Nov. 26, 2014
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State field hockey has received National Letters of Intent from nine players to become Nittany Lions beginning with the 2015 season, head coach Charlene Morett-Curtiss announced Wednesday. Gina Bramley (Elizabethtown, Pa.), Katie Dembrowski (Palmyra, Pa.), Cassie Kline (Millersville, Pa.), Emily Klingler (Selinsgrove, Pa.), Lauren McNally (Marmora, N.J.), Aurelia Meijer (Hattem, Netherlands), Jennifer Rizzo (Hershey, Pa.), Mary Nell Smith (Dauphin, Pa.) and Lisa Winters (Hershey, Pa.) will each be welcomed to the 2015 roster.
"This class is going to be very exciting to coach and I look forward to seeing their development as they begin their freshmen year and beyond," said Morett-Curtiss. "It's a very strong class, all the way from the front line to the goalkeeping position. When they were here on their recruiting visits, as a whole, they really embraced the Penn State 'team' philosophy and I look forward to their families being part of our Penn State field hockey family."
GINI BRAMLEY
Position: Midfield/Back
Hometown/High School: Elizabethtown, Pa./Lower Dauphin
Honors and Highlights: Four-year letterwinner and team captain at Lower Dauphin High School ... Named first team all-state in 2012 and 2013 ... Recognized as Mid-Penn Keystone Division Co-Player of the Year as a senior in 2014 ... Three-time Mid-Penn Keystone All-Star in 2012, 2013 and 2014 ... Tallied 104 games started, 23 goals and nine assists for her career ... Helped her team to back-to-back state championships in 2012 and 2013 ... Led the squad to district championships in 2011, 2013 and 2014 ... Played with current Nittany Lion Delani Higgins at Lower Dauphin ... Member of the East Coast Field Hockey club team.
Personal: Full name is Virginia Anne Bramley ... Born Aug. 28, 1997 in Hershey, Pa. ... Parents are Karen and Harry ... Has two brothers, David and Tommy, and one sister, Julie.
Bramley on Penn State: "I chose Penn State because it is the best fit for me to be able to get a great education while I continue to play the sport I love and continue to receive support from my family."
Morett-Curtiss on Bramley: "She is an extremely versatile player. She really is capable of playing a number of positions for us. We see her strength in her passing game and in her ability to set a lot of plays up. She's a playmaker. She has extremely keen stick skills."
KATIE DEMBROWSKI
Position: Midfield
Hometown/High School: Palmyra, Pa./Palmyra
Honors and Highlight: Lettered all four years and was a team captain as both a junior and senior ... Helped her team to a 2014 AAA co-state championship ... Scored 39 career goals and tallied 51 assists, starting all of her games in high school ... Selected all-state first team as a sophomore and junior ... Named all-region first team as a junior and all-region second team as a sophomore ... Earned all-county first team honors all four years and was a first team Mid-Penn All-Star three times ... Recognized on the Big 11 first team three times ... Helped her team to 2011 and 2013 district championships and a 2013 co-Keystone Division championship ... Played club field hockey PA Mavericks, helping her team to 2013 and 2014 National Indoor Tournament championships and 2012 and 2013 Festival championships ... Standout track and field star, holding the Palmyra High School track records for the 1600-meter and 800-meter ... Anchor leg of the 4x400-meter relay record holding team and the 4x800-meter relay record holding team ... Lettered four years in basketball.
Personal: Full name is Kathryn Marie Dembrowski ... Born on Sept. 13, 1996 in Harrisburg, Pa. ... Parents are Kim and Tom Dembrowski ... Has a younger sister, Jessica.
Dembrowski on Penn State: "I chose Penn State for its athletic and academic excellence. Penn State also has a great field hockey program, team and coaching staff and that is what drew me in."
Morett-Curtiss on Dembrowski: "Katie, as you can see from her track background, brings a lot of speed to the game. She also will be a midfielder who is capable of playing a number of different midfield positions. She is just someone that you notice because of her speed and her endurance all over the field. She also is a playmaker and can get the ball down the field quickly and look to set up scoring opportunities for her teammates."
CASSIE KLINE
Position: Forward/Midfield
Hometown/High School: Millersville, Pa./Penn Manor
Honors and Highlights: Four year letterwinner and senior captain at Penn Manor ... Was a four-year starter, recording 51 goals and 44 assists ... Led the Lancaster Lebanon League in assists in 2013 (29) and finished third in total scoring ... Finished third in her league in goals and total scoring in 2014 ... Selected All-Lancaster Lebanon League in 2013 and 2014 ... Patriot News first team all-league in 2014 ... Earned all-state honors in 2013 ... Helped her team to a co-state championship in 2014, scoring the lone goal in a 1-1 tie ... Team qualified for states all four years, winning the section championship (2011-14) four times and the league championship (2012-14) three times ... Played club field hockey for Nook, earning numerous medals at the Disney Showcase, Festival and the National Indoor Tournament ... Participated in the Junior Olympics (2012-13) and Futures Elite (2014-15).
