PHILADELPHIA
- The University of Pennsylvania's head coach of field hockey,
Colleen Fink, and her staff have announced the addition of six incoming recruits that will join the team for the upcoming 2012 season.
"On the heels of a successful spring season where the team found a
new sense of intensity, a higher skill level, and clearly defined goals, our
staff is extremely positive about the direction of Penn field hockey. The returning players, partnered with the
Class of 2016, will only continue the team's improvement and future success,"
said Fink, who will be entering her third season at Penn this upcoming fall.
The Class of 2016 has strong regional ties with one player from
the state of Pennsylvania, Emily Guthier,
while three more from the state of New Jersey - Alex Agathis, Lauren Hunter
and Megan Johnston. The incoming
class also includes a player from Massachusetts, Elizabeth Hitti, and North Carolina, Neela Mahanty. Each position group is represented within the six-member class.
"We feel this is a balanced class representing strength in the
defensive end with Lauren Hunter and Emily Guthier, a savvy midfield with
Mahanty, Johnston and Agathis, and a needed scoring threat in Hitti," said Fink.
"We feel this class will mesh well with one another and the returning players
as they already share the common goals and outlook for Penn field hockey."
The Class of 2016 will join 11 returning letterwinners from last
season's team. Included in that group are six freshmen from 2011 that lettered
in their first season at Penn. This past season, field hockey increased its overall and Ivy League win totals from the previous year. In their final spring tournament before the summer
break, the Quakers avenged a fall loss to Lehigh with a 4-0 win and also tied
Lafayette and Rider in rematches from the fall.
ALEX
AGATHIS
Midfield
Bedminster, N.J./Kent Place
High School: Lettered four times in field hockey, captain of the team in both
her junior and senior seasons ... Helped the Spirit Eagles field hockey club win
gold medal at U19 National Indoor Tournament ... Also played on U16 Team Trenton
squad that won the National Futures Championship ... Selected to play in New
Jersey Senior All-Star game ... Two-time first-team NJFHCA All-Conference and
Group I selection ... Twice selected to Star
Ledger second-team All-Group I (2010-11) and was named first-team
All-County in 2011 ... Named high school's MVP in 2010 and led the team in goals
and points as a senior ... Student Body President ... National Honor Society,
National Science Honor Society, and National Math Honor Society member ... AP
Scholar.
Personal:
Daughter of Allyson and
Bill Agathis ... Has four brothers and sisters ... Sister, Sophia, was an
All-Centennial Conference player and two-time captain of Swarthmore field
hockey team ... Will enroll in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Coach Fink on Alex:
"Alex comes to
Penn with strong fundamentals and an uncanny ability to limit mistakes and
unforced turnovers in the field of play. She is a consistent decision maker who values possession above all
things. She will be a great addition for
our vision for Penn field hockey."
EMILY
GUTHIER
Goalkeeper
Jamison, Pa./Central Bucks East
High School: Lettered twice in field hockey ... 2011 Philadelphia Inquirer first-team Southeastern PA Player of the Year
... Gold medalist at the 2010 USA Field Hockey Festival ... Named high school's
defensive MVP ... 2011 second-team All-Intell ... Led her team to back-to-back PIAA
District I appearances (2010-11), helping team finish third in the district as
a junior and advance to state tournament ...
Helped her team to a third-place finish in Continental Conference in
2010 ... National Honor Society and National French Honor Society member ...
Student Council Representative ... Earned Distinguished/Highest Academic Honors.
Personal: Daughter of Sharon and Frank Guthier ... Has played the piano for
more than 13 years ... Will enroll in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Coach Fink on Emily: "We feel very
lucky to have Emily join the Penn Quakers.
Emily is hard working, coachable and has excellent footwork. Through her hard work with her club training
and high school program she strives toward her potential which was rewarded
when she was named Southeastern PA Player of the Year during her senior
season. She has only yet scratched the
surface of her ability."
ELIZABETH
HITTI
Attack
Ashland, Mass./The Rivers School
High School: Lettered four times in field hockey and ice hockey, captain of
both teams ... Named to the 2011 NFHCA All-Region team ... Member of the United States Field Hockey Futures Elite team ... Selected
to the 2010 AAU Junior Olympics All-Tournament team ... Led her team to the
NEPSAC Class C championship, earning MVP honors for the tournament ... Three-time
All-ISL performer, earning All-League honors twice (2010-11) to go along with a
honorable mention in 2009 ... Named to the Highest Honor Roll in each of her four
years ... Four-year Scholar Athlete.
