MOUNT PLEASANT - Central Michigan head coach Cristy Freese has announced the addition of eight student-athletes to the field hockey program as a part of her 2012 recruiting class.
"We have been trying to not only add skilled players at each position, but also add depth, and we were able to accomplish that with this class," coach Freese said. "We recruit not to replace the seniors we lost, but the seniors we will be losing a year down the road. There are certainly players in this group that have the potential to step on the field right away, but we believe we can develop each one of them to be ready to make an impact as sophomores.
"All these players are exceptional students, come from winning programs and have played a lot of field hockey," Freese continued. "To come in and compete at the Division I level right away, you have to have a good background to keep up."
The Chippewas will welcome Kaysie Gregory (Rome, N.Y./Rome Free Academy) Kianne Hinkle (Camden, N.Y./Camden), Samantha Kuehnl (Worthington, Ohio/Thomas Worthington), Elaine Materise (East Amherst, N.Y./Williamsville North), Taylor McKeon (Fleetwood, Pa./Oley Valley), Sadie Reynolds (Prospect, Ky./Ballard), Morgan Ripley (Wyoming, Del./Caesar Rodney), and Olivia Shagam (Oak Park, Ill./Oak Park & River Forest) this fall as they seek their first Mid-American Conference Championship since 2004.
Below are complete bios of the student athletes.
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Kaysie Gregory ... Midfield ... Rome,
N.Y./Rome Free Academy Coach Freese says: "Kaysie is an excellent, excellent field hockey player. She is a player that flew under the radar in terms of the talent level she has. We had her in our camp last summer and she was already playing at a Division I level. Her skills and vision for the game allow her to be a very good passer and she can be someone that will be key for us to move the ball to our forwards." |
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Kianne Hinkle ... Forward ... Camden, N.Y./Camden High School: Three-year varsity starter ... 2011 team captain ... led team to three straight Tri Valley League and Section III championships ... led team and TVL in scoring each of three sesons on varsity ... scored 51 goals and 31 assists ... two-time All-League, All-Mohawk Valley, All-Section III and All-NY State selection ... participated in Future program for three years. Coach Freese says: "I love Kianne as a player. Her high school coach played for me in the late '90s, which allowed us to build a very good relationship with her. I look at her as a possible replacement for Paulina Lee in terms of skill set. She has a lot of speed, but comes in with a lot more field hockey experience." |
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Samantha Kuehnl ... Back/Midfield ... Worthington, Ohio/Thomas Worthington High School: Four-year varsity player and 2012 team captain ... named First Team All-Ohio in 2010 and 2011 ... was also named team's Defensive MVP in 2010 and 2011 ... led team to a 69-7-5 record in four years as varsity starter, losing just one home game ... claimed three league championships, three district championships and made two consecutive trips to state championship game, finishing runner-up in 2010 and winning the title in 2011 ... captained a defensive untit that allowed just 51 shots in 21 games ... participated in National Futures Program last two years. Coach Freese says: "Samantha is a great athlete and a strong defender that played for a coach out of Columbus, Ohio that Earl and I have a lot of respect for. She is going to be able to handle the demands of playing at our level. She will be a very good defender for us and brings lots of athleticism and speed to the field." |
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Elaine Materise ... Back ... East Amherst,
N.Y./Williamsville North
High School: Three-year varsity starter ... led team to 56-3-1 record during three years ... twice helped team earn Section VI Class A championship ... named to All-State team following senior campaign ... also earned First-Team All-WNY and First-Team ECIC All-Star honors ... participated in 2011 WNY Senior All-Star game ... led team to a 2011 New York State Class A championship and perfect 21-0 record ... earned NYSPHSAA Sportsmanship Award in 2010 state tournament ... 2010 and 2009 ECIC honorable mention selection ... helped team win 2009 Class A Regional, Section, League and Division championships before falling in the state tournament semifinals ... also lettered in softball ... National Honor Society member. Coach Freese says: "Elaine flew under the radar a little bit. She lost three games in three years and just knows how to win. She is a super athlete that initially will come in as a defender, but has the athletic ability and skill to move to the midfield in the future. She is one of the players in this group that gives us the versatility we are looking for in our players." |
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Taylor McKeon ... Back ... Fleetwood,
Pa./Oley Valley
High School: Four-year letterwinner ... 2011 team captain ... named 2011 Gladiator award by SGI/NFHCA ... 2011 honorable mention All-State selection ... earned All-County and All-State Academic honors in 2011 ... helped team earn three straight Division III championships from 2008-10 ... National Honor Society member ... also lettered in basketball, bowling and track and field ... sister of CMU sophomore Bailey McKeon. Coach Freese says: "We are very excited to add Bailey McKeon's sister Taylor to our program. She comes from a very good field hockey school and her background will help her make the transition from high school to college field hockey. She is tall, athletic player that can come in and be at the back end of our defense as a sweeper." |
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Sadie Reynolds ... Goalkeeper ...
Prospect, Ky./Ballard
High School: Two-time Kentucky All-State first-team selection ... participated in 2012 Futures program, 2011 Nationals and was a 2010 Futures AAU Junior Olympics gold medalist ... finished senior season with a save percentage of .900, making 356 saves on 393 shots ... named 2011 Bunny Daughtery Defensive Player of the Year for Kentucky ... 2009 Kentucky All-State second-team selection ... National Honor Society member. Coach Freese says: "We are really excited to get a player of Sadie's caliber. She has played a lot of field hockey, playing in the Junior Olympics and the USA Futures program. She will be able to come in and develop to be the goalkeeper of the future." |
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Morgan Ripley ... Midfield ... Wyoming,
Del./Caesar Rodney
High School: 2011 All-Conference second-team selection ... team captain senior season ... participated in National Field Hockey Festival with First State Diamonds in 2010 ... played in Futures program in 2010-11, winning Region 7 tournament in 2010 ... 2010 All-Conference honorable mention selection. Coach Freese says: "Morgan has very strong ties to our university. Her mother went to school here and her parents live just up the road in Clare, so she comes from a family that is full of true Chippewas. She is a good athlete that has the speed to excel in the midfield." |
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Olivia Shagam ... Back ... Oak Park,
Ill./Oak Park & River Forest
High School: Led team to back-to-back fourth place finishes in IHSFHA State Tournament in 2010 and 2011 ... named IHSFHA All-State in 2011 ... helped team earn second-place finishes at National Field Hockey Festival in 2009, 2010 and 2011 ... 2011 Futures participant ... also named IHSFHA All-Academic in 2011. Coach Freese says: "Olivia is a tough defender. She is a super student that chose CMU in part because of our strong academic success. She will give our team that type of competitiveness we want and will provide depth on our back line." |
