University of Massachusets Athletics
Photo by: Thom Kendall - UMass Athletics
Field Hockey Announces Incoming Class
August 08, 2019 | Field Hockey
AMHERST, Mass. – University of Massachusetts field hockey and head coach Barb Weinberg announced on Thursday that the program will welcome a total of 11 new faces ahead of the 2019 season. Six U.S. states and five other countries are represented in the group, which includes Michelle Barrett, Jess Beech, Kaitlin Broda, Emily Crawford, Steph Gottwals, Vera Heering, Bella Ianni, Emilie Keij, Amber Rose, Josie Rossbach and Marlise van Tonder.
Massachusetts' newcomers will join the program's returners next week with the start of preseason training. The Minutewomen travel to Maine for a Sat., Aug. 24 exhibition and begin the 2019 campaign on Fri., Aug. 30 at Ohio State.
Meet The Newest Minutewomen
Name: Michelle Barrett
Hometown: Limerick, Ireland
Position: Defense
Height: 5-8
Previous Team: Crescent College Comprehensive
Club Team: Catholic Institute
Notes: Graduate transfer coached by Sean O'Callaghan at Crescent ... Also played club hockey for Ger O'Carroll for Catholic Institute, one of the top 10 teams in Ireland ... Was a team captain after two seasons as a vice captain ... Won a Senior Division 1 Championship as a senior and was runner-up the previous year ... Three-time Provincial Senior Division 1 champion ... Won back-to-back Provincial Junior Division 1 titles as a freshman and sophomore.
Barrett on UMass: "I wanted to experience playing field hockey in the United States and UMass is providing me with this opportunity. I also liked the graduate programs they offered. This means I can get the best of both worlds: playing a high level of hockey, while also getting a graduate degree in an area of my interest."
Name: Jess Beech
Hometown: Marlow, England
Position: Midfield
Height: 5-7
High School: Sir William Borlase's Grammar School
Club Team: Reading Hockey Club
Notes: Played for head coach Nathan Monk at Sir William Borlase's Grammar School ... Also was a member of the Reading Hockey Club 1st Team in the National Conference League, which Beech coached and captained in 2018-19 ... Nominee for 2018-19 Ladies Performance Player of the Year and won 2017-18 Young Performance Player of the Year ... Vice captain on the 2017-18 Reading U18 side that won a National Cup ... Reading also was national runner-up in 2016-17.
Beech on UMass: "I chose UMass because it has a great field hockey team and a fantastic academic reputation. I also love Boston and the East Coast."
Name: Kaitlin Broda
Hometown: Simsbury, Connecticut
Position: Goalkeeper
Height: 5-3
High School: Northfield Mount Hermon (Mass.)
Club Team: Element Athletics
Notes: Played a short drive from UMass at Northfield Mount Hermon in Northfield, Massachusetts and was coached most recently by Nicole Matos ... Played club hockey with Element Athletics, where her coaches included former UMass assistant Will Byrne and goalkeeping alumna Sarah Williams ... Captained the squad at NMH as a senior in 2018, when Broda won her third straight WNEPSFHA All-Star nod ... Recipient of the Thora E. Johnson Athletics Award ... Totaled a GAA of 2.85 with the Hoggers, including a career-best 1.40 mark as a sophomore ... Also lettered in lacrosse at NMH.
Broda on UMass: "I chose UMass because it was a school that offered great academics, athletics, and was still close to home. UMass is also in a great location that will allow me to branch out more on my own and give myself a greater sense of independence."
Name: Emily Crawford
Hometown: Hatfield, Pennsylvania
Position: Forward
Height: 5-4
High School: North Penn
Club Team: WC Eagles
Notes: Lettered at North Penn High School under head coach Shannon McCracken ... Club hockey was under Guy Cathro and Jaja Kentwell with the WC Eagles ... Three-time All-Conference performer at North Penn and captained the Knights as a senior in 2018 ... Had 28 goals and 25 assists in her high school career, with season-highs of 10 goals and 12 helpers as a senior ... Club team won a National Indoor Championship and had three other runner-up finishes ... Won a USA Field Hockey Outdoor Showcase title and was a Disney Festival finalist ... An NFHCA Academic All-American ... Also competed in lacrosse.
Crawford on UMass: "I really like the New England area. I visited many colleges, and when I went to visit UMass and met with the coaches and team, I felt UMass was where I was meant to be."
