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Aug. 14, 2001
The 2001 Cavaliers look to a solid core group of veterans and a youthful influx of energy to produce what promises to be an exciting campaign. The veterans are experienced, having played in three NCAA tournaments and two ACC final games in the past three years. The underclassmen are excited to continue the tradition of Virginia hockey.
Emily White looks to step into the cage on a regular basis this season after playing in a reserve role during the last two. She gained valuable experience playing with the Under-21 national team this past spring. White honed her skills this summer while playing in the United Airlines Field Hockey League. The Hoos also welcome first-year goalkeeper Logan Carr.
Virginia’s backfield, which returns three starters from last year’s line, looks to continue its strong play in 2001. Back are fourth-year Mason White and third years Molly McManus and Kelli Hill. White, a two-year starter for the Cavaliers, will provide veteran leadership while McManus and Hill joined the starting lineup last season. Second year Becca Wilbricht also returns. These four will all help with the transition for the incoming backs, which includes Juli Bojanic, who comes off a redshirt year to open her collegiate career. Emily Beach and Ashleigh Haas join the Cavaliers as first-years in 2001.
Second year Katie Jo Gerfen, a starter for Virginia in the 2000 campaign, ranked fifth on the team in scoring. Gerfen played a number of roles for Virginia in 2000 and will be an important link between the midfield and the back lines for the Cavaliers this year. Classmate Shannon LaVigne also earned quality minutes for the Cavaliers in the midfield during her first season and will look to build upon her year of experience.
The Virginia midfield welcomes back two athletes who have started over the last three seasons. Carrie Goodloe is a three-year starter who ranks third all-time at Virginia in career assists. Goodloe has led the team in assists the last two seasons and ranked second on the team in scoring. Her battery mate on corners, USA Senior women’s team member Jessica Coleman, returns for her final season. Coleman, who has led the team in scoring the last two seasons, ranks eighth all-time in scoring at Virginia and is poised to break the 100-point barrier this season. An All-American and a two-time All-ACC performer, Coleman played in the Junior World Cup this past spring as a member of the Under-21 national team. She has been a member of the USA national teams since 1997.
Katie Slocum and Rosie Walker have started on both the forward and midfield lines in their past two years at Virginia, playing in every contest for the Cavaliers. Slocum ranked fourth on the team in scoring in 2000, scoring the first two goals of the season for Virginia. They will be joined by classmate Cara Unterkofler and second-years Katie Nicholson and Kiersten Van Hooser.
The Virginia schedule is typically one of the nation’s toughest, and this year is no exception. The Cavaliers play in the Atlantic Coast Conference, which includes last year’s runner-up North Carolina, Maryland and Wake Forest, both semifinalists from 2000, and Duke. The in-state slate for Virginia is also a tough one, with 2000 NCAA Champion Old Dominion on the schedule, NCAA tournament participant William & Mary and former NCAA Champion James Madison, and CAA foes Richmond, Virginia Commonwealth, and Radford. The Cavaliers’ out-of-conference schedule includes a trip to Michigan to face 1999 runners-up Michigan, and later in the season the Buckeyes of Ohio State come to town. The Hoos close the road portion of their schedule at Georgetown.
The 2001 campaign mixes savvy veterans and exuberant underclassmen in what promises to be yet another exciting Virginia season.