Posted: 06/06/2012 | Last updated: June 6, 2012 at 08:45 AM
BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Lehigh head coach Stacey Blue has announced the incoming class of 2016, which features a talented group from around the country. The 12 incomers will join the program this fall, looking to help the Mountain Hawks continue their success following a strong 2011 campaign. Nine of the 12 incomers are from Pennsylvania or nearby New Jersey, including two from powerhouse Emmaus High School in the Lehigh Valley.
“I am very excited for my first recruiting class here at Lehigh,” said Blue. “They are all very talented and bring something different to our team. I am excited to coach such a smart, hard-working and enthusiastic bunch.”
In total, four reign from the Lehigh Valley, which features some of the strongest high school field hockey in the nation. Abigail Bakke comes from Bangor High School, Caitlin Bryan and Zoey Pacheco from Emmaus and Rachel Werley from Lehighton. Meanwhile, Amie Diamond was a four-year member and two-year starter at Lower Dauphin High School while three others are from nearby New Jersey - including West Jersey Player of the Year Lindsey Schott.
“Each of them brings something new to the program, which is very exciting,” said Blue. “I can’t wait for preseason and for the entire team to be working together towards one common goal.”
For a complete player-by-player rundown of all 12 incomers, please see below:
Abigail Bakke • F/M • Mount Bethel, Pa. • Arts and Sciences
A local product, Bakke comes to Lehigh from Bangor High School where she was a three-time All-Colonial League honoree, including First Team Colonial League as a junior and senior. As a sophomore, Bakke was named Second Team All-Colonial League, Honorable Mention All-Area and the team’s Forward MVP as the squad’s top scorer. She followed that in 2010 and 2011 with First Team Colonial laurels while garnering First Team All-Area and Second Team All-State in 2010 and First Team All-State in 2011. Team MVP both years, Bakke was named an Express-Times All-Star as a senior.
Coach Blue on Bakke: “Abigail has an incredible shot and is a great offensive threat.”
Alex Beatson • M • Wilmington, Del. • Arts and Sciences
A standout at Archmere Academy in Delaware, Beatson was a star field hockey and lacrosse player. A four-year varsity starter, Beatson was named Second Team All-Conference for field hockey in 2009 and 2010 while earning First Team All-Conference and All-State in 2011. She was a Mid-Atlantic Harrow Regional All-American and a Futures Nationals Competitor as well. Beatson was equally strong in lacrosse, as a three-time All-Conference Player (Second Team in 2009 followed by First Team in 2010 and 2011). Beatson was named First Team All-State in 2011 and an All-America nominee.
Coach Blue on Beatson: “Alex is a strong player. Alex and fellow incomer Erin Ricker (also from Delaware) will be teammates instead of rivals. I look forward to this new chapter in their lives as they both are very talented players who never give up.”
Caitlin Bryan • F • Emmaus, Pa. • Engineering
A two-year varsity letterwinner at Emmaus, Bryan tallied 36 goals and 10 assists in her decorated career. She led Emmaus to the State Championship in 2010 and was league and district champion all four years. Bryan’s squad was 2011 Festival Champions; she was also a seven-year member of the Firestyx Field Hockey club team. Individually, Bryan earned First Team All-League, All-Area and All-Conference as a senior while garnering Second Team All-State, Academic All-State, Academic All-America and Most Improved Player. Also a four-year varsity lacrosse player, Bryan scored 124 career goals, was offensive MVP in 2010 and First Team All-League in 2010 and 2011. Emmaus Lacrosse won the league and district in 2010. Strong in the classroom, Bryan was a member of the National Honor Society and Principal’s Honor Roll.
Coach Blue on Bryan: “Caitlin really knows how to finish.”
Amie Diamond • M/D • Hershey, Pa. • Business
Diamond was a four-year varsity member and two-year varsity starter at Lower Dauphin High School. Lower Dauphin was Keystone Division Champion all four years, Mid-Penn Champions as a freshman and junior and Mid-Penn Finalists as a sophomore and senior. Diamond led the squad to a District Championship in 2008-09 and 2011-12 and PIAA State Title in 2009-10. She capped off her career with a strong senior season, being named a 2011 Mid-Penn All-Star while earning a spot on the PHSFHCA Academic Squad and NFHCA High School National Academic Squad. Diamond was a member of the Barracudas and PA Mavericks club field hockey teams. A three-year Futures member, she was a pool winner at the Disney Field Hockey Showcase. In addition, Diamond was a two-year varsity soccer player for the 2008-09 PIAA State Champions. She impressed in the classroom, as an AP Scholar and member of the honor roll. Diamond was president of the History Honor Society, vice president of the National English Honor Society and a member of the National Honor Society. A student school board representative, Diamond was a Comcast Leader and Achievers Award Winner, and Student Council President.