Personal: Full name is Cassandra Rae Kline ... Born on April 21, 1997 in Lancaster, Pa. ... Parents are Laura and Patrick Kline ... Has an older brother, Erik ... Father attended Penn State and graduated in 1987.
Kline on Penn State: "I visited many colleges, but Penn State was my clear choice because of the combination of highly competitive field hockey, great academics and hometown feel. I really enjoy the current players and coaching staff as well as my incoming teammates."
Morett-Curtiss on Kline: "Cassie is a very skillful, relentless attacker. She is aggressive to go to goal and has a great work ethic. She is someone who we think is going to be able to come in and put some great pressure on the ball and start some counter attacks."
EMILY KLINGLER
Position: Forward
Hometown/High School: Selinsgrove, Pa./Selinsgrove
Honors and Highlights: Senior captain and four-year letterwinner at Selinsgrove ... Started every game of her high school career, scoring 62 goals and totaling 31 assists ... Led the team in scoring as a sophomore and junior ... Named first team all-state as a junior and senior, and second team all-state as a sophomore ... Recognized as first team all-league, all-district and all-region all four years of high school ... Member of a team that went 20-3-1 as a senior and won four district titles ... Played club field hockey for PA Power ... Participated in Futures and won nationals in 2014 ... Was a Junior Olympic gold medalist in 2011 ... Helped her team to a Festival championship in 2013 ... Also lettered in track at Selinsgrove.
Personal: Full name is Emily Mae Klingler ... Born on May 28, 1997 in Selinsgrove, Pa. ... Parents are Vickie and Douglas Klingler ... Has an older brother, Braden, and an older sister, Asthin ... Ashtin was a member of the Penn State field hockey team and lettered from 2011-13 ... Brother Braden played football and threw javelin at Susquehanna University.
Klingler on Penn State: "I chose Penn State because the second I stepped on campus I felt right at home. The education, the environment and the competitiveness of the field hockey program made my decision so much easier."
Morett-Curtiss on Klingler: "Emily has a lot of speed and stick skills. She has a nose for the goal, loves to score, but wants to put the ball in scoring positions herself. We look for Emily to be an effective goal-scorer for us in the future."
LAUREN McNALLY
Position: Back
Hometown/High School: Marmora, N.J./Ocean City
Honors and Highlights: Four-year letterwinner for the Raiders and a team captain in 2014 ... Started 72 games in high school, scoring 67 goals and tallying 54 assists ... Helped her team to two state championships (2012, 2013), three South Jersey titles (2012, 2013, 2014) and four Cape Atlantic League championships ... Garnered first team All-State Group 3 and first team All-South Jersey honors as a sophomore, junior and senior ... Selected first team All-Cape Atlantic League in 2012, 2013 and 2014 ... Earned first team Atlantic City Press All-Area honors in three straight seasons (2012, 2013, 2014) ... Played club field hockey for the Spirit of USA, helping her team to first place finishes at Festival in 2012 and 2013 and a National Club Championship in 2012 ... Led her club team to a title at the Disney Showcase in 2014 ... Member of the U-17 National Team ... Selected to the Futures Elite Championships in 2014 .... Participated in the Junior Olympics in 2012 and 2013 ... Played in the National Futures Championships from 2010-2013 ... Also lettered three years in lacrosse in high school and played basketball.
Personal: Full name is Lauren Marie McNally ... Born on May 18, 1997 in Somers Point, N.J. ... Parents are George and Wendy McNally ... Has an older brother, Jack, one older sister, Danielle, and one younger sister, Tara ... Mother and father each graduated from Penn State in 1989, while brother graduated from Penn State in 2012 ... Father also played basketball at Shippensburg University ... Sister Danielle played field hockey at Indiana University.
McNally on Penn State: "I wanted to get a great education and play at the highest level of field hockey as I can. Penn State offers me both."
Morett-Curtiss on McNally: "Both of her parents are Penn Staters, so it's pretty exciting for her to become a Nittany Lion. She has a tremendous defensive sense and strong attacking skills. We're looking for her to be a leader in the backfield for us."
AURELIA MEIJER
Position: Midfield/Forward
Hometown/High School: Hattem, Netherlands/Gymnasium Celeanum
Honors and Highlights: Becomes the first international player in Penn State field hockey history ... Plays midfield and forward positions ... Participates in the Overgangsklasse League ... Member of Hockey Club Zwolle (HCZ) for the last three years ... Selected to the regional district team ... Has played internationally ... League SuperB and League Ladies in Overgangsklasse ... Also a talented tennis player.
Personal: Full name is Aurelia Welmoed Meijer ... Born on March 2, 1997 in Durban, South Africa ... Parents are Wendela and Xander ... Has two younger brothers, Gilles and Ijsbrand, as well as a younger sister, Sanderijn.
