Field Hockey Preparing for the Start of the 2017 Season

Photo by: BSU Photo Services

Field Hockey Preparing for the Start of the 2017 Season

August 11, 2017 | Field Hockey

MUNCIE, Ind. – The Ball field hockey team kicked off the 2017 season with team meetings Wednesday and its first practice Thursday. The squad is preparing for the preseason scrimmage against Indiana next weekend (Aug. 19).

Last season, the Cardinals finished the season with an 8-11 overall record and 3-3 in the Mid-American Conference under first year head coach Christy Longacre. The team made their way to the MAC Tournament for the first time since 2011 where they fell to the number 1 seeded Kent State.

This year's team is highlighted by the return of seniors Merinda Morley, Carley Shannon and Abbey Main. Second team All-MAC selection, Darbi Gullett, will also be returning this season alongside fellow juniors Anya Eicher and Beth Barnes. Ball State is also welcoming back redshirt sophomore powerhouses, Hannah Bohn and Michelle Shampton. Hillary Scott and Haley Jolly will be two to watch as they move into their sophomore seasons along with redshirt freshmen Alison McMullen, Sierra Jefferson, Olivia Susi, and Rachel Pereira.

The 2017 field hockey team is also host to an exciting new freshman class which includes Abby Ferenczy, Jenna McKune, Kylee Cunningham, Grace Chavez, Audrey Tabor, Ayanna Chapman, Marjolein Dekker and Allison Parker.

Abby Ferenczy (Buffalo, N.Y./ Williamsville South) was a four-year letterwinner and helped her team to a 14-1-1 record as a senior along with a 56-12-2 record for her career. Ferenczy is a decorated field hockey player with honors such as a three-time first team all-western New York, three-time all-state and Player of the Year. She tallied 23 goals and nine assists as a senior along with 72 goals and 49 assists in her career, which are both a Williamsville South school record.

As a three-year letterwinner and 16^th ranked player in the nation as a senior, Jenna McKune (Louisville, Ky./ Assumption High School) helped her team to a 23-4-1 record as a senior and a 76-9-2 record during her career. McKune competed in the all-star game as a junior and senior along with being named Defensive Player of the Year and Metro Louisville All-Area Field Hockey First Team both as a junior. She also helped her team to state championship as a freshman, sophomore and junior.

Kylee Cunningham (Whitehall. Pa./ Whitehall High School) was a multisport athlete in high school earning four letters in field hockey, basketball, soccer and track and field. In her senior field hockey season, Cunningham tallied 16 goals and three assists. She totaled 42 goals and 23 assists in her field hockey career. Cunningham was also named second team all-Eastern Pennsylvania Conference as a junior.

A first team all-state and first team all-region honoree, Grace Chavez (Norfolk, Va./ Matthew Fontaine High School), earned four varsity letters and is the newest goalkeeper added to the Ball State squad. Chavez tallied 138 saves as a senior along with averaging 100 saves per season throughout her high school career. She was also named first team all-conference as a junior and senior. Chavez helped her team to a conference title as a junior and senior along with winning the first region title in school history.

Audrey Tabor (Louisville, Ky./ Sacred Heart Academy), a three-year letterwinner, started her high school career by being named team captain and MVP as a freshman. Tabor racked up the awards as a senior including team captain, first team all-state, first team all district, Courier Journal All-Field Hockey Team, and Miss Kentucky Field Hockey nominee. Tabor also helped her team to a state title in 2015 and two Apple Tournament Championships in 2014 and 2015.

Ayanna Chapman (Salem, N.J./ Salem High School) showed her versatility by competing in field hockey along with basketball and track in high school. During her senior field hockey season, Chapman helped her team to a 12-2 record as senior, including 10-0 in conference competition. She also helped her team win a Tri-County Conference title.

Because the Netherlands does not have high school sports, Marjolein Dekker (Amersfoort, Netherlands/ Goois Lyceum) has competed for multiple club field hockey teams beginning at age seven for the Muiderberg Hockey Club. Dekker was part of the first girls team MA1 at Gooische Hockey Club in Bussum. Prior to joining the Gooische Hockey Club, she was part of the Huizer Hockey Club. Dekker was part of the 2015-16 MA1 Super A national championship, part of the 2014-15 MB1 Super B championship, part of the 2013-14 MB1 highest national team and part of the 2012-13 MC1 high regional team. Dekker was also a member of the 2010-11 Germany team (SC 1880 Frankfurt) and part of the regional selection team for the Netherlands in 2013.

Allison Parker (Howell, Mich./ Hartland High School) was a three-year letterwinner in field hockey along with lettering in soccer in high school. Parker helped her team to a 13-0-1 record during her senior field hockey season along with helping the team to a state runner-up title. She was also first-team all-state as a junior and senior, Impact Player of the Year as a junior, team MVP as a senior and a KLAA Scholar Athlete.

With the return of a majority of last year's team and the addition of a strong freshman class, the Ball State field hockey team will look to make their way back to the MAC Tournament this season. The Cardinals will travel to Indiana on Saturday, Aug. 19 for a preseason scrimmage and will kick off the regular season with two home games on Friday, Aug. 25 (Saint Louis) and Sunday, Aug. 27 (Ohio).

For the most up-to-date news on the Ball State field hockey team, please follow @BallStateSports and @BallStateFH.