Dec. 19, 2003
Colorado Springs (12/19/03) - USA Field Hockey continued to bolster its Olympic Qualifier talent pool with the addition of four recent college All-America selections to the USA women's national team residency squad.
USA Field Hockey selectors and head coach Beth Anders added Old Dominion All-America selection Melissa Leonetti (Erdenheim, Pa.) and All-America trio Molly Powers (Oak Park, Ill.), Kristi Gannon (Escondido, Calif.) and April Fronzoni (Larksville, Pa.) from the Univ. of Michigan to the USA roster following individual trials at the team's national training center in Virginia Beach. The team is currently training for the Olympic Qualifying Tournament, March 19-28 in Auckland, New Zealand. The USA must finish in the top five in the ten-team tournament to earn a spot in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.
The fiery leader of the Old Dominion defense, Leonetti earned her second All-America honor in 2003 and captured additional accolades as the Colonial Athletic Association's Defensive Player of the Year. She scored three goals while helping the Lady Monarch defense to five shutout victories in 2003. As a member of the USA residency squad, Leonetti is re-united with former Old Dominion teammates Tiffany Snow ('03) and Angie Loy ('03) as well as Anders, her head coach at Old Dominion from 2000-02.
A member of the USA Under-23 team in 2003, Powers concluded her collegiate career at the Univ. of Michigan with All-America honors in 2002. As a forward with the Wolverines, she ranked among the school's all-time goal-scoring leaders with 44 career goals. She helped the team to the NCAA national championship in 2001 and scored 15 goals as a senior in 2002. Powers competed on the USA Under-23 team in 2002 and 2003 and played as a member of USA Field Hockey's Summer League Midwest Cyclones.
The Big Ten Conference's Player of the Year in 2003, Gannon makes her second appearance on the USA senior squad after previously earning six international caps and a silver medal with the U.S. squad at the 2001 Pan American Cup. A member of USA junior teams since 1998, Gannon played on the 2001 USA Junior World Cup team, and most recently competed with the USA Under-23 team in 2003. At Michigan, she earned All-America first team honors in 2002 and 2003 and helped lead the Wolverines to the national championship in 2001. With her selection, Gannon joins her sister Kelli and her fellow Enscondio, Calif. native and former San Pasqual High School teammate, Tiffany Snow, on the USA squad.
One of the top scoring threats for USA Field Hockey's junior teams, Fronzoni capped a sparkling college career in 2003 as a three-time All-America selection and a two-time Honda Award finalist as one of the nation's top collegiate players. She was named the Big Ten Conference Offensive Player of the Year in 2003 after scoring 20 goals, and concluded her Michigan career as the school's all-time scoring leader with 68 goals. A member of USA Field Hockey junior teams since 1998, Fronzoni competed in the 2001 Junior World Cup and earned a silver medal at the 2000 Junior Pan American Championships. She most recently competed with the USA Under-23 team in 2003.
In preparing for next year's Olympic Qualifier, the U.S. team is scheduled for a series of matches with qualifier foe Ireland and continental rival Canada, January 11-24 in Stanford, Calif. The USA is scheduled for matches with Ireland Jan. 11, 12, 15 and 17 before taking on Canada on Jan. 21, 22, 23 and 24. All games are scheduled for 2 p.m. at Stanford and there is no charge for admission.