Princeton University Athletics
Field Hockey Begins Princeton Athletics Season Friday
September 02, 2003 | Field Hockey
Sept. 2, 2003
The Princeton field hockey team, winner of nine straight Ivy League titles, will become the first Princeton team to begin its quest for a 2003-2004 league title when Virginia visits Class of 1952 Stadium Friday evening for a 6 p.m. game.
The Tigers will search for their 10th straight league title under different circumstances than the previous nine. Kristen Holmes-Winn is Princeton's new coach, having replaced long-time head coach Beth Bozman, now the coach at Duke. The Tigers also lost seven players to graduation, but four All-Americas return in 2003--junior attacker Lizzie Black, junior midfielder Natalie Martirosian, senior midfielder Claire Miller and senior midfielder Cory Picketts. Princeton will also host Drexel on Saturday at 4 p.m at 1952 Stadium. The Tigers will play eight of their first 10 games and nine of their first 12 games at home.
Princeton vs.Virginia Sept. 5, 2003 ? 6 p.m.
Princeton vs. Drexel Sept. 6, 2003 ? 4 p.m.
First Off... The field hockey team begins the 2003-2004 Princeton athletics season with games against Virginia and Drexel here at the Class of 1952 Stadium. The women's soccer team is the only other Princeton team in action this weekend?playing American on Saturday.
New Kid in Town... For the first time since the 1988 season, Princeton has a new head coach. Kristen Holmes-Winn was a three-time field hockey All-America and two-time Big 10 Athlete of the Year at Iowa and currently serves as head coach of the United States Under-16 National Team. She was an assistant coach at Iowa from 1998-2000 before founding Champion's Edge, Inc., a company dedicated to improving instruction and opportunities for middle and high school field hockey players.
Home Sweet Home... Princeton plays eight of its first 10 games and nine of its first 12 games at home. The Tigers won't play a regular-season home game after Oct. 19, however, finishing up with five straight road games.
Not So Many New Kids in Town... Princeton has just two freshmen in 2003?goalies Allison Nemeth and Juliana Simon?and one of them will be the starting goalie against Virginia with the graduation of four-year starter Kelly Baril.
Meet Virginia... Virginia began its 2003 regular season with a 4-2 win over Northeastern on Labor Day. Katie Nicholson scored twice for the Cavaliers, while Logan Carr had six saves.
Dragon Details... Drexel was scheduled to begin the 2003 season at Bucknell Tuesday, but that game was postponed due to construction delays at Bucknell's new turf stadium. The Dragons finished 11-9 overall in 2002 and reached the ECAC tournament championship game, falling to Yale.
It's Been A While... Princeton and Virginia haven't met since the 1994 season.
Dragon Slayers... The Tigers have never lost to Drexel, winning all four meetings between the schools. Princeton defeated the Dragons 4-0 here at Class of 1952 Stadium two seasons ago in the last meeting between the schools.
All-American Girls... Seven Princeton players earned All-America honors in 2002, the most of any school in NCAA Division I. Four of those players (first-teamers Natalie Martirosian and Claire Miller, second-team choice Cory Picketts and third-team pick Lizzie Black) are back for the 2003 season.