Indiana University Athletics
Field Hockey Goes on the Road
9/13/2000 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Game Data
The Hoosiers are still looking for their first win of this debut season as they face Miami (Ohio) this weekend. The game will be played at Yager Stadium in Oxford, Ohio on Saturday, September 16th at 1 p.m.
www.athletics.indiana.edu
Indiana University unveiled a new look to its athletic website with the start of the 2000 season. Complete game results are available on the web at www.athletics.indiana.edu following the event. In addition, the women's field hockey page includes updated statistics, player and staff bios, and honors and weekly features on current athletes.
Meet Head Coach Amy Robertson
In Head Coach Amy Robertson's second game of the season, the Hoosiers fell to St. Louis 4-0. Roberston was named Indiana's field hockey head coach on March 30, 2000.
Robertson joined the Hoosiers after serving as an assistant coach at Wake Forest for the past three seasons. While with the Demon Deacons, she helped lead the squad to an 18-4 record, a school-best national ranking of third, and a trip to its first NCAA Tournament. A trio of Robertson's Demon Deacons earned All-America honors. Roberston helped turn the program around as Wake Forest went from 9-11 to 18-4 in her three seasons.
Prior to her tenure at Wake Forest, Robertson, who has appeared in four final fours as a coach and a player, spent five seasons as an assistant coach at her alma mater, the University of Massachusetts.
Robertson on Loss to Billikens
"We showed a vast improvement from our first game (against Slippery Rock). The girls were much more willing to attack the ball and the opposing defense."
"Even though we gave up four goals our, defense played hard and faced many shots on goal. Zan (Alexandra Kaufman GK) was credited with 11 saves and St. Louis had 22 shots on goal."
"We will look again in practice this week to continue developing and perfecting our offensive and defensive skills."
Robertson on the Redhawks
"We now have two games under our belts. We have absolutely nothing to lose. Our mentality is to win and play 70 minutes of competitive field hockey. I don't ever want the players to get used to losing. Miami (Ohio) has aspirations to win their conference this year and will be on their toes in all aspects of the game. I expect a tough match."
Assistant Coach Sandy Willmott
Field hockey is new to Indiana University, but Sandy Willmott is not new to Indiana University field hockey. Willmott joins the staff this season as the team's assistant coach after serving as the IU field hockey club head coach for two seasons (1998 and 1999).
He brings a wealth of knowledge about the game from his homeland of Guildford, England. The Cambridge University (United Kingdom) graduate was also the institution's women's field hockey head coach from 1991-1993.
While coaching Cambridge, he led the team to its first promotion to the East Super League and he mentored six junior international team players.
Familiar Faces
Although new to IU, several girls are continuing their field hockey career with their teammates from high school. From Ottawa Hills High School in Toledo, Ohio, teammates Jordan Izsak and Abby Schwab attempt to put Indiana field hockey on the Big Ten map.
I-75
The trip to the state of Ohio this weekend sends a few IU field hockey players within miles of their homes. Traveling on Interstate 75 brings a stop at the tip of Ohio, in Toledo to the homes of freshmen backs, Jordan Izsak and Abby Schwab. Following the road southbound, a stop in Dayton, Ohio is made for sophomore midfielder Lindsay Schafer. Continuing off Interstate 75 towards the Indiana border, the field hockey team will make the final stop in Oxford, Ohio, to take on the Miami Redhawks.
Starting from Scratch
Field hockey was part of the Indiana University intercollegiate program for women from 1972-1981. In the Spring of 1982 it was decided that the sport would no longer be offered at Indiana University. Over the last two years, field hockey has had a co-ed organized club team, but no team of varsity status. The field hockey team has now returned as a varsity sport nearly two decades later and promises to add to the long list of successful women's sports at Indiana University.
Field Hockey Revisited
Kay Burrus was beside herself when she learned that field hockey was returning to IU as a varsity sport. Burrus started the first field hockey team in the fall of 1962. Many of the players had never played the game at that time so she faced the task of teaching the game to half of the squad and coaching the other half. She remembers watching the players develop a love and skill for the game. Her last year as coach was in 1976. Currently she is the Associate Dean for Academic Program Administration in the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation. She attended the first game against Slippery Rock this past weekend and had a feeling of great anticipation for what the team could accomplish.
Burrus on Coach Robertson:
"She (Robertson) has great enthusiasm for developing the team at IU. This can be a frustrating time for her but in a few years she will look back to the earlier years with great pleasure and good memories. I wish the best to Coach Robertson and the players, and look forward to watching many games."
