University of Connecticut Athletics
Huskies Set to Defend BIG EAST Tournament Crown
11/5/2003 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
THE SERIES VERSUS RUTGERS
The Huskies defeated Rutgers 5-1 earlier this season, jumping out to a 3-0 lead after the first half. Preseason All-BIG EAST selection Lauren Henderson scored twice and senior Kelly Stolle added a goal and two assists. UConn owns a healthy 16-2-1 advantage all-time against the Scarlet Knights dating back to 1977. Rutgers last defeated UConn on 10/13/01. The Scarlet Knights downed the Huskies 2-1 in Piscataway. The two sides have never met in postseason play.
THE COACH
Head coach Nancy Stevens is in her 14th season at Connecticut, and her 25th year as a collegiate head field hockey coach. Coach Stevens recently reached the 200 win mark at Connecticut with a 2-1 BIG EAST victory at Syracuse, and after a pair of wins following the triumph at Syracuse, her record at UConn now stands at 202-86-8 (.699). Stevens’ overall record is a remarkable 382-135-24 (.728). Her 382 victories are the most by an active Division I coach. Former Old Dominion coach Beth Anders holds the all-time record with 430 wins, and is now coaching the US national team.
TRAIL MIX
UConn is riding a seven game winning-streak entering tonight’s game, and has not trailed in any of those seven games; a span of 245 minutes. Included in those seven consecutive wins, are triumphs over Rutgers (10/22), at then No. 10 Princeton (10/12), and at then No. 10 Northeastern (10/19). However, UConn has not recorded a come from behind victory yet in 2003.
MOVIN’ ON UP
Junior Lauren Henderson has bolted up the Husky all-time goals scored and points lists. Henderson began the 2003 season with 83 points in her two years at Connecticut, good for 13th place on the all-time list. Henderson’s 43 points this season propelled her into second place all-time with 136 career points, 42 shy of the all-time mark set by former Husky great Tracey Fuchs from 1984-87. Henderson’s 38 goals after two years put her in 11th place on UConn’s all-time goals scored list. Henderson’s 23 goals in 2003 give her 61 for her career, good for second on the all time list. The 61 tallies place Henderson second behind Fuchs’ 79.
IN THE POLLS
The Huskies started the season ranked 10th nationally in the NFHCA Division I Coaches Poll, and hovered around that mark all season long. UConn never fell lower than 13th and finished the regular season where they started; in the #10 spot.
HUSKIES AMONG NATIONAL LEADERS
Lauren Henderson’s 48 points in 2003 rank her in 5th place nationally in points, and sixth in points per game. Perhaps even more impressive is Henderson’s third place ranking in goals and goals per game with 23 and 1.211 respectively.
Senior Mary Jo Malone is also highlighted nationally after coming off the best year of her career. Malone ranks 11th in the nation in points and points per game (42, 2.211), and Malone’s 17 goals are good for 15th in the nation. Malone enjoyed a breakout year in 2003, tallying career-highs in goals, assists, points, and shots. Malone has 33 career-goals at Connecticut, putting her in 15th place on the Huskies’ all-time list.
Senior forward Kelly Stolle has also established new career-highs in nearly every offensive category. Stolle has notched seven goals and a team-leading 13 assists for 27 points. Stolle’s 13 assists place her 10th nationally.
Senior goalkeeper Maureen Butler has been rock-solid in net for the Huskies this season, recording a career-best eight shutouts, en route to earning a career-low 0.95 goals against average, and a career-high save percentage of .818. Butler’s goals against average is fourth-best in the nation, as she is one of only five keepers to boast a goals against of less than one goal per game.
BEASTS OF THE BIG EAST
Connecticut sits atop all four team conference statistical categories. UConn leads the league in goals scored (16), assists (14), goals against average (0.80) and shutouts (3) in conference play. Lauren Henderson leads the BIG EAST with eight goals and 16 points, and Mary Jo Malone is tied for second in the league with 14 points. Kelly Stolle is tied with Malone for the conference lead with four assists and Maureen Butler leads the BIG EAST in both goals against average (0.67) and shutouts (3).
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
The Huskies led the league with nine BIG EAST Player of the Week awards in 2003. Maureen Butler garnered BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week honors four times, and Lauren Henderson was a BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week honoree twice. Junior sweeper Abby Ostruzka was honored as Defensive Player of the Week once and Kelly Stolle and Mary Jo Malone each earned Offensive Player of the Week honors once.
MALONE SELECTED AS SENIOR ALL-STAR
Mary Jo Malone has been chosen to participate in the 2003 National Field Hockey Coaches Association Division I North/South Senior All-Star Game, which takes place Saturday, November 22 at 3:00 p.m. on the Campus of the University of Massachusetts. A total of 38 players were selected to the two squads along with nine alternates.
WHAT A DIFFERENTIAL
Thanks to its exceptional play over the past few weeks, the University of Connecticut field hockey team boasts the second best team defense in the nation at only 0.90 goals per game. Boston College lays claim to the next best team defense in the BIG EAST, allowing 1.44 goals per game. UConn’s team defense, coupled with the nation’s 11th best team offense at 3.21 goals per game, makes for the nation’s 5th best goal differential at 2.31, behind only Wake Forest, Duke, North Carolina, and Maryland. Those four ACC schools are ranked 1-4 by the NFHCA Division I Coaches Poll.
ONE AND DONE
The Huskies have won only one game in which their opponent scores more than one goal; a 5-2 victory at Yale on October 1st. In each of UConn’s four losses this season , its opponent has notched at least two goals.
TITLES TITLES TITLES
UConn’s victory over Providence in its regular season finale, marked the seventh time in eight years that the Huskies have clinched at least a share of the BIG EAST Regular Season title. Besides 2003, UConn was also crowned BIG EAST Regular Season Champions in 1996, 97, 98, 99, 2000, and 02. The Huskies have won the BIG EAST Tournament six times as well; 1992, 96, 98, 99, 2000, and 02.
