In Their Own Words: 2001 National Championship Team

Sept. 30, 2011

On the heels of Alumnae Weekend and the 10-year anniversary of the 2001 national championship team, we asked members of that squad to give their impression of the season, on and off the field, and the championship game a decade after winning U-M first women's team title in school history.

	The 2001 team was very special in so many ways. There was just something in the air that whole year. As any team goes, there are so many personalities that get meshed together -- I mean, come on, there were 22 girls -- there is bound to be some drama. However, with this team that year there was only one personality in that locker room and on the field and that was play together, fight for each other and do whatever it takes to get the W for Michigan. We all had set high expectations for ourselves and had the same goal that year: WIN a national championship for the '99 team playing in the finals against Maryland and my class coming in, in 2000 and bring our own spice to the table. We knew this combination of personalities and skill, we had what it would take to make a run for it and eventually knock off Maryland in the national championship game! - April (Fronzoni) Bertin

	I'll never forget those final seconds of our national championship game as our fans were counting down the time and cheering 'It's great, to be, a Michigan Wolverine!' The Michigan field hockey family will always hold a very special place in my heart. Go Blue! - Ali (Balmer) Gasperini

	My favorite thing to tell people about that season is that we were the losing-est team to win a national championship. To me, that demonstrates our character as a team, our belief in each other and our willingness to just get out there and play with fun and enthusiasm. The leadership of our team -- Georgie (Catherine Foreman), Jessie (Veith), Laura (Stinson), Ali (Balmer) and Mo (Tasch) -- made that happen for us. They were the driving force behind that season. We had great leadership, and when you have leadership, anything can happen. We won a NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP! - Molly Maloney

	The entire championship weekend was fun and exciting but returning back to Ann Arbor after the win was amazing. It felt great to be so welcomed and celebrated by the fellow students and the entire athletic community. - Laura Stinson

	That year, we had it -- talent, power, leadership, brains, speed, confidence, endurance, heart ... the list goes on. And, with all that, we never let the pressure get to us. What a great season and what an amazing group of women. - Jessica (Veith) Rouleau

	What sticks out most in my mind was the bond, friendships and team dynamics of that year. It felt like a time where we came together, had a blast and worked harder than I have ever physically worked for anything. The most memorable moment for me was the bus ride on the way to the national championship game. We were all nervous, excited and blasting our warm-up CD on the way to the game! - Ashley Chod

	Pride is the number one thing that comes to mind when I think about my Michigan experience. I am very proud to tell people I was a Michigan field hockey player. We were a force to be reckoned with and everyone knew it. - Jessica (Rose) Shellenberger

	After the win, over the crowd singing "Hail to the Victors" and teammates crying tears of joy, Marcia (Pankratz) squatted in the middle of the huddle. Looking at all of us in the eyes, she announced "Congratulations, you are national champions and no one can ever take that away from you!" I have never felt such an overwhelming amount of joy, accomplishment and camaraderie as I did at that moment. - Stephanie Johnson

	I remember walking onto the field from the bus for the championship game and hearing "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" playing on the loudspeakers from our warm-up CD. There was nothing that would get in the way of us winning that game. Everything felt right. - Kristi (Gannon) Fisher

	The 2001 season was anything but perfect. After finishing third in the regular season and third in the Big Ten Tournament, we were definitely considered the underdogs going into the NCAA Tournament. One lesson I've learned from this remarkable season is that life's greatest accomplishments are those that at first glance seem impossible. Despite the opinions of naysayers, the 2001 field hockey team never stopped believing that our goal of winning the national championship was achievable. - Krista (Meckley) LaRosa

	Being a Michigan athlete is a special thing itself; winning the first women's title was the ultimate experience. To be part of the storied tradition of Michigan champions -- it stays and empowers you to go after what you want in life. I miss the long bus rides, competition days in practice and being around my teammates. I'm just so thankful for that experience. - Kate (Dillon) Pfeifer

	My national championship ring is a great conversation starter. I wear it often and I'll never forget Marcia telling us "for the rest of your life, you're going to be a national champion" after the final whistle blew when we were in the huddle. I was a freshman in 2001 and I remember coming into the huddle celebrating our victory and everyone bawling their eyes out. I wasn't going to cry until I saw everyone else crying so I did too! We had the best five seniors leaders that any team could ask for. Our team didn't have any standouts, we were the underdogs and played like a true blue-collar team. Ten years later, I'm teaching and coaching and think about the 2001 team a lot. I use a lot of what I learned from my teammates, coaches and experiences at Michigan to mold my style of teaching and coaching. I strive to motivate the way that Marcia motivated us, and I talk to the leaders on my teams that I coach about how to successfully lead our team just like our five seniors did in 2001. - Katy Moyneur

	What has stayed with me is what an incredible honor is was to be a part of bringing home the first women's national championship for a school with the history and tradition that U-M has. I'm as proud today to be a part of that history and tradition as I was 10 years ago. - Molly (Powers) Conaghan

	Before my role as an assistant coach, I was a senior co-captain of the 1999 team that played in the first-ever NCAA national championship game in U-M field hockey history. In the championship game in 1999, we were unfortunately defeated by Maryland. As a staff member in 2001, there were still several players on the team that I had played with, so it was a very special moment to be able to share the national championship victory with them, since we had all shared in a national championship defeat against the same team two years earlier. I remember hugging Jessie Veith and Steph Johnson at the final moment that time expired in the 2001 championship game -- it was a very emotional moment for all of us. We had finally come full circle and brought the championship home. - Ashley (Reichenbach) Kopp

	When I look back on our championship run in 2001, I always think about how we surprised everyone. We had a terrible Big Ten Tournament, and I think most teams thought we were done. But we entered the (NCAA) tournament with a renewed sense of confidence, and after our decisive win over North Carolina in the first round, we didn't look back. It is hard to articulate how incredible the experience of winning the championship was, but the championship didn't just belong to us. It belonged to all the extraordinary women who came before us and laid the foundation. I am humbled to be an alum of the Michigan field hockey team and to be a part of the university's rich history. - Anneke (Huntzicker) Flannick

 Where Are They Now? 2001 National Championship Field Hockey Team

University of Michigan Athletics

Related News

Related Videos