No. 23 Field Hockey Set for Season Opening Sherrill Brakmeier Classic
Cards will play host to Northeastern Friday at 6 p.m. with a special presentation for Mrs. Sherrill Brakmeier following the game
 
Mallory Mason


Mallory Mason

Aug. 22, 2012

The 23rd ranked University of Louisville field hockey team will open the 2012 season with the Sherrill Brakmeier Classic Aug. 24-26 at Trager Stadium. The Cards will face Northeastern Friday at 6 p.m. in the tournament's first game with a special presentation for Mrs. Brakmeier immediately following the game.

Miami (Ohio) and Northwestern will meet on Saturday with the consolation and championship games taking place Sunday at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. respectively. Admission is free.

About the Brakmeier Classic: This weekend, the Cards will help Mrs. Sherrill Brakmeier celebrate her 90th birthday with the inaugural Brakmeier Classic. Sherrill Ellmers Brakmeier has been a member of the Cardinal Athletics family since 1940, when she played all four sports offered tor women: field hockey, basketball softball and volleyball. Upon graduation, she joined the staff as a teacher and a coach and served as Louisville's field hockey coach for 30 years.

She helped organized the women's intramural program which eventually evolved into the women's intercollegiate athletic program. In 1983, she became the first woman inducted into the U of L Athletic Hall of Fame.

About the 2012 Cardinals: Louisville enters its opening weekend ranked No. 23 in the National Field Hockey Coaches Association preseason poll. The Cards return seven starters and 14 letterwinners - including All-BIG EAST selections Erin Conrad, Dominique Pasqualichio and Alyssa Voelmle from last year's team which posted a 10-9 record - and welcome the addition of eight talented newcomers to this year's squad.

Last weekend, the Cardinals looked impressive in a preseason scrimmage against Indiana. Freshman Kendall Weedling opened the scoring and fellow freshman Victoria Stratton added a pair of goals as Louisville outscored the Hoosiers 3-0 in regulation. Sophomore Becca Maddock put the Cardinals on the scoreboard in a 7 v 7 overtime period. Senior Erin Conrad collected seven saves on the day.

 

 

Scouting the competition: This weekend will be the season opener for all four teams competing in the tournament.

Northeastern
Northeastern is ranked No. 21 - two spots ahead of the Cards - in the 2012 NFHCA preseason coaches' poll. The Huskies were picked to finish second in the Colonial Athletic Association behind 2011 NCAA semifinalist Old Dominion. Last season, Northeastern produced a 14-8 record and look to the return of All-American Crystal Poland (27G, 3A) and first team All-CAA goalkeeper Lizzie Priest.

Northwestern
Northwestern No. 20 in the 2012 NFHCA preseason coaches' poll - three spots ahead of Louisville. The Wildcats finished the 2011 season with a 12-9 record and return All-American Chelsea Armstrong and All-Big Ten selection Nikki Parsley to this year's team.

Miami (Ohio)
The RedHawks are coming off of a 7-15 campaign in 2011 and return 13 players from that squad including Olivia Miller who scored 10 goals and registered 22 points last season.

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