Name: Steph Gottwals
Hometown: Columbia, Maryland
Position: Forward
Height: 5-4
High School: Atholton
Club Team: Freedom HKY
Notes: Played high school hockey for Martha Dyer at Atholton High School and club hockey under Sarah Dawson with Freedom HKY ... Four-time national club champion ... Finished second at the 2019 National Futures Championship at Spooky Nook. ... Captained her high school squad both as a junior and senior, collecting All-State recognition in 2018 ... Was an All-County honoree all four years ... As a senior in 2018, recorded 33 points on 15 goals and three assists ... Had a season-best eight helpers as a sophomore in 2016 ... Also competed in lacrosse at Atholton.
Gottwals on UMass: "I chose UMass because of the amazing atmosphere I felt when I stepped on campus. My first experience with the field hockey team and coaches felt like home. I also loved the feeling of community UMass cultivates."
Name: Vera Heering
Hometown: Den Bosch, Netherlands
Position: Forward
Height: 5-8
High School: Ds Pierson College
Club Team: Union
Notes: Played in the Dutch National Youth League with HCDB under head coach Jaimy Hulsker, before joining Union in Nijmegen where Heering played for Jouk Nijenhuis ... Four-time national runner-up in the Dutch Youth League ... Won a national indoor title in 2017-18 ... Helped Union to a senior league runner-up finish in 2018-19.
Heering on UMass: "I wanted to play field hockey in the United States. UMass has a good team and is also a very good University."
Name: Bella Ianni
Hometown: Vista, California
Position: Midfield/Forward
Height: 5-4
High School: Vista
Club Team: RUSH Field Hockey
Notes: Played at Vista High School for head coach Gail Petty ... Was a member of the RUSH Field Hockey club program which was led by Brian Schledorn ... Two-time California Club Cup champion and also earned a Disney tournament crown in 2018 ... Holds the Vista program record for single-season goals (28 in 2018) ... Also contributed 14 assists as a senior to cap her high school career with 70 points ... Also was a member of the Vista soccer and softball teams.
Ianni on UMass: "I fell in love with UMass as soon as I walked on campus, it was so beautiful. When I met the coaches and team they were so kind to me and that was a huge part of why I loved the school so much. UMass was the perfect fit for me and I couldn't be happier with my choice."
Name: Emilie Keij
Hometown: De Pinte, Belgium
Position: Midfield/Forward
Height: 5-5
High School: Sint-Barbaracollege
Notes: Attended Sint-Barbaracollege prior to UMass ... Member of the Belgium U18 national team ... Coached by Kevan Demartinis and Lisa Letchford.
Keij on UMass: "UMass is in such a nice environment. The team has a nice atmosphere."
Name: Amber Rose
Hometown: Falmouth, Maine
Position: Defense
Height: 5-6
High School: North Yarmouth Academy
Club Program: NorthEast Elite
Notes: Attended North Yarmouth Academy in Maine and played for head coach Annika King ... Coached by Chelsey Feole with the NorthEast Elite club squad ... Had a decorated senior season in 2018 in which Rose captained NYA for the third year in a row ... Capped her high school career with a nine-goal, 13-assist campaign ... Four-year All-State honoree ... Finished third at the National Futures Championship in 2016 ... Won a National Club Championship with Northeast Elite in 2017 ... Also competed in indoor track, ice hockey and lacrosse.
Rose on UMass: "I chose UMass because of the incredible Isenberg School of Management. Between the academics and athletics, UMass seemed to be a perfect fit for me, as I am not too far from home!"
Name: Josie Rossbach
Hometown: Leesburg, Virginia
Position: Defense
Height: 5-5
High School: Heritage
Club Program: Metro HC
Notes: Played high school hockey at Heritage High School for head coach Derek Ryan ... National Futures Championship Region 8 U16 selection (2016 & 2017), Region 8 U19 selection (2019) ... Also a USA Field Hockey Junior Olympic pick (2017) ... Played at the club level with Metro HC under Ralph Goodwin.
Rossbach on UMass: "I loved the atmosphere and the welcoming people. I also love all the [academic] major options."
Name: Marlise van Tonder
Hometown: Pretoria, South Africa
Position: Goalkeeper
Height: 5-4
High School: Pretoria High School for Girls
Previous Team: Pacific
Notes: Started all 39 of her appearances at Pacific in 2017 and 2018, where van Tonder twice led the Tigers to division titles in America East and was coached by Andy Smith ... Finished her sophomore year 10-8 with four shutouts, a 1.77 GAA and .741 save percentage ... Made six saves in a shutout win vs. Temple (8/26) ... Held Michigan State (9/9) to just one goal and turned aside 13 shots in a double-overtime victory ... Collected seven stops in her third clean sheet, a 2-0 decision vs. Kent State (9/14) ... Backstopped her squad to a 2-1 upset of No. 21 Stanford (10/27) with nine saves ... Tallied nine stops in the America East Quarterfinals (11/3) despite a 4-3 loss vs. top-seeded UAlbany.
van Tonder on UMass: "UMass offered me a place to continue playing collegiate hockey after the field hockey program at Pacific was cut. I'm excited to have the opportunity to play two more years."
