Feb. 11, 2010
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State head field hockey coach Charlene Morett announced on Thursday the signing of six top student-athletes to National Letters of Intent. The group consists of Pennsylvania natives who play a multitude of positions. They join classmate Natalie Buttinger (Kitchener, Ontario), who is already enrolled at Penn State this spring.
"For all their individual talent, this group is very team-oriented both on and off the field," said Morett. "I think it truly reflects their self confidence, maturity and passion for the sport of field hockey and Penn State."
Among the six signees are State College native Jackie Kenney (State College, Pa.) and Lauren Purvis (Maple Glen, Pa.), who follows in the footsteps of her mother and sister. Her mother Sue suited up for the Nittany Lions from 1977-79 while sister Jenny will be a senior on next year's squad. The Kenney family also has a number of Penn State ties as Jackie's father (Bill) is a longstanding assistant coach for the football team. One brother (Matt) is a current player while her other (Joe) recently served as an undergraduate assistant coach for four seasons.
Also signing on are Abby Fuhrman (Bainbridge, Pa.), Brittany Grzywacz (Collegeville, Pa.), Kylie Licata (Mountain Top, Pa.) and Whitney Reddig (Lititz, Pa.). Overall, the class consists of two backs and a goalkeeper along with two who play midfield/forward and another who is a midfielder/back.
"As a class, they bring great positional balance to the team. Each of them have versatility to play various lines and systems of play," said Morett. "They truly are a fun group of girls who will be exciting to coach for the next four years."
Abby Fuhrman | |
Brittany Grzywacz | |
Jackie Kenney |
Kylie Licata | |
Lauren Purvis | |
Whitney Reddig |
Fuhrman was a multi-sport standout at Elizabethtown Area High School, also competing in softball, basketball and track. She was named a Lancaster Lebanon League First Team All-Star in field hockey in 2009 while making the second team in softball. A back, Fuhrman was a durable player, starting all 72 games of her high school career while scoring 19 career goals with 30 assists.
One of two incoming players who were invited to the U.S. Under-19 Training Camp, Grzywacz was a four year varsity starter, three year All-League and two year All-State performer for the Methacton Warriors, helping lead the squad to the PAC-10 (Pioneer Athletic Conference) Championship in 2008, the school's first title in any sport. Also a two-time All-American, the midfielder/back tallied 56 goals in her career while leading the Warriors' scoring attack as both a junior and senior.
A local product, Kenney commits to a program that she has followed through childhood. She has been a consistent winner, including the past two seasons when she helped lead the State College Little Lions to the state quarterfinals. A senior captain, she was also named a Tri Valley League All-Star the past two years while also garnering the Deborah Klinger Award in 2006 as the most dedicated, motivated and enthusiastic freshman.
Licata, the only goalkeeper, is set to join rising senior Ali Meves and redshirt sophomore Ayla Halus. Fearless in the cage, Licata has consistently led the Crestwood Comets deep into the state playoffs, including 2007, when they made the semifinals in her first year of starting duty. She posted a miniscule .787 career goals against average and .850 save percentage, winning 58 of 70 games while pitching 37 shutouts. An All-State Performer in each of her three years as starter, Licata was named Citizen's Voice Player of the Year after her senior season.
Purvis joins her sister Jenny at Penn State following a tremendous All-America high school career. Like Grzywacz, she was invited to the U.S. Under-19 Training Camp, while also competing on the USA Women's National Indoor Team. The three time leading scorer of Hatboro-Horsham High School was named All-State on numerous occasions while also winning Suburban One Player of the Year in 2009. A versatile midfielder/forward, she competed on the Mystx Field Hockey Club, which won the National Indoor and U.S. Festival National Championships. Also an All-American lacrosse player, Purvis will suit up for head coach Suzanne Isidor and the Nittany Lion lacrosse team.
Reddig, a midfielder/forward, was one of Warwick High School's top all-time scorers. Garnering First Team All-State twice, she also played in the Lancaster Lebanon League's All-Star Game where she was named Most Valuable Player. Reddig leaves Warwick High School with the school's second most goals of all-time (54). She also posted a pair of four goal games to tie a school record.
The six newcomers will join Buttinger and 12 returnees on the 2010 Nittany Lions, who ended last season with an impressive showing at the Big Ten Tournament. The squad beat second-seeded Ohio State in the opening round before hanging tough against another eventual NCAA Tournament team (Indiana) in the semifinals.
Check back to GoPSUsports.com throughout the spring for continued updates as the Penn State field hockey team prepares for its fall schedule.
