July 15, 2002

Since Joanie Q. Milhous stepped in as the director of the Villanova field hockey program in 1995, the Wildcats have shown steady improvement. Milhous enters her eighth season as head coach after guiding Villanova to its fourth for consecutive winning season, posting a 48-27 record during that period. In 2001 Milhous led the Wildcats back to the Big East Championships for the second time in three seasons and came within one game of earning the Big East Conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

Heading into the 2002 season, Villanova celebrates the program's 30th season and hopes to add another chapter to the Wildcats recent success. Milhous knows it will not be an easy task since her team will have to compensate for the loss of 10 lettermen and over 50-percent of the Wildcats offensive production in 2001.

Milhous will look to the leadership and experience of the five returning upperclassmen, a class that has made two Big East Championship appearances in the past three seasons, to lead the way. With the addition of nine newcomers to the roster the strong leadership skills of the 13 returning lettermen could prove to be the team's most valuable asset.

"We had a great group of seniors on last year's team," Milhous explains. "There is no question that we will miss players like Brooke (Bergmann) and Stephanie (Vrettos). However, we have a team filled with players that understand what it takes to win and have the ability to lead by example."

Milhous considers this year's freshmen her most talented recruiting class since her arrival on the Main Line. They are expected to help extend the Wildcats winning ways in 2002 and create a solid foundation for a successful future.

Goalkeeper:
Senior co-captain Meghan Helwig, the 2001 Big East Goalkeeper of the Year, returns for her final season as the Wildcats' starting goalkeeper. Helwig, a 2001 first team All-Mid Atlantic Region selection, has been a mainstay in cage for Villanova starting every game since her arrival in 1999. Last year she finished the season with the eighth best save percentage in the nation (.821) while posting five shutouts and helping the Wildcats post the best goals against average (1.40) by any Big East opponent.

Becky Stanchina, a sophomore, is coming off a strong spring performance in Villanova's off-season tournament appearances. Coach Milhous expects Stanchina to log some minutes in cage this season in preparation for the future.

Defense:
At defense the Wildcats return a wealth of talent, including three of the four starters from the 2002 squad. Senior co-captain Kristen Strocen and classmate Sarah Burdette, a 2000 second team All-Big East selection, will provide valuable game experience to the Wildcat back line. Both players have earned a spot in the starting lineup since their freshman year.

Due to the departure of 2002 graduate Krissy Malchitsky, sophomore Vanessa Pizzulli will shift back to the sweeper position. Pizzulli started all 20 games as a freshman and earned team Rookie of the Year honors after ranking fourth among all Big East players in 2001 with 10 assists.

Senior Christine Donovan returns for her final season and will continue to contribute to the defensive unit.

"I cannot say enough good things about Christine (Donovan)," Milhous states. "She works hard every day in practice and is the epitome of a team player."

Sophomores Jessica McClafferty and Simone Schunk, who logged minutes primarily as midfielders in 2001, will assist the Wildcat defensive unit along with newcomers Natalie Balthrop, Jenna Caprio, and Steph Grejtak.

Midfield:
Colleen Helms returns as the lone starter at midfield from last year's Big East Finalist squad. Helms added an offensive dimension to her game in 2001 chipping in with four goals and five assists (13 points).

With the loss of two starters, some new faces will join Helms in the midfield ranks. Milhous also expects junior Leah Lisausky to contribute at the midfield position. Lisausky, a unanimous selection to the Big East All-Rookie Team following her freshman campaign, will see time both as a midfielder and a forward in 2002. During her first two seasons she has developed into a reliable scoring option at the offensive end and has tallied 30 points (11 goals, eight assists).

"Leah (Lisausky) has a tremendous amount of individual skill," Milhous explains. "This year we will use her at both positions in an attempt to get her some more touches offensively."

Sarah Francis, a freshman from Hummelstown, Pa., will compete for the other starting midfield position along with classmates Jen Gondek and Gina DeMaestri. Schunk and McClafferty will also compete for time at midfield.

Forward:
Villanova's offensive attack has proven to be a dangerous weapon for Milhous and the Wildcats over the past four seasons. The Wildcats have averaged 2.86 goals per game since the start of 1998 season and in 2001 Villanova scored more goals (52) and tallied more assists (52) than any other Big East team.

Junior Christina Lugones, a 2001 All-Mid Atlantic Region team member, returns as the Wildcats most dangerous scoring threat. Lugones, a two-year starter, led the Wildcats in scoring (27 points) and assists (11). Her 11 assists tied for the most by any Big East player last season.

Sophomore Kelly Driscoll and freshman Rory Rogers will be among the leading contenders for the other two starting positions at forward. Last season Driscoll made the most of her opportunities providing Milhous with a dangerous scoring threat off the bench. Driscoll, who saw action in nine games last season, finished the year with three goals and two assists, all of which came in the final two games of the regular season. After a successful spring season, Milhous hopes Driscoll will pick up right where she left off last season.

Rogers, a three-time team MVP at Sacred Heart Academy in Broomall, Pa., arrives to Villanova as a prolific scorer. The 2001 Philadelphia Inquirer Player of the Year, Rogers set the Delaware County record for career goals and is expected to make an immediate impact.

Two other freshmen, Katie DiLullo and Casey Whalen, will provide the front line with some options off the bench and will serve as key components for the Wildcats attack in years to come. Also, look for Lisausky to log some minutes at the forward position when she is not in the midfield.

A combination of a stingy defense and a potent offense led to success in 2001 as the Wildcats averaged 2.86 goals per game offensively and only allowed 1.55 goals per game. Milhous expects the Wildcats to produce similar results in 2002 with a well-balanced attack.