For the latest news and updates around UMass field hockey, follow the team on Facebook (UMass Field Hockey), Twitter (@UMassFH) and Instagram (@UMassFieldHockey).
Massachusetts' newcomers will join the program's returners next week with the start of preseason training. The Minutewomen travel to Maine for a Sat., Aug. 24 exhibition and begin the 2019 campaign on Fri., Aug. 30 at Ohio State.
Meet The Newest Minutewomen
Name: Michelle Barrett
Hometown: Limerick, Ireland
Position: Defense
Height: 5-8
Previous Team: Crescent College Comprehensive
Club Team: Catholic Institute
Notes: Graduate transfer coached by Sean O'Callaghan at Crescent ... Also played club hockey for Ger O'Carroll for Catholic Institute, one of the top 10 teams in Ireland ... Was a team captain after two seasons as a vice captain ... Won a Senior Division 1 Championship as a senior and was runner-up the previous year ... Three-time Provincial Senior Division 1 champion ... Won back-to-back Provincial Junior Division 1 titles as a freshman and sophomore.
Barrett on UMass: "I wanted to experience playing field hockey in the United States and UMass is providing me with this opportunity. I also liked the graduate programs they offered. This means I can get the best of both worlds: playing a high level of hockey, while also getting a graduate degree in an area of my interest."
Name: Jess Beech
Hometown: Marlow, England
Position: Midfield
Height: 5-7
High School: Sir William Borlase's Grammar School
Club Team: Reading Hockey Club
Notes: Played for head coach Nathan Monk at Sir William Borlase's Grammar School ... Also was a member of the Reading Hockey Club 1st Team in the National Conference League, which Beech coached and captained in 2018-19 ... Nominee for 2018-19 Ladies Performance Player of the Year and won 2017-18 Young Performance Player of the Year ... Vice captain on the 2017-18 Reading U18 side that won a National Cup ... Reading also was national runner-up in 2016-17.
Beech on UMass: "I chose UMass because it has a great field hockey team and a fantastic academic reputation. I also love Boston and the East Coast."
Name: Kaitlin Broda
Hometown: Simsbury, Connecticut
Position: Goalkeeper
Height: 5-3
High School: Northfield Mount Hermon (Mass.)
Club Team: Element Athletics
Notes: Played a short drive from UMass at Northfield Mount Hermon in Northfield, Massachusetts and was coached most recently by Nicole Matos ... Played club hockey with Element Athletics, where her coaches included former UMass assistant Will Byrne and goalkeeping alumna Sarah Williams ... Captained the squad at NMH as a senior in 2018, when Broda won her third straight WNEPSFHA All-Star nod ... Recipient of the Thora E. Johnson Athletics Award ... Totaled a GAA of 2.85 with the Hoggers, including a career-best 1.40 mark as a sophomore ... Also lettered in lacrosse at NMH.
Broda on UMass: "I chose UMass because it was a school that offered great academics, athletics, and was still close to home. UMass is also in a great location that will allow me to branch out more on my own and give myself a greater sense of independence."
Name: Emily Crawford
Hometown: Hatfield, Pennsylvania
Position: Forward
Height: 5-4
High School: North Penn
Club Team: WC Eagles
Notes: Lettered at North Penn High School under head coach Shannon McCracken ... Club hockey was under Guy Cathro and Jaja Kentwell with the WC Eagles ... Three-time All-Conference performer at North Penn and captained the Knights as a senior in 2018 ... Had 28 goals and 25 assists in her high school career, with season-highs of 10 goals and 12 helpers as a senior ... Club team won a National Indoor Championship and had three other runner-up finishes ... Won a USA Field Hockey Outdoor Showcase title and was a Disney Festival finalist ... An NFHCA Academic All-American ... Also competed in lacrosse.
Crawford on UMass: "I really like the New England area. I visited many colleges, and when I went to visit UMass and met with the coaches and team, I felt UMass was where I was meant to be."
Name: Steph Gottwals
Hometown: Columbia, Maryland
Position: Forward
Height: 5-4
High School: Atholton
Club Team: Freedom HKY
Notes: Played high school hockey for Martha Dyer at Atholton High School and club hockey under Sarah Dawson with Freedom HKY ... Four-time national club champion ... Finished second at the 2019 National Futures Championship at Spooky Nook. ... Captained her high school squad both as a junior and senior, collecting All-State recognition in 2018 ... Was an All-County honoree all four years ... As a senior in 2018, recorded 33 points on 15 goals and three assists ... Had a season-best eight helpers as a sophomore in 2016 ... Also competed in lacrosse at Atholton.