Meijer on Penn State: "Penn State is the best! I love the sportive mind of the amazing people and the sphere is awesome. I believe Penn State is best for me to develop my skills in every way."
Morett-Curtiss on Meijer: "We are really looking forward to the energy and the flare that she will bring to our team. Her strengths really are in her stick skills with speed. She can eliminate and go very, very quickly."
JENNY RIZZO
Position: Goalkeeper
Hometown/High School: Hershey, Pa./Hershey
Honors and Highlights: Three-year letterwinner at Hershey ... Started 60 games in high school, tallying a .77 save percentage, recording 20 shutouts and 243 saves ... Owned a 43-16-1 record ... Named second team all-state in 2013 ... Earned first team All-Mid-Penn Keystone Conference honors in 2013 and 2014, receiving honorable mention recognition in 2012 ... Helped her team qualify for districts all four years and win the Hershey Tournament three times, being selected to the all-tournament team three times ... Comes in with high school teammate Jenny Rizzo ... Played club field hockey for the PA Alley Cats ... Helped her team to the 2014 Disney Showcase gold medal and the 2013 Festival gold medal ... Member of Futures Elite in 2013, 2014 and 2015 ... 2014 Futures Elite Championship gold medalist ... Participated in the 2013 Junior Olympics and was a 2013 National Futures champion ... Also played softball, earning four letters and being selected all-state in 2013.
Personal: Full name is Jennifer Mary Rizzo ... Born on Sept. 22, 1997 in Bayshore, N.Y. ... Parents are Joan and Jacques Rizzo ... Has a sister, Ashley, and a brother, Jack.
Rizzo on Penn State: "I chose Penn State because of its excellence in academics and athletics as well as the captivating atmosphere on campus. Field hockey has always been a very large part of my life and the team at Penn State plays for the love of the sport, just like I do. After meeting the players and coaches I knew that Penn State was the school for me."
Morett-Curtiss on Rizzo: "I'm really excited for Jenny to become a Penn Stater. She has great size and strength as a goalie. She is extremely competitive and very aggressive in the cage. I'm looking forward to what she will bring to that goalkeeping position."
MARY NELL SMITH
Position: Forward/Midfield
Hometown/High School: Dauphin, Pa./Central Dauphin
Honors and Highlights: Three-year letterwinner ... Team captain and team MVP in 2013 and 2014 ... Started every game from 2012-14, scoring 48 goals and tallying 15 assists ... Named first team all-state in 2013 .... Selected to the Big 15 Team in 2013 and 2014 ... Was a Mid-Penn All-Star in 2013 and 2014 ... Played club field hockey for Key State Field Hockey ... Helped Key State to a first place finish at nationals in 2014 and a third place finish at the Disney Showcase in 2014 ... Led her team to Keystone Games championships in 2013 and 2014 ... Four-year letterwinner in softball, receiving Mid-Penn All-Star recognition in 2014.
Personal: Full name is Mary Nell Smith ... Born on Feb. 1, 1997 ... Parents are Ellen Gallagher and Bill Smith.
Smith on Penn State: "I chose Penn State because it is a well-known academic and athletic school. Penn State takes pride in who they are as a school and I could not see myself anywhere but there. To me, this school is already home. I could not be happier with my decision."
Morett-Curtiss on Smith: "She has a lot of fight in her. She has great speed. She's someone that's really going to be feisty on the forward line and be able to put the ball in some dangerous positions and really be effective on our press."
LISA WINTERS
Position: Forward/Midfield
Hometown/High School: Hershey, Pa./Hershey
Honors and Highlights: Four-year letterwinner at Hershey ... Earned first team all-state recognition as a junior ... Named a Mid-Penn All-Star in 2012, 2013 and 2014 ... Selected to the Patriot News Big 11 Underclass Team in 2011 ... Scored 35 goals and tallied 11 assists in her career ... Comes in with high school teammate Jenny Rizzo ... Played club field hockey for the PA Alley Cats (2013) and the PA Mavericks (2009-12), and is currently a member of True North Field Hockey Academy ... Took first place at the 2013 U19 Festival (Alley Cats) and the 2012 U16 Festival (Mavericks) ... Helped her team to a 2013 U19 Disney Showcase championship (Alley Cats) ... Participated in the 2013 AAU Junior Olympics ... Also played softball and participated in track and field in high school.
Personal: Full name is Lisa Monique Winters ... Born on March 12, 1997 in Harrisburg, Pa. ... Parents are Brenda and Tim Winters ... Has an older brother, Shane, who played ice hockey at Penn State Altoona.
Winters on Penn State: "I chose Penn State because I found in it the perfect balance between academics and athletics. I can't wait to study and play as a Nittany Lion!"
Morett-Curtiss on Winters: "She is a very technical player. She is a playmaker. Her speed and ability to attack with speed and skill is something that should enhance her ability to help us here at Penn State."
-NITTANY LIONS-