Weekly Release #12

This Week's Schedule
No. 6 Michigan (15-6, 5-1 Big Ten) vs. No. 4 North Carolina (16-5, 2-2 ACC)
2003 NCAA Tournament First Round
Saturday, Nov. 15    11 a.m.    Ralph Young Field    East Lansing, Mich.

2003 NCAA Tournament Quarterfinal
Sunday, Nov. 16    2 p.m.    Ralph Young Field    East Lansing, Mich.

Television: None

Radio/Internet: WCBN-FM (88.3 FM), Michigan's student-operated radio station, will carry all of Michigan's games live on their Sports Stream at www.wcbn.org. The games will also be broadcast over the air on a tape-delayed basis.

NCAA Storylines
The Road to UMass Begins -- The Wolverines are in the NCAA Tournament for the fifth straight year, including the third straight season as an at-large bid. Michigan is one of 16 teams vying for the national title, which will be decided next weekend in Amherst, Mass., on the campus of the University of Massachusetts.

Deja' Vu -- Michigan is opening the NCAA Tournament with the North Carolina Tar Heels for the second time in three years, and for the second time in the state of Michigan. U-M's only postseason contest against UNC was in the first round of the 2001 NCAA Tournament, held in Ann Arbor, where the Wolverines posted a 5-2 decision en route to the program's first national title.

This Looks Familiar -- U-M played each of the teams in the regional field this season, going 2-1 against Louisville, Michigan State and North Carolina. The Wolverines defeated Louisville 3-2 in doubleovertime on Oct. 6 in Louisville and posted a 1-0 victory over Michigan State on Oct. 17 in East Lansing. Michigan's only loss came with a 4-0 setback to North Carolina in the season opener on Aug. 31 in Ann Arbor.

Opening Weekend Success -- Michigan is 3-1 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament and is 5-2 during the first weekend of NCAA Tournament play. U-M's only loss in the first round came last year with a 4-3 setback against Princeton at State College, Pa., while its only other opening-weekend loss occurred in 2000 with a 3-2 (ot) loss to Wake Forest in the quarterfinals.

Coincidence We'll Find Out -- In 2001, when Michigan captured the program's first NCAA championship, the Wolverines lost in the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament. This season, U-M fell to Penn State by a 1-0 margin in overtime in the semifinals of the league tournament.

Did You Know -- The Wolverines faced nine of the 16 teams in the NCAA Tournament during the 2003 season, sporting a 6-4 mark against those schools ... In 2001, when Michigan won the national title, its regional field included North Carolina, which was seeded, Michigan State and Kent State, the champion from the MAC. U-M faced UNC in the first round, while the Spartans played the Golden Flashes. This season, Michigan opens with the Tar Heels, seeded third in the field of 16, while MSU will face Louisville, the champion from the MAC ... U-M has won its last four matches on MSU's home turf in East Lansing.

Michigan vs. the NCAA Regional Field ...
Louisville -- Michigan is 5-0 all-time against the Cardinals, including a 3-2 (2 ot) victory on Oct. 6 in Louisville, but has never faced the Cardinals in NCAA Tournament action. U-M, which has outscored Louisville 19-2 in the history of the series, has won by a single goal in each of its last two meetings. For more information on Louisville field hockey, please visit www.uoflsports.com.

Michigan State -- The Wolverines hold a 28-21-6 advantage in the all-time series against Michigan State and have won 10 of the last 11 meetings with State, including a 1-0 triumph on Oct. 17 in East Lansing. U-M is 1-0 against the Spartans in the NCAA Tournament, downing MSU by a 2-1 margin in overtime of the 2001 second round, held in Ann Arbor. For more information on  Michigan State field hockey, please visit www.msuspartans.com.

North Carolina -- Michigan owns a 2-6 record against the Tar Heels, including a 1-0 record in NCAA Tournament action, and will face UNC for the second time in the first round, engaging in a rematch of the 2001 first-round contest which was a 5-2 victory for the Wolverines. Michigan has won two of the last three meetings against UNC but fell by a 4-0 margin to North Carolina during the ACC/Big Ten Challenge on Aug. 31 at Ocker Field. For more information on  North Carolina field hockey, please visit www.tarheelblue.com.

News and Notes ...
A Nail-Biter Expected -- Eight of Michigan's 11 NCAA Tournament games have been decided by one goal, with U-M sporting a 6-2 record in those contests. Three of the Wolverines' four first-round games have been decided by a single marker, while all three of U-M's quarterfinal matchups have been determined by a single goal.