Gottwals on UMass: "I chose UMass because of the amazing atmosphere I felt when I stepped on campus. My first experience with the field hockey team and coaches felt like home. I also loved the feeling of community UMass cultivates."
Name: Vera Heering
Hometown: Den Bosch, Netherlands
Position: Forward
Height: 5-8
High School: Ds Pierson College
Club Team: Union
Notes: Played in the Dutch National Youth League with HCDB under head coach Jaimy Hulsker, before joining Union in Nijmegen where Heering played for Jouk Nijenhuis ... Four-time national runner-up in the Dutch Youth League ... Won a national indoor title in 2017-18 ... Helped Union to a senior league runner-up finish in 2018-19.
Heering on UMass: "I wanted to play field hockey in the United States. UMass has a good team and is also a very good University."
Name: Bella Ianni
Hometown: Vista, California
Position: Midfield/Forward
Height: 5-4
High School: Vista
Club Team: RUSH Field Hockey
Notes: Played at Vista High School for head coach Gail Petty ... Was a member of the RUSH Field Hockey club program which was led by Brian Schledorn ... Two-time California Club Cup champion and also earned a Disney tournament crown in 2018 ... Holds the Vista program record for single-season goals (28 in 2018) ... Also contributed 14 assists as a senior to cap her high school career with 70 points ... Also was a member of the Vista soccer and softball teams.
Ianni on UMass: "I fell in love with UMass as soon as I walked on campus, it was so beautiful. When I met the coaches and team they were so kind to me and that was a huge part of why I loved the school so much. UMass was the perfect fit for me and I couldn't be happier with my choice."
Name: Emilie Keij
Hometown: De Pinte, Belgium
Position: Midfield/Forward
Height: 5-5
High School: Sint-Barbaracollege
Notes: Attended Sint-Barbaracollege prior to UMass ... Member of the Belgium U18 national team ... Coached by Kevan Demartinis and Lisa Letchford.
Keij on UMass: "UMass is in such a nice environment. The team has a nice atmosphere."
Name: Amber Rose
Hometown: Falmouth, Maine
Position: Defense
Height: 5-6
High School: North Yarmouth Academy
Club Program: NorthEast Elite
Notes: Attended North Yarmouth Academy in Maine and played for head coach Annika King ... Coached by Chelsey Feole with the NorthEast Elite club squad ... Had a decorated senior season in 2018 in which Rose captained NYA for the third year in a row ... Capped her high school career with a nine-goal, 13-assist campaign ... Four-year All-State honoree ... Finished third at the National Futures Championship in 2016 ... Won a National Club Championship with Northeast Elite in 2017 ... Also competed in indoor track, ice hockey and lacrosse.
Rose on UMass: "I chose UMass because of the incredible Isenberg School of Management. Between the academics and athletics, UMass seemed to be a perfect fit for me, as I am not too far from home!"
Name: Josie Rossbach
Hometown: Leesburg, Virginia
Position: Defense
Height: 5-5
High School: Heritage
Club Program: Metro HC
Notes: Played high school hockey at Heritage High School for head coach Derek Ryan ... National Futures Championship Region 8 U16 selection (2016 & 2017), Region 8 U19 selection (2019) ... Also a USA Field Hockey Junior Olympic pick (2017) ... Played at the club level with Metro HC under Ralph Goodwin.
Rossbach on UMass: "I loved the atmosphere and the welcoming people. I also love all the [academic] major options."
Name: Marlise van Tonder
Hometown: Pretoria, South Africa
Position: Goalkeeper
Height: 5-4
High School: Pretoria High School for Girls
Previous Team: Pacific
Notes: Started all 39 of her appearances at Pacific in 2017 and 2018, where van Tonder twice led the Tigers to division titles in America East and was coached by Andy Smith ... Finished her sophomore year 10-8 with four shutouts, a 1.77 GAA and .741 save percentage ... Made six saves in a shutout win vs. Temple (8/26) ... Held Michigan State (9/9) to just one goal and turned aside 13 shots in a double-overtime victory ... Collected seven stops in her third clean sheet, a 2-0 decision vs. Kent State (9/14) ... Backstopped her squad to a 2-1 upset of No. 21 Stanford (10/27) with nine saves ... Tallied nine stops in the America East Quarterfinals (11/3) despite a 4-3 loss vs. top-seeded UAlbany.
van Tonder on UMass: "UMass offered me a place to continue playing collegiate hockey after the field hockey program at Pacific was cut. I'm excited to have the opportunity to play two more years."
For the latest news and updates around UMass field hockey, follow the team on Facebook (UMass Field Hockey), Twitter (@UMassFH) and Instagram (@UMassFieldHockey).
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