: Played for William Heresniak at TC Williams ... Club program was directed by former U.S. National Team member Sarah Dawson, who played collegiately at Iowa with Barb Weinberg before the duo together were named to the national squad ... Captured the Gunston Conference Championship her senior season ... Finished her career with 35 goals and 44 assists ... Was a two-year team captain and four-time All-Conference pick ... As a senior in 2017 was named Gunston Conference Player of the Year ... Will pursue chemistry at UMass.

Johnson on UMass: "UMass met what I was looking for both in the classroom and on the field: a competitive environment. New England has been one of my favorite places to visit since I was younger and I am very excited to be living there."

Name: Antonet Louw
Hometown: Bloemfontein, South Africa
Position: Forward
Height: 5-7
High School: C&N Secondary School Oranje for Girls
Previous School: University of the Free State
Notes: Comes from the top high school field hockey program in South Africa ... Was part of the Kovsies Hockey club team which finished atop the Free State League in 2017 ... Twice was part of teams that had runner-up finishes at the U21 Interprovincial Tournament ... Led her team in scoring each of the past three seasons ... Tallied 35 goals with Kovsies Hockey during the 2017 season after posting 38 tallies the prior campaign ... Is interested in psychology as an academic concentration.

Louw on UMass: "I believe UMass has the ability to help me reach the next level of the sport of field hockey, while challenging me in so many different ways. I look forward to an experience that will last a lifetime."

Name: Clodagh Moloney
Hometown: Limerick, Ireland
Position: Defense
Height: 5-5
High School: Crescent College Comprehensive
Previous School: University College Cork (Ireland)
Notes: Part of Ireland's U16 and U18 national teams ... Played at Crescent College Comprehensive under head coach Ollie O'Connor, captaining her squad as a senior ... Also was a captain on the Munster U18 Provincial Team ... Three-time champion in the Munster Senior League, adding a runner-up finish as a sophomore ... During Moloney's senior campaign, Crescent was the No. 2 ranked team in Ireland ... Intends to pursue communication after arriving from University College Cork.

Moloney on UMass: "I loved Amherst and the surrounding towns. Everybody was so friendly and the place had quite a European vibe about it. UMass seems to have the perfect balance of professionalism and academia combined with the necessary social side to a university."

Name: Johanna von dem Borne
Hometown: Essen, Germany
Position: Goalkeeper
Height: 6-0
High School: Gymnasium Essen-Werden
Club Team: Club Raffelberg
Club Coach: Susi Wollschlaeger
Notes: Backstopped Raffelberg to two German Junior Championships ... Part of Germany's U21 National Team ... Spent two weeks training in South Africa with the U21 squad ... Is undecided on an academic concentration at UMass.

von dem Borne on UMass: "The UMass field hockey program and coaches seemed to be the best fit and everyone was very pleasant and likable. I can imagine feeling at home at UMass."

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