Coach Blue on Diamond: “Also from a local big name high school, Amie possess great work ethic and fundamentals.”
Sophie Fitzpatrick • GK • Duxbury, Mass. • Arts and Sciences
A three-year starter, Fitzpatrick helped lead Duxbury High School to three conference championships. She served as captain of the 2011 Massachusetts Division I South State Championship team while being voted team MVP and recipient of the Charlene Woods Memorial Awards. Fitzpatrick garnered All-Scholastic and Patriot Conference All-Star from the Boston Globe, Boston Herald and Quincy Patriot Ledger. In addition, she played for Cape Ann Coalition and HTC Field Hockey club teams. Also a three-year varsity starter in lacrosse, Fitzpatrick was a team captain as a senior for the two-time defending conference champions. Strong in the classroom, Fitzpatrick was an honor roll student who was awarded the Summa prize for academic leadership.
Coach Blue on Fitzpatrick: “Sophie is a great goalkeeper from Massachusetts. I look forward to her competing for a spot here on a day to day basis. She is calm and collected back there in her cage.”
Kat Kneizys • D • Newton Square, Pa. • Business
A two-sport athlete at The Episcopal Academy outside of Philadelphia, Kneizys helped lead her team to the 2008 and 2009 Friends League Championship and 2011 Inter-Ac League Title. Individually, Kneizys was named honorable mention All-Inter-AC in 2012 while garnering Second Team All-Main Line as a junior and senior. She won the Independent School League Championship as a sophomore in volleyball while earning Second Place in the PA State Independent School League for field hockey. Winner of the 2011 National Indoor Tournament Championship, Kneizys has also earned numerous academic honors including a spot on the 2012 NFHCA All-Academic Squad.
Coach Blue on Kneizys: “Kat, Katherine (Koomar) and Taylor (Mygatt) will compete for time in the backfield because they are all very patient and smart with the ball. I am looking forward to the impact they all could have here at Lehigh. Kat has great vision.”
Katherine Koomar • D • Summit, N.J. • Arts and Sciences
Koomar enjoyed tremendous success at the Oak Knoll School. She helped lead the squad to the 2010 and 2011 Union County Championships, while garnering the 2010 Group I Title and becoming the Tournament of Champions Winner. Stellar in the classroom, Koomar graduated Cum Laude as an AP Scholar with Honors. She was a member of the National Foreign Language Honors Society, a National Merit Scholar and garnered the Cornell Club of Northern New Jersey Award. In addition, Koomar earned Honorable Mention at duCret Art Show.
Coach Blue on Koomar: “Katherine had a great run in high school and under a tremendous club coach. I look forward to her bringing the simple to our complicated game. Koomar is very poised and smart with the ball.”
Taylor Mygatt • M • Bridgewater, N.J. • Engineering
Standout for the Bridgewater-Raritan High School, Mygatt wrapped up her career by earning First Team All-Conference and Second Team All-County as a senior. A captain for both her high school and club team (Spirit Eagles), Mygatt led her squad to the Group Four State Finals along with County and Conference Championships. Mygatt was a National Indoor Tournament Gold Medalist and Academic All-American. She was also a member of the honor and high honor roll.
Coach Blue on Mygatt: “Taylor always comes up with the ball. She’s such a hard worker with great speed.”
Zoey Pacheco • M • Macungie, Pa. • Arts and Sciences
A four-year varsity member at nearby Emmaus High School, Pacheco helped the team win the Lehigh Valley Conference all four years. Emmaus became District 11 Titles from 2008-11 as well. Pacheco helped lead the squad to the Pennsylvania State Title in 2010 and a #1 national ranking. In addition, she played club field hockey for Firestyx, winning two Gold medals at National Hockey Festival and one Gold at the National Indoor Tournament. Pacheco has played on four Keystone State Teams, winning Gold each and every time.
Coach Blue on Pacheco: “Zoey is a very smart player who could play anywhere on the field. She and Caitlin Bryan come from Emmaus which is a powerhouse high school. I look forward to them bringing their championship play and attitude to Lehigh. Zoey has impressed me with her play each time I see her.”
Erin Ricker • M • Lewes, Del. • Engineering
A multi-sport student-athlete at Cape Henlopen, Ricker helped lead the squad to the 2011 State Championship as a Team Captain and First Team All-State honoree. Also strong in the classroom, Ricker graduated fourth in her class of 250 while earning numerous academic honors, being named an Academic All-Conference for three years and NFHCA Academic All-American as a senior. Ricker was a First Team All-Conference performer in 2010-11 and the team’s Most Improved Varsity Player in 2009. She was a Conference Champion from 2009-11 and National Futures Championship in 2008, 2010 and 2011. Ricker finished her senior season with 17 goals and six assists while posting 19 goals and six assists as a junior. She was part of Futures Training at the University of Delaware from 2008-12 while playing on the Delaware Shore Travel Team from 2008-11. Ricker also earned four varsity letters in both swimming and lacrosse; she garnered Honorable Mention All-Conference and Academic All-Conference in swimming in 2009-11 while competing on the four-time state champion lacrosse team (2009-12). Individually, Ricker was recently named to the All-State First Team as well as the National All-Academic Team. Ricker also played for the Eastern Shore Lacrosse Travel Team from 2009-11.
