Athletics Alumni - 25 Years of Women's Athletics
Memories
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Coach Julie Soriero (basketball)
Although I did not play at Haverford, I served as the first women's basketball coach... The experience was invaluable as it required me to teach the game in so many ways to so many skill levels and to an attentive group of women that were committed to getting better. I remember in one game during that first season, turning to a player who had never competed on a team before and said told her to sub in for someone. For the first - and probably last time in my coaching career - a player shook her head and grabbed the seat as if the only way she would sub in to the game was if we pulled her chair and all onto the floor!!!
Jenny Kenhe - I laughed at every single one of your memories!! I can just remember shaking my head when you all told me you were fasting. But - needless to say your passion and dedication to whatever you all put your mind to was evident on and off the floor!!! And the game at Lincoln will always remain one of my best (and more humorous) coaching memories and stories!
I can not make this wonderful celebration - but to the many women who pioneered those early teams and began the legacy of competitiveness and success, please know I think of you often with repect and fondness.
Lydia Martin '86 (lacrosse)
My fondest memories of Haverford are from the hours and hours spent on fields and buses with teammates. I am filled with admiration for women like Karen Coulter and Diane Mallory who were talented athletes and brave enough to play on the College's first teams. Just a few years later in 1986, under coach Debbie Gallagher, we had a magical lacrosse season - one I know none of us will ever forget.
Liz Guthrie '95 (lacrosse)
- Beating Johns Hopkins as a sophomore in double OT on their field.
- Being the team with nicknames for everyone - Scrapper, Wheels, Joyful, Zing, etc.
- Spring Break at UC Santa Barbara: High-fiving Jimmy Connors on the plane, warm-up shuttles before with imaginary lacrosse balls to "psyche out" the opposing team for an evening scrimmage, unable to get back Philly due to Blizzard of '93 and sleeping under the dining room table at Sarah Barton's relative's house in Walnut Creek...
- Always feeling the support and inspiration of strong, talented, and dedicated teammates.
Jenny (Kehne) Lipman '84 (basketball)
The first years of women's basketball:
- Playing basketball in the field house on the wooden platform, breathing in the dirt from the track, and having alum Joel Lowenthal, MD (sp?) scrimmaging with us, since we didn't even have enough players to play 5 on 5!
- Abigail Adams as our center, with no basketball experience and her intellectual approach to the game, with LOTS of questions that made us think about things in a different way.
- Coach Julie Soriero using us as her subjects for her sports psychology research.
- All of us participating in an OXFAM fast on a game day
- Playing against Lincoln and being down by so much at half time that when Julie said, "Let's go" we all grabbed our coats, thinking we were going to get on the van and leave (of course she meant let's go to the locker room, not the bus, where she gave a great pep talk and actually got us to play a little better in the second half!)
- Beverly Ortega's ability to run unbelievably fast in spike heels when we would race to the van after games
- Wendy (second coach) being so mad after we lost a game that she backed the van into a stone wall - and we all totally cracked up, making her even madder!
Jessica Droste Yagan '99 (basketball)
My favorite memory is of being snowed in at the Holiday Inn in the Washington, DC suburbs with the Women's Basketball team during a blizzard in January 1996. The evening after a nail-biting win at the tournament we were playing in (where Jess Hurt '99 made the game winning free throws), the snow set in and we were stuck for three days in the hotel. The fun included sprints and push-ups in the hallways, snowball fights, and avoiding the threat of starvation by appearing first in the hotel restaurant for every meal. Good times...
Hannah Morgan Castrucci '90 (lacrosse)
Seeing Steve Cary on the sidelines. Going to Florida freshman year with lacrosse team. Winning bid to NCAA tournament. The feel of a successful interception.
