March 25, 2016
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - As Happy Valley prepares for the annual Blue & White football weekend, Penn State Field Hockey is gearing up for a Blue & White weekend of their own that includes Friday, April 15th Condo alumni reception for former and current players, a Saturday Alumni game slated to begin at 11 a.m., followed by taking part in the Paterno run for Special Olympics at 11 a.m. Sunday April 17th.
"I think Blue & White weekend is probably our most fun weekend of the spring because we have so many alums coming back," said Penn State field hockey head coach Charlene Morett-Curtiss.
"One thing we really pride ourselves on is the support that the alumni have shown us over the years. One thing we say when we recruit here at Penn State is 'it's a lifelong experience'. This experience you have here at Penn State isn't just four years. This opportunity to play in the alumni game on Blue & White weekend, that Saturday, just extends that experience for [alumni]. I think it's great because surrounding Blue & White weekend here at Penn State, you have obviously the Blue & White football game, you have the carnival that the Greeks put on by the stadium, Sunday is the Paterno family run for special Olympics, we're going to have a social at Karen Schnellenbach's condo Friday night. So we're just excited about so many different activities surrounding that weekend, I think the most important thing about the weekend is it gives our alums a chance to connect with the current players."
"Blue & White is a fun weekend for alumni and current players to meet those alums," said assistant coach Lisa Bervinchak-Love.
"When we recruit we say 'we're a family program' so it feels like family is coming home. Now that several of our alums have children of their own, it's like we get to see our extended family as well. So overall it's just an awesome opportunity to connect and catch up with everyone all at one time during the weekend."
But Penn State field hockey isn't just gearing up for that weekend only, the spring for Nittany Lion field hockey begins this weekend with a series against Temple and James Madison here on campus at the Penn State Field Hockey Complex.
"We open [spring play] this weekend which will be a lot of fun! Last year we went down to James Madison around this time and it's nice that they were able to reciprocate by coming up here; we'll also have Temple come up as well. Its two programs that are very strong, it's going to be a competitive weekend so we're looking forward to seeing what we can do, we've only been outside as a team once, so it'll be nice to see what we have on a full field," said Morett-Curtiss.
"I think we're looking pretty strong. Jenny Rizzo (Hershey, Pa.) is going to be missing as she's going to the junior Pan Am Games with the U21 USA National team. Colleen Conway (Franklin Lakes, N.J.) has stepped up and had a strong spring; we're just looking for her to be consistent in goal and excited to see what she can do. There are several younger players that are going to be able to get some playing time going down to Penn here in two weeks, we'll be playing the defending national champions Syracuse so that's really going to be our greatest challenge of the spring. Then to play at Penn, at a nice venue, where we have a lot of alums in that area will be nice as well."
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