June 28, 2006

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Six current and former field hockey Terrapins have been named to the Maryland Thundersticks team, one of six regional team that make up United States Field Hockey Elite Performance Training program. Among the members of the Thundersticks are soon-to-be senior Kristina Edmonds and redshirt freshman Alicia Grater, while five-time national coach of the year Missy Meharg of Maryland has been named head coach.

The Maryland Thundersticks will compete in the EPTC National Championship in Virginia Beach, Va., beginning Thursday, June 29 and runs through Tuesday, July 4.

Also on the squad are current U.S. National Team members Lauren Powley, who helped the Terps capture the 2006 NCAA and ACC titles, and former All-Americans Dina Rizzo and Sara Silvetti. Former Terrapin Emily Beach (Bethesda, Md.), who completed her four-year career in the fall, was also named to the team, as well as, long-time U.S. National Team veteran and former Terp Kelli Smith.

Edmonds (Emmaus, Pa.) was a full-time starter for the Terps last season, earning first/second team Mid-Atlantic All-Region honors from the National Field Hockey Coaches Association. A defender, she, along with Beach, helped the backfield post nine shutouts while boasting a 1.01 goals against average, the second-best average in the nation.

The USFHA Elite Performance Training Centers (EPTC) is one of the pipelines of the U.S. National Team and identifies and trains potential national team athletes through comprehensive training. The regional sites allows for the athletes to train close to home and are coached by some of the top coaches in the country.

For more information and tournament schedule, log on to http://www.usfieldhockey.com/.

-TERPS-