YOUTHFUL FIELD HOCKEY TEAM WRAPS SUCCESSFUL SEASON
PHILADELPHIA (2/01/04) - The return of head coach Michelle Finegan and the energy provided by a young squad that featured 13 freshman and sophomores helped to point the Saint Joseph's field hockey team in the right direction during a season of transition on Hawk Hill. The Crimson and Gray started fast and finished strong, winning three of their final four regular season games, to earn the team's third-straight Atlantic 10 Tournament appearance, the eighth in program history. Overall the Hawks finished 7-11, but placed third in the Atlantic 10 Conference with a 3-3 mark in league play.
Finegan, the winningest coach in program history, returned to SJU after a seven year absence and picked up where she left off. The Hawk mentor was named the A-10 Coach of the Year by her peers. She had previously been named the Conference's top coach in 1995, the final season of her first stint as head Hawk.
One of the most talented rookie classes in program history latched on to Finegan's coaching philosophy early and saw their development increase at a rapid pace. Nicole Antonini was the brightest of an impressive freshman class. The newcomer was named the A-10's Rookie of the Year after topping the team with nine goals and 21 points. She was also named to the A-10 All-Conference first team, as well as the All-Philadelphia field hockey squad. In addition she was an honorable mention frehsman All-America by womensfieldhockey.com.
Another young Hawk who blossomed under Finegan's tutelage was sophomore Katelyn O'Brien. The All-Philadelphia pick topped the team with five assists and placed second on the squad with six goals and 17 points.
Tri-captains senior Amie Schmolze and juniors Courtney Huff and Shannon Scott, along with Angela Hanna, were the glue that helped to keep the youthful Hawks together throughout the year.
Schmoltze relinquished some of her scoring during her final collegiate season, but assumed a larger role as the linchpin in the Hawk midfield. Capturing first team All-A-10 honors for the second straight-season, she finished the year fifth on the team in scoring (2 G, 3 A, 7 PTS).
Hanna, Scott and Huff, meanwhile anchored the Hawk defense. Huff ranked as one of the nation's most reliable goalkeepers, placing seventh nationally in saves with 166 and ninteenth in save percentage (.787). Possessing a flair for the spectacular, twice she stopped more than 20 shots in a game, including a school-record 27 against Lafayette. She was named to the All-Championship team at the A-10 Tournament.
Less hearlded during the year, Scott often received the job of marking the opposing team's top offensive threat and took over as the stick-stop on the SJU corner unit and delivered a career-best four assists. Hanna, meanwhile, was strong and steady on the backline.
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