Working Overtime -- The Wolverines are 3-1 in overtime games in the NCAA Tournament and have gone into an extra session in the first round on only one occasion, posting a 3-2 win in double overtime against William & Mary in 2000. U-M, which has advanced past the first round in three of its four tournament appearances, has played in overtime in each of its quarterfinal games.

Playing the Percentages -- In NCAA Tournament play, Michigan is 8-3 for a winning percentage of .727 to rank third among NCAA programs. Old Dominion (43-31) leads the field with a .768 mark, while Wake Forest, the 2002 champion, owns a 9-3 record in the tournament for a .750 percentage.

Large Margins -- U-M is averaging 3.24 goals per game this season to rank ninth nationally, while the Michigan defense is limiting opponents to just 1.33 goals per game. U-M ranks ninth nationally with a +1.91 margin of victory ... The Wolverines have outscored their opponents 30-8 in the first half and 35-18 in the second half this season.

Natural-Born Scorer -- Senior April Fronzoni, a candidate for the Honda Award as the nation's top field hockey player, leads U-M in goals and points with a career-high 18-6-42, representing over 27 percent of the Wolverines' goal total (66) and nearly 23 percent of Michigan's point total (185). Fronzoni's 42 points eclipse her previous career high of 40, set during a 22-game span last season, while her 18 markers equal last season's career-high total. Fronzoni is currently tied for fifth on U-M's single-season goal-scoring chart, while her point total ties her for sixth.

Triple Play -- Sophomore Lori Hillman has netted a career-best three goals this season and has tallied a career-high eight assists for 14 points, the top point total of her career. Last season, Hillman totaled 2-1-3, scoring her first career markers with a two-goal effort in her final game of the season.

A New Member of the 100-Point Club -- Senior Kristi Gannon became the fifth player in U-M field hockey history to record 100 career points, accomplishing the feat against No. 7 Penn State on Nov. 1. Gannon, who has 37 goals and 26 assists to her credit, ranks eighth in career goals at U-M and is tied for sixth on the Wolverines' career assists chart with junior Adrienne Hortillosa.

Finishing Strong -- Junior Jenny Zangara has posted season totals of 2-4-8, marking career highs for goals, assists and points. Zangara, who also scored two goals during the 2002 season, entered the 2003 campaign with career totals of 3-3-9 in 31 games, and has nearly equaled that total in just 19 contests this year. Zangara, who redshirted in 2000, will graduate from the University in the spring and will not return for the 2004 season.

Saving the Best for Last -- Junior Laura Woitkewitsch, with 0-5-5 totals this season, has established a career high for assists in a campaign, eclipsing the four she recorded last season. Woitkewitsch, who joined the program in 2001, will graduate from the University in the spring and will not return for the 2004 season.

Twentysomething -- Junior Adrienne Hortillosa has eclipsed her point totals from last season (3-13-19) and has 5-10-20 to rank fourth on the team. Hortillosa, who as an All-Big Ten second-team selection for the second time in her career, leads the team with 10 assists and is tied for sixth in U-M history with 26 career helpers, equaling the mark set by senior Kristi Gannon.

Having a Career Year -- Junior Jessica Blake ranks second on the team in points with 24 on eight goals and eight assists -- all career bests -- after 20 games. Blake, who was named to the All-Big Ten second team, owned 5-5-15 totals in 39 career games entering the 2003 campaign.

The Life of Riley -- Freshman goalkeeper Beth Riley, who owns a 13-2 record to go along with a 0.78 goals-against average and an .800 save percentage, is on pace to set U-M single-season records for lowest goals-against average and fewest goals allowed. Riley has only given up 11 goals this season, three fewer than any keeper in U-M history, while her GAA, if it holds, will mark the first time in school history a Michigan netminder has posted a GAA lower than 1.00. Riley, who emerged as the Wolverines' starting keeper on Sept. 21 against James Madison, ranks second nationally for her goals-against average and 12th for her save percentage.

Free Hits -- Michigan's semifinal loss to Penn State in the Big Ten Tournament marked only the second time in the last seven years the Wolverines have not advanced to the Big Ten Tournament final ... U-M has dropped its last two postseason matches at PSU's Bigler Field. Last season, the Wolverines fell by a 4-3 margin to Princeton in the first round of the NCAA Tournament ... The Wolverines' shutout loss to Penn State in the Big Ten Tournament was the second time this season U-M failed to score a goal. Michigan was also held scoreless in the season opener against North Carolina (Aug. 31) ... Michigan has lost its last two Big Ten Tournament contests, marking its first losing streak in the event since dropping three straight from 1994-96.

