Aug. 26, 2008
RICHMOND, Va. -- Old Dominion senior defender Katelyn Smither (Suffolk, Va.) has been selected as the 2008 Preseason Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Field Hockey Player of the Year according to the votes of the league's nine head coaches.
Smither, a First Team All-CAA selection in 2007, helped the Lady Monarchs to eight shutouts last season, a 12-10 overall record with one of the toughest schedules in the country, and ODU's 27th consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Defensively, Smither tied for seventh in the league in defensive saves, while offensively, she was a vital member of the penalty corner unit as the striker recording five goals and three assists.
Joining Smither on the Preseason All-Conference team is sophomore forward Loran Hatch (Green Lane, Pa.). Hatch was Old Dominion's seventh field hockey Lady Monarch to earn CAA Rookie of the Year honors after totaling eight goals in her first season in the blue and silver. The Lady Monarchs' second leading scorer a season ago, she tied for sixth in the CAA in goals per game (0.44) and tied for fourth in the league in game-winning goals.
The 2008 Old Dominion field hockey team begins its season this weekend with a pair of neutral site games. The Lady Monarchs open the season against Penn State on Saturday, August 30th followed by a meeting with Syracuse on Sunday, August 31st. Both games begin at 1:00 p.m. and will be play on Ursinus' Eleanor Frost Snell Alumnae Field.
2008 CAA Preseason All-Conference Team
Ashley Bascetta, Northeastern
Brit Blankmeyer, Hofstra
Christina Boarman, Towson
Kelsey Cutchins, James Madison
Carolina Gibernau, Drexel
Loran Hatch, Old Dominion
Casey Howard, Delaware
Katelyn Smither, Old Dominion
Melissa Stefaniak, James Madison
Ashley Walls, James Madison
Lauren Walls, James Madison
Charlia Warner, Hofstra
2008 CAA Preseason Player of the Year: Katelyn Smither, Old Dominion