Fielding Questions with Ashley Lennington
11/2/2006 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Junior midfielder Ashley Lennington has appeared in all of U-M's 19 games this season and has helped her team to victory numerous times by posting five goals and two assists on the season. Lennington, a Pennsylvania native, is an aggressive player and is known by her teammates for her extreme intensity and energy level. In the busy week before the Big Ten field hockey tournament, Lennington takes some time to sit down and talk about hosting the annual event. She also reflects on her love for Ann Arbor, the challenges of playing on the road, and her excitement about the upcoming start to U-M's wrestling season.
On her start in field hockey
"I was actually a gymnast, and I decided to take a little time off from gymnastics. Also, my dad is a physical therapist, and he was treating a girl who went to Penn State and played field hockey for them. She became my mentor, and I started loving field hockey. I quit gymnastics and put more time into field hockey."
On deciding to play in college
"My freshman year in high school I realized I wanted to play in college, because I went to the festivals in Florida and California, and I started playing indoor field hockey too. You really have to be serious from a pretty young age about playing college. You also have to start sending letters out to all the schools you are interested in early on too."
On the best part about playing for U-M
"Putting the block 'M' on is the best part about playing here. It's such a pride and privilege to be one of only 20 girls to wear the block M. The team is absolutely amazing, and we have all bonded so well. The team just makes it so much fun to play."
On her game day rituals
"I always straighten my hair and the same person braids my hair before every game. I wouldn't be able to play a game if I didn't do that."
On her favorite non-field hockey U-M sport
"I like to go wrestling matches, and of course, I like to watch football. We try to watch as many football games on TV as we can when we are on the road. This season it was kind of hard, but we do try to see as much as possible. We have been home for the past two weekends though, so we have gotten to go to those games fortunately. I also go to wrestling meets, and I am really excited for those to start. My dad was a wrestler, so I have always really liked the sport."
On what she likes about Ann Arbor
"I really like how the community is integrated with the college. I do a lot of volunteer work here, and I don't think I would be able to do that if the college was not integrated. I just think Ann Arbor is a really great place to be. As for the weather, it's a little hard. But I am from Pennsylvania, so the weather is kind of similar actually, and I am use to the cold for the most part."
On the upcoming Big Ten Tournament
"I am really excited for the tournament to be at home because we are going to get a lot of support. We also have the advantage since we are playing on our home field, and we are used to it. Just the whole aura of being on our home field for the tournament is really exciting. In terms of the competition, we have to take the tournament game by game, so right now our biggest challenge is Iowa since we play them in the first round. After that we will be able to focus on the next game."
On the standout advice she has received
"I have always been a really big Duke basketball fan, and I actually went to meet Coach Krzyzewski when I was really small. He told me to always try my best, and I have always tried to live by that. I always give 110 percent every time I step onto the field."
On the challenges of playing on the road
"There are academic challenges when traveling, because you are on a bus with 20 of your closet friends. All you want to do is talk or watch movies, but you really need to study and get down to business."
On her favorite class at Michigan
"I really liked the nutrition class I took one semester because I am interested in how food affects the body. I found the entire class to be really interesting. Also, I am a movement science major here in the Kinesiology School."
On what she brings to the team
"Since I bring 110 percent to every game I play, people looks towards me, and they try to bring that kind of energy and intensity to the game too. I also consider myself a vocal leader, and I try to direct people and tell them where to be. I think it helps out some of the younger girls on the team."
On her plans for the future
"I know I want to go to graduate school, but other than that, I really dont know what I want to do. I know I still have some time to decide what I want to do for a job and other stuff later in life."
Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423