Follow Penn State field hockey on Twitter: www.twitter.com/PennStateFH.
PLAYER RUNDOWNS
Abby Fuhrman - Back - Elizabethtown Area High School (Elizabethtown, Pa.)
• Lancaster Lebanon League First Team All-Star and Second Team All-State in 2009
• Also Lebanon League Academic All-Star and Academic All-State in `09
• Team's Offensive MVP as a junior and senior
• Also played softball, track and basketball
• Mother (Tammy) played field hockey at Lock Haven University from 1984-87.
Coach Morett on Fuhrman: "We were very fortunate to see Abby at our Elite Camp this past year. Her poise with the ball is very impressive. She maintains good control while looking to develop the play from the backfield. Abby is very coachable and will be an asset because of her versatility to play various positions."
Brittany Grzywacz - Midfield/Back - Methacton High School (Norristown, Pa.)
• Competed for the USA Women's National Indoor Team and X-Calibur FHC
• Second Team All-American, First Team All-State, All-League
• Led team in scoring as both junior and senior, finishing with 56 career goals
• Played high school lacrosse and Babe Ruth Softball
Coach Morett on Grzywacz: "Brit is a center mid/center back who can set up or score. She has tremendous competitive strength, game sense and confidence. Brit's experience with the U.S. Indoor Team this past year was invaluable. She has clearly developed into one of the nation's top young players."
Jackie Kenney - Back - State College Area High School (State College, Pa.)
• Team Captain as a senior and Tri Valley League All-Star the past two seasons
• State College was Tri Valley League Champions in 2006 and Finalists in 2007, `08 and `09
• PIAA District VI Champions all four years
• All-Conference in lacrosse in 2009 while also competing in ski racing
Coach Morett on Kenney: "We are thrilled to have one of our own local girls join the Penn State field hockey family. I have coached Jackie since our Rec Park youth program. She is a natural athlete who is self motivated and committed to getting better every day. Jackie has very keen passing skills to start the play from the back. We see Jackie as being a solid defender."
Kylie Licata - Goalkeeper - Crestwood High School (Mountain Top, Pa.)
• Four year varsity letterwinner and three year starter
• Final career stats: 58-12-0 record, 0.787 GAA, .850 save percentage
• Crestwood High School was either District Champions or Finalists all four years
• Also played on a number of additional teams, including - Valley Styx, KaPow Indoor Teams, Pocono Festival Team, Keystones and Futures
• Standout softball center fielder
Coach Morett on Licata: "Kylie has innate quickness and a fearlessness to stop every shot. She loves the challenge of protecting her cage. Kylie's enthusiastic personality is clearly heard on the field; she is the type to step up when needed. She will certainly benefit from working with Ali (Meves), Ayla (Halus) and Annie (Zinkavich) next fall."
Lauren Purvis - Midfield/Forward - Hatboro Horsham High School (Hatboro, Pa.)
• First Team All-American (2009), First Team All-State (2008-09), Second Team All-State (2007), First Team All-League (2007-09) and First Team All Philly Region (2009)
• Led Hatboro-Horsham in scoring as a freshman, junior and senior
• Member of the U.S. Under-19 National Squad, USA Women's National Indoor Team, Olympic Development Select and Futures Elite
• All-American in lacrosse (2009)
• Academic All-American in both field hockey and lacrosse
• Named a finalist for lacrosse's Heather Leigh Albert National Schoolgirl Award given to the most outstanding player in athletic ability and spirit at the National Tournament
Coach Morett on Purvis: "Lauren has versatility to play on the line or in the midfield. Her speed and quickness with the ball are noticeable right away. She is an amazing transition player in every respect; she can quick start a free hit or pressure immediately to defend. She will be following in the footsteps of her mother Sue (Penn State, 1979) and sister Jenny (Penn State, 2011)."
Whitney Reddig - Midfield/Forward - Warwick High School (Lititz, Pa.)
• Led Warwick High School to Lancaster Lebanon League Finals in 2008, along with three district (2007-09) and state qualifiers (2007)
• Finished career with 54 goals and 25 assists, second most goals in school history
• Competed on Sutter's Brigade, winning National Hockey Festival in 2009 while also garnering Dold at the AAU National Field Hockey Championship
• Also played varsity basketball and lacrosse
Coach Morett on Reddig: ""Whit is a diehard competitor. She has quick and deceptive skills to eliminate a defender or to set up a teammate. We see Whit as a player who will bring energy and toughness every day, whether it be in practice or a game."