Former Terps Selected for USA Field Hockey Olympic Qualifying Team
4/14/2008 8:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
April 14, 2008
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Former Terrapins Lauren Powley, Dina Rizzo and Keli Smith were selected to the 18-member U.S. Field Hockey Olympic Qualifying Team. The national squad travels to Kazan, Russia, April 19-27 for the Olympic Qualifying Tournament hoping to capture a bid in this summer's 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.
Also joining the United States in the tournament in Kazan are Belgium, France, India, Netherlands Antilles and host-Russia. Round-robin play begins April 19 and runs through April 26. Championship play takes place on April 27. The tournament represents the final opportunity for the teams to earn an Olympic spot. Nine countries have already qualified for the 12-team field, with three qualifying tournaments scheduled for April. This year's Games marks the largest women's field ever, after it was expanded from 10 teams in 2005.
The U.S. qualified for the Olympics in 1980, 1984, 1988 and 1996 winning its lone medal in the sport in 1984 when the Americans won a bronze medal.
Dina Rizzo ('02) and Keli Smith ('01) were both members of the 2004 Olympic Qualifying squad, which finished sixth that year. It is the first time Lauren Powley ('06) will be helping the United States qualify for the Olympics. The three Terps were All-Americans while at Maryland, with each of them winning a National Championship. Rizzo and Smith were members of the 1999 championship squad, while Powley was a member of the 2005 national championship team.
For more information on the U.S. field hockey program, visit the US Field Hockey web site.
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