Next Up - The NCAA Championship ...
If the Wolverines advance past the quarterfinal round of the NCAA Tournament, they will travel to Amherst, Mass., for the 2003 NCAA Division I Field Hockey Championship, hosted by the University of Massachusetts. The semifinals are slated for Friday, Nov. 21, while the championship game will take place on Sunday, Nov. 23. All matches will be staged at Garber Field on the UMass campus.

If Youve Been With Us All Season, These May Look Familiar ...
Field Hockeytown -- Michigan captured its fourth Big Ten regular-season title, marking the third time in the last four years U-M has finished atop the conference standings. The Wolverines won the title outright in 2000 and 2002 and tied for the crown with Penn State in 1997 -- head coach Marcia Pankratz's second season as head coach. U-M posted a 5-1 mark in league play this season, sharing the crown with Michigan State.

Four Straight -- Senior Kristi Gannon became the fourth player in the history of the conference to earn four straight All-Big Ten first-team accolades. Gannon has earned first-team laurels in each of the last four seasons and is the only player in the program's history to accomplish that feat. Along with Gannon, Iowa's Liz Tchou (1984-87) and Northwestern's Amy Kekeisen (1982-85) and Jennifer Averill (1983-86) are the only players in Big Ten history to be named All-Big Ten first team on four occasions.

Senior Night at the Big Ten Banquet -- Michigan's three seniors -- April Fronzoni, Kristi Gannon and Stephanie Johnson -- were all honored at the Big Ten Awards Banquet at Penn State, with each receiving multiple honors. Fronzoni was named the league's Offensive Player of the Year for the second straight season, while Gannon earned the conference's Athlete of the Year award. Johnson was tabbed for the second consecutive season as the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, while all three were unanimous selections to the All-Big Ten first team. In addition, juniors Jessica Blake and Adrienne Hortillosa were voted to the All-Big Ten second team.

Leaving a Legacy -- Senior April Fronzoni set the school record for career points with a goal against Indiana (Oct. 11) and how holds the all-time record with 150. The old mark was held by Mary Callam, who notched 136 points from 1976-79. Just under two weeks later at Old Dominion (Oct. 24), Fronzoni eclipsed Callam's career goal-scoring record with her 65th marker, surpassing Callam's record of 64. Fronzoni now was 66 career goals.

Fronzoni and Gannon To Play in All-Star Game -- April Fronzoni and Kristi Gannon have been selected to participate in the 2003 NFHCA Division I North/South All-Star Game, scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 22, at Garber Field on the campus of the University of Massachusetts.

A Loss to the Field Hockey Family -- The U-M field hockey program received some bad news prior to leaving for the Central Michigan match on Oct. 13. Rachael (Geisthardt) Townsend, a four-year letterwinner and goalkeeper from 1992-95, passed away unexpectedly on Oct. 12 after completing the Chicago Marathon. Townsend was 29.  In honor of Townsend, Michigan wore black bands on the left shoulder of its uniforms with the number "18" on it against Hofstra on Oct. 19.

Not Afraid To Play the Tough Ones -- Michigan had 10 of the 20 teams ranked in the final STX/NFHCA Division I National Coaches Poll on its 2003 schedule, including three of the top four teams in the poll -- No. 1 Wake Forest, No. 3 Maryland and No. 4 North Carolina. Overall, U-M has played nine teams ranked by the NFHCA and is 6-3 in those contests.

Training in Europe -- The squad traveled to Amsterdam, The Netherlands, during the 2003 preseason to compete against club teams in the Amsterdam area as well as Cologne Rot-Weiss, the team junior Laura Woitkewitsch played for before coming to U-M.

Freshmen 15 -- Freshman Jill Civic appeared in the first-ever edition of Sports Illustrated On Campus as one of the nation's top 15 newcomers - the Freshmen 15 -- in all NCAA Division I sports.

Five Alive -- With her Big Ten co-Offensive Player of the Week award on Sept. 8, senior April Fronzoni tied the school record for most Big Ten Player of the Week honors, held by Kelli Gannon (1997-2000).

Wait Until Next Year -- Two of Michigan's six true freshmen -- Eleanor Martin and Kristen Tiner -- are redshirting the 2003 campaign and will not see any playing time until the 2004 season.

Contact: Paul Thomas (734) 763-4423