In a season that saw the team’s win column reach double figures, and individuals and the entire crew win several conference and national awards, it is clear that the field hockey team was an early success of the new athletic agenda.

Head coach Deb Ranieri, second season on staff, and assistant coach Fuzzy Kishna, first season coaching Oberlin, led the team to an overall record of 10-7 and 9-3 in conference play to finish the season in third for Division III, setting a school record.

Sophomore goalie Siv Tang ranked first in the NCAC with a save percentage of .860 and 129 saves during the season. Returning junior midfielder and co-captain Jaime Johnson, was a first-team honoree for the 2003 STX/NFHCA Division III Great Lakes All-Region Team. Both Tang and first-year Sarah Heaton were named second-team, and Heaton’s 16 defensive saves ranked her third in the nation.

The team not only dominated on the field, but off as well. The Yeowomen were nominated for the “National Academic Team Award” for maintaining an overall GPA above 3.0 in the fall semester, a new award this year.

Seven of the 16 team members were also nominated for Academic Honors, keeping a GPA of 3.30 last fall. Ranieri reported senior Shannon Houlihan, Johnson, sophomores Dianne Hurvitz and Rosemary Mudry, and first-years Annie Chow, Callie Gropp and Sam Krykostas appeared on the nomination list.

Coach Ranieri said, “I tell them to schedule classes that they need to graduate and try to plan their classes to have minimal conflicts.” She also rotates away and home games so that the players miss no more than two classes of a particular course during the regular season.

The Yeowomen faced Wooster (15-5) in a three-way struggle for first with Wittenberg (12-6) in the NCAC, however Wooster succeeded in keeping Oberlin in third.

“They are talking about next season and thinking about next season and working already for next season. so not only do they now understand what it takes to win physically they also understand the mental aspect of the game and with their desire we will work hard to better this year’s season next fall.”

Houlihan was the team’s only senior this season, scoring one goal and two assists. Sophomore Christine Castilla said, “Shannon was an integral part of the team’s success and leadership this past season and she will be greatly missed.” Ranieri feels that the absence of Houlihan’s intensity and leadership on the field will affect the team, but that other players will step up to the challenge.

According to Ranieri, in preparation for next season “we will continue to work hard doing the basics, working well under pressure, finishing plays, etc... We are working very hard on our recruiting and the one major change that will actually occur is that our program continues to grow and soon enough we will have enough people on the team to have a full field scrimmage in practice!”

Numerous recruited prospective players have visited Oberlin, attended practices and signed up to join the team. Ranieri expects a good season next fall as the team works hard over the spring.

“The girls play on Thursday nights at 11 p.m. and on Sunday mornings . . . and do their own conditioning, lifting, and stick work on the side.”

There will be a short five week spring program with practices twice a day to work on the team’s training prior to the summer conditioning each player is responsible for.
Castilla said, “We are always wanting to improve and are hungry for more. You cannot ask anymore than that on a sports team.”