Lucy Barber '86 (lacrosse)
Being able to take part in my first ever really organized athletics after years of escaping gym in high school. Thanks to Ruth Sorrells, Gwen Scully, and Vicky Snowman for getting me to go to lacrosse practice (almost all the women in custom group in HPA46 played lacrosse I think). Thanks to all the coaches for tolerating my clumsiness and occassionally letting me scrimmage with the varsity. I admit a personal delight during my first JV season as a defense players in scoring the only goal in some devastating defeats -- but others may not have as fond memories of those games. I only played two seasons, but they were extremely fun and it was so impressive to watch all those skilled woman athletes from the sidelines. I can't say I remember my short-lived career as a soccer goalie with any fondness, but I understand now why the coach tried.
Emilie Heck Petrone '91 (field hockey)
The VERY short kilts and VERY long grass (both tough for field hockey). Deb Gallagher's energy, enthusiasm and drive. Making some of my best life friends even if they did call me Barbie. Being terrified of Lydia Martin, Wendy, Stephanie J. and Allison during alumni games. Baking cakes and raking leaves to pay for Florida. Winning a lot of games, going to NCAAs, winning Seven Sisters, road trips, dinners with Betty and Steve Cary. The amazing talent and energy of my teammates as athletes, students, individuals and now, as professionals, mothers and, still, individuals.
Deb Freedman '90 (lacrosse & field hockey)
- Deb Gallagher's inspiration, leadership and the best coach women's athletics has ever seen
- Being one of the two frosh with a team of seniors
- Tracy Stumpf, who made a big difference
- Almost getting arrested for trashing SWATs field
- Stealing Bryn Mawr's goals with Jenny Hoare @ Kim Everett
- Laura Kallio and Ellen Braithwaite in goal
- Emilie Heck's improvement from gawky frosh to amazingly taletned All-American superstar
- Stefanie James, Stefanie Cravioto and Schweitz's goals
- Claire and Becca's stickwork
- Bonno and Liz McGovern's tenacity
- Being in awe of Lydia Martin
- The ridiculousness of timed miles and 6am aerobics
- Sharing #33 with Wendy Smith, one of the best athletes I've ever known
- Alumni games, always winning the Hood, 7 sisters tourney's, Steve Carey, Florida, Nationals, Pre seasons, being part of an amazing team of strong, cool, talented, confident, special women!
MeeJ Kim '06 (soccer)
- The win over Gettysburg at home in 2004.
- Going to the 2nd Round of the NCAA's in 2005.
Kristin McKie '02 (field hockey & softball)
The field hockey game that I remember most from my four years was the home game against Johns Hopkins in the fall of 1998. Our team had struggled that season to score goals, especially against good teams like the Hopkins squad. However, the Hopkins team was used to playing on turf, so our thick grass gave them some problems. After regulation and two 7v7 overtime matches, the game was still tied so we went to a penalty stroke shoot out.
I was shocked when coach Anne Livesey placed me (a freshman) as the fifth and final stroker in the first round. By the time it my turn came around, our team was down one stroke and I needed to make my shot in order to keep us alive into the next round. I'll never forget watching my ball sail into the upper right hand corner of the goal- definitely the most beautiful stroke of my life! The team went nuts as we got ready for the second round of strokes.
In the second round, HC goalkeeper Christina Bokat (dressed in her signature "Dairy Queen" jersey) did a great job deflecting each and every one of the Hopkins shots. The only problem was that the Hopkins goalie was also stopping all of our shots as well. That is until Robin Herlands stepped into the circle and fired a low rocket right past her. Robin's stroke was all we needed to clinch the win! The whole team was beyond excited as we all rushed onto the field to celebrate.
I'm pretty sure we followed up our victory with a Madonna dance party later that night! :)
Kara Daniels '95 (soccer)
Maryjo on the scale during soccer preseason. Amy Taylor's 1000th point. "Monday, Monday" conditioning in soccer. Scary van rides to any away game. Any win against Swat and BMC.
Michael Kay '00
Watching the great women's lax teams of '99 and '00.