Coach Blue on Ricker: “Erin and fellow incomer Alex Beatson (also from Delaware) will be teammates instead of rivals. I look forward to this new chapter in their lives as they both are very talented players who never give up. Erin is a very exciting athlete to watch.”
Lindsey Schott • F • Washington, N.J. • Arts and Sciences
Standout at Warren Hills High School, Schott posted an incredible 198 career points via 72 goals and 46 assists. That included 70 points as a senior (27 goals, 16 assists) in leading Warren Hills to a 22-2 record, 11-1 in conference play, as Raritan Conference Champions and Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex Champs. The team posted single-season records in wins (22), goals (110), assists (110) and corners (343), among others. Schott garnered First Team All-Skyland Conference and All-Hunterdon/Warren Counties, earning Team MVP honors and the Coaches Award for “Best Offense.” Perhaps her most impressive honor (among many) came in the form of West Jersey Player of the Year. She owns records for most career varsity goals, most goals in a season, most career assists, most points in a season, most career points, most career shots and most game-winning goals. Schott was named to the All-Skyland Conference First Team offense as a junior, also garnering All-Hunterdon/Warren County. She earned further honors from North Jersey Field Hockey Coaches Association and The Express-Times. Schott was named Team MVP while being named to the All-Group Three and West Jersey First Teams. Warren Hills finished 16-5-1 in 2008, 21-3-1 in 2009 and 16-6 in 2010 for an impressive 75-16-2 record over Schott’s four-year career.
Coach Blue on Schott: “Lindsey was known through high school as Hot Schott. I’m looking forward to her bringing her stick skills and tenacity to the next level.”
Rachel Werley • F • Lehighton, Pa. • Arts and Sciences
Part of an extremely successful high school program, Werley was a three-year starter for Lehighton. As a sophomore, the squad went 26-0, winning the MVC Championship, District 11 Title and PIAA-AA State Championship as the #1 ranked team in the nation. Werley then led Lehighton to the MVC and District 11 Titles and the State Finals as a junior. Personally, she was Second Team Mountain Valley Conference, Honorable Mention All-State and Blue Ridge Channel 13 Female Athlete of the Week while garnering the Lehighton field hockey Coach’s Award. Werley was a senior captain and the team’s offensive MVP in 2011, earning First Team Mountain Valley Conference and Falcon Classic All-Tournament Team recognition. She was also a member of the club team First Class, playing in the National Indoor Tournament from 2007-2012. Werley was 2010 National Hockey Festival Pool Champions while at the Keystone State Games, she won Gold in 2007 and 2009, and Bronze in 2011. In addition, Werley was a Futures Program participant in 2008, 2008 and 2010.
Coach Blue on Werley: “Also from a local big name high school, Rachel is a coachable player who is always doing her job. Her work ethic makes her potential unlimited.”
Lehigh Field Hockey Incoming Class
|
Name
|
Pos.
|
Hometown/Previous School
|
College
|
|
Abigail Bakke
|
F/M
|
Mount Bethel, Pa./Bangor
|
Arts and Sciences
|
|
Alex Beatson
|
M
|
Wilmington, Del./Archmere Academy
|
Arts and Sciences
|
|
Caitlin Bryan
|
F
|
Emmaus, Pa./Emmaus
|
Engineering
|
|
Amie Diamond
|
M/D
|
Hershey, Pa./Lower Dauphin
|
Business
|
|
Sophie Fitzpatrick
|
GK
|
Duxbury, Mass./Duxbury
|
Arts and Sciences
|
|
Kat Kneizys
|
D
|
Newton Square, Pa./Episcopal Academy
|
Business
|
|
Katherine Koomar
|
D
|
Summit, N.J./Oak Knoll School
|
Arts and Sciences
|
|
Taylor Mygatt
|
M
|
Bridgewater, N.J./Bridgewater-Raritan
|
Engineering
|
|
Zoey Pacheco
|
M
|
Macungie, Pa./Emmaus
|
Arts and Sciences
|
|
Erin Ricker
|
M
|
Lewes, Del./Cape Henlopen
|
Engineering
|
|
Lindsey Schott
|
F
|
Washington, N.J./Warren Hills
|
Arts and Sciences
|
|
Rachel Werley
|
F
|
Lehighton, Pa./Lehighton
|
Arts and Sciences
|