The field hockey team of the University of Maine is a diverse couple this season.
The Black Bears will have players from 10 different countries this season, because it seems to replace four of its top seven scorers and one of the starting backs.
The selection includes team members from Australia, Belgium, Canada, the Czech Republic, England, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the US and Wales.
“It will be an interesting chemistry,” said Josette Babineau, who is head coach in her 19th season. “It’s a nice fact for the year. So far it has been good with all their report.”
The team is training, but the first official practice is Friday.
Babineau has nine newcomers in this year’s team.
“And some players come to the campus for the first time,” said the coach. “I think they will be good attacks for our program.”
The newcomers include Backs Louisa Plaehn from Germany, Julia Pieters from the Netherlands, Nicole Kowalewski from Nieuw -Zeeland and Sophie Maquestiau from Belgium from Belgium, together with attackers Leyden Churchill and Sophia Miller from New Hampshire, Falmout and Allison and Allison Sousa from Farmingdale.
Among the returners are five Canadians, three Americans, forward floor Dijkhuizen from the Netherlands, Back Eloise Penty from England, goalkeepers Jayde Termby from Australia and Rozarie Mrazova from the Czech Republic and Back Connie Davies from Wales.
Penty is the only return back, so that will be an area of emphasis and Babineau said she expects newcomers to fill a lot of the places.
“That part of it will be a progression, I think,” said Babineau.
Penty had a goal and two assists a year ago while playing in all 20 games.
Poppy Lambert, a four-fold all-America East-Pick, including a triple first leader and the co-leading goal scorer of the school with 57, will be difficult to replace in the back.
Senior Olivia Geniti, who had a team-high nine goals last season to go with five assists, was an All-America East First Team selection and Koppen an experienced midfield last year. She was an All-League choice in a preseason.
Senior Zoe Furber, Junior Brynn Dzengelewski and second -year Dijkhuizen will be improved Middelders Babinaiu.
Furber had four goals and three assists and Dzengelewski last season had two goals and an assist.
Junior Saylor Kuefler is the best return scorer among attackers after last year four goals and three assists. Senior Maeve Fogarty had two goals in her first season in Umaine after switching from the University of Rochester.
Senior Taylor Katsube and second -year student Emily Chisholm are back after playing a handful of matches a year ago each.
Babineau said that first -year Barratt has a lot of quality experience and could have an immediate impact in advance.
“In the front and in midfield with the returners there is some stability,” said Babineau who also pointed out that both keepers are back.
The Black Bears, which won back-to-back regular seasonal championships in 2021 and 2022 and their first NCAA tournament performance by also earned the league tournament in 2021, were chosen to finish fifth among six teams in the survey of the pre-season coaches.
The Black Bears come from unique seasons in America East and go 3-3 in conference competitions and 3-5 the previous season a year ago. They have won a play -off game every year.
Last year they were 11-9 general and 8-12 the previous season.
“We have to continue week after week and see how people are doing in the roles we need, especially in the back,” said Babineau. “That is why we could be successful in the past – our backfield and the roles that players played both offensive and defensively.”
Babineau, who is assisted by Michelle Simpson and Leslie Smith, planned on August 14 at Boston University and on Umass on August 16 before opening the season by organizing the Boston College on Friday 29 August at 13.00 hours
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