Five Field Hockey Terps Selected To National Teams
1/18/2005 7:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Jan. 18, 2005
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Former Terrapins Dina Rizzo ('02), Sara Silvetti ('05) and Kelli Smith ('01) were named to the U.S. Senior National Field Hockey Team after participating in an open trial at the National Training Center in Virginia Beach, Va., Jan. 14-17. Current Terps sophomore Kristina Edmonds and junior Lauren Powley earned spots on the Under-21 squad. Maryland head coach Missy Meharg was also a coach and a member of the selection committee at the trials.
Rizzo (Walpole, Mass.) and Smith (Selinsgrove, Pa.) are veteran members of the senior squad. Both were members of last season's team that placed fifth at the Olympic Qualifier in Auckland, New Zealand, narrowly missing the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. Rizzo also spent the fall season as a volunteer assistant on the Terps' staff.
Silvetti (Wapwallopen, Pa.) is coming off her most successful season as a Terp. In her final year in a Maryland uniform in the fall of 2004, she earned second team All-America honors, All-ACC nods and was selected to play in the North/South Senior All-Star game. Silvetti was a staple on the Maryland defense for four seasons, helping the Terps to three final fours and an appearance in the NCAA Championship game.
Powley (Moutaintop, Pa.) and Edmonds (Emmaus, Pa.) were selected to the U21 U.S. National team from 78 athletes who participated in A Camp. Powley makes a return to the U-21 team, earning a spot on the team last year. She is a three-time All-American, garnering first-team accolades the last two seasons as a midfielder. Edmonds was named to the junior team for the first time.
Under the direction of 17th-year head coach Meharg, Silvetti, Powley and Edmonds helped the 2004 Terrapins reach the NCAA Tournament semifinals for the second-consecutive year.
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