Personal:
Daughter of Annemarie and
Nabil Hitti ... Picked up the sport of field hockey when she lived in England ... Mother
was on the crew team at Union College ... Has a younger brother, Nicholas ... Will
enroll in the College of Engineering and Applied Science.
Coach Fink on Elizabeth:
"Elizabeth
joins the Penn field hockey squad with a strong ice hockey background. This provides her with tremendous speed,
physicality and great hands. She has
been exposed to very high level hockey through her experience in the U.S. field
hockey pipeline. She will bring a
competitive spirit, leadership and a sense of accountability to the team. We are looking forward to developing her as a
top scorer in the Ivy League."
LAUREN
HUNTER
Defense
Hightstown, N.J./Robbinsville
High School: Lettered four times in field hockey and softball, serving as
captain of both teams, while also earning a letter in track & field ... Two-time
Mercer County Defender of the Year by The
Trentonian (2010-11) ... Three-time first-team selection by Central Jersey
Field Hockey Coaches' Association (2009-11) ... Selected to first-team
All-Colonial Valley Conference and Trenton
Times first-team All-Area three times (2009-11) ... Competed in Junior
Olympics (2009-10) ... Led her high school team to consecutive Mercer County
Championships (2010-11), including a 25-0 season as a senior that was capped
with a Group II State Championship ... Also a first-team All-Colonial Valley
Conference and Carpenter Cup selection in softball ... National Honor Society
member and Honor Roll student.
Personal:
Daughter of Laurie and
John Hunter ... Will enroll in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Coach Fink on Lauren: "Being a two-time
defender of the year allows for Lauren to join the program as a leader and
premier freshman player in the league. Lauren has excellent game sense and is able to read the play and counter
attack out of the back field. She is a
true conductor on the field and we are looking forward to her making a lasting
impression on Penn field hockey."
MEGAN
JOHNSTON
Midfield
Haddonfield, N.J./Haddonfield
High School: Lettered four times in field hockey, winter track and spring
track, and was captain of all three teams ... Competed in National Field Hockey
Futures tournament twice ... Selected to play in the South Jersey Senior All-Star
Game ... Two-time first-team All-South Jersey selection (2010-11) ... First-team
All-State Group II as a senior (2011) after earning first-team (2010) and
second-team (2009) All-South Jersey honors ... Three-time first-team All-Colonial
Conference selection (2009-11) ...Led her high school team to three Colonial
Conference and sectional championships (2008, 2010-11) in field hockey,
including a 22-2 team record as a senior ... 2012 Colonial Conference
Sportsmanship Award winner ... Helped her track teams win three sectional and
conference championships ... Holds school track records in 55-meter dash, 4x100-meter
relay and 4x200-meter relay ... All-South Jersey in 400-meter and 4x400-meter
relay ... National Honor Society member ... Peer Leader and Peer Mentor.
Personal: Daughter of Susan and Jim Johnston ... Twin sister, Katie, will
play soccer and run track & field at William & Mary ... Has a younger
brother, Alex ... Will enroll in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Coach Fink on Megan:
"Megan is
physically powerful and has great field presence. She can distribute the ball well through the
midfield while being a threat in possession and in scoring. Her track background and success highlights
her speed and multi-dimensional ability."
NEELA
MAHANTY
Defense/Midfield
Chapel Hill, N.C./Carrboro
High School: Lettered four times in field hockey and three times in lacrosse ... Two-year
captain of the field hockey team ... Selected to compete at National Futures
Championship from 2009-11 ...Competed in 2010 AAU Junior Olympic Games ... 2011
North Carolina East Region Player of the Year ... Named high school team's MVP in
each of her last three seasons (2009-11) ... Twice selected to state all-star
team (2010-11) ... Three-time all-conference and all-state player (2009-11) ... Led
her field hockey team to a share of 2011 North Carolina East Region
Championship ... National Honor Society member ... Member of Superintendent's
Student Advisory Council ... Keynote Speaker at the 2009 Presidential Youth
Inaugural Conference.
Personal:
Daughter of Namita and
Sanjoy Mahanty ... Will enroll in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Coach Fink on Neela: "Neela loves
the game of field hockey and has taken advantage of every playing opportunity
given to her. She is passionate about
her collegiate career and seeing Penn transform into a top Ivy League
program. Neela's strength is her ability
to possess the ball under significant pressure and she is a workhorse both
offensively and defensively."
Courtesy: Hunter Martin