Lucky Number Seven
The Hoosiers join Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Northwestern, and Penn State to become the seventh member of the Big Ten field hockey conference. Field hockey was a Big Ten sport from 1981-1988 with a six-team league. From 1988-92 there was not enough Big Ten sponsorship to have an official conference championship. The sport was reinstated when Penn State joined the conference in 1992. With Indiana's addition Big Ten field hockey will have the most teams in conference history.
Experienced Ladies
As fans take in Indiana field hockey for the first time, many of the Hoosiers will be continuing a game they've enjoyed since high school. With one exception, all 18 women on the roster have played high school field hockey, five of which are incoming freshmen. Upperclassmen Tania Hults, Kiersten Lehner, Kelly Lewis, Brooke Magers, Erica Nilsson, Rebecca Sward, Lindsay Schafer, Anna Ward, and Kim Wah competed together on the IU club team in the previous years.
Redhawk Rundown
With a lone senior on the squad, young is the only word to describe the Miami (Ohio) Redhawks. Four experienced seniors, two who played every game of their career, graduated last year. Despite a lack of veteran players, Head Coach Lil Fesperman has high hopes for her young team. Fesperman, in her 24th season, looks to see her incoming freshmen step into the mix and contribute immediately. The Hawks are 1-4 on the season but one of those defeats came in double overtime and two others were lost by only a goal. Only once have they been shutout. Fesperman believes in her players as solid athletes with the background knowledge and skills to succeed.
Getting to Know You
Indiana is made up of one fifth-year senior, two seniors, four juniors, six sophomores, and five freshman. Eleven of the players are from the Midwest, states including Illinois, Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, and Michigan. The rest of the roster travels from the eastern side of the US. Two girls are from Maryland, one from Pennsylvania, one from Connecticut, and one from Virginia.
Inside the Cage
Sophomore Molly Pulkrabek will be taking her turn keeping balls from where they don't belong. Pulkrabek played the second half of IU's debut with Slippery Rock and is credited with one save and one goal allowed. She is a previous soccer goalie and also played vollyball and was a cheerleader. Pulkrabek joins the field hockey team from Barrington, Ill., with a major in accounting.
Just Zandy
Alexandra Kaufman, better known to her teammates as Zan, is a senior from Greenwich, Conn. Kaufman has been strong in goal for the Hoosiers this season. Kaufman has started both games for IU and played a total of 105 minutes. She's given up five total goals and is credited with 11 saves. Last season she played on the IU water polo team. In high school, she lettered in field hockey, track, and softball. She is majoring in business.
Homewood bound
From Homewood, Ill., sophomore Anna Ward joins the Hoosiers with field hockey experience under her belt. She played defense for her high school field hockey team and was named second team All-State during her 1998 season.
Archrivals
Being rivals in high school won't effect the teamwork of Anna Ward and Erica Nilsson as they make their IU debut. Nilsson, from Lake Forest, Ill., has much competition though as three of her highschool teammates play field hockey for Big Ten rivals Michigan and Northwestern. Nilsson is a three-year letterwinner in field hockey and soccer and has also lettered in gymnastics.
The Start of it All
Considered the experienced leader of the Indiana field hockey team, fifth-year senior Tania Hults hopes to lead the Hoosiers as far as she can in her last year at IU. In game one, her superb defense and inspiration kept Indiana in the game. Hults has been pushing for a varsity field hockey team since her freshman year at Indiana. Five years later, her dream has come true.
Mager Threat
Junior Brooke Magers accompanies the club team members in hopes of making Indiana a top field hockey program. The Northfield, Ill. native, Magers is majoring in psychology/sociology. Her field hockey team won the state championship in 1995 and 1996. Magers is a three-year letterwinner in field hockey as well as track in high school.
A Writer Among Us
Journalism major Lindsay Schafer will be covering the midfield for Indiana. A sophomore from Dayton, Ohio, Schafer lettered in field hockey as a midfielder and also served as captain. Schafer was named All-District and received the Bess Hayner Award for field hockey.
A Head Above the Rest
At 5-11, junior Akila Jones stands taller than her Hoosier teammates. Jones comes to Indiana from Potomac, Maryland and is majoring in general studies with a minor psychology. She is a four-year letterwinner in basketball and field hockey and has also lettered in track in high school. She has been a member of the Singing Hoosiers for the past two years.
Fore Sward
After moving to the state of Indiana prior to her junior year, Becky Sward began playing golf at Valparaiso. The lone Indiana native made it to the state regionals in golf. Sward is majoring in finance.
All Around Athlete
From field hockey to bowling, sophomore Kim Wah has done it all. Wah is a three-year participant in field hockey, lacrosse, and figure skating and also bowled for four years in high school. Wah is from Midlothian, Virginia and is majoring in biology.
