Field Hockey Season Opens Saturday

September 1, 1998

The 1998 Northwestern field hockey season opens this Saturday when the 'Cats travel to St. Louis for the Big Ten-ACC Challenge. NU will face Wake Forest on Sept. 5 followed by top-ranked Virginia on Mon., Sept. 7. The Wildcats' 1998 home opener is set for Sept. 10 vs. 15th-ranked Kent State.

Welcome Home

Four Wildcats hail from the greater St. Louis area. Junior Ryann Carmody and sophomore Jodie Condie (St. Louis) along with fifth-year senior Shannon West (St. Charles) attended Villa Duchesne. Sophomore Colleen Hotz, also a St. Louis native, went to Cor Jesu Academy.

Wildcat Reunion

The NU-Wake Forest matchup pits the current Wildcats against one of the school's all-time greats. Current Demon Deacon head coach Jennifer Averill played at NU from 1983-86, winning the Honda Broderick Cup as a senior.

Shanel No. 5

NU's backfield is anchored by two-time All-Big Ten sweeper Shanel Gohsler (San Diego, Calif./Serra). Last season as a junior, she led the team in scoring with 24 points, including a team-high 11 goals. Gohsler, who wears jersey No. 5, has started every game in her three-year NU career (60).

Yates in the Cage

Junior Jessica Yates (Lake Forest, Ill./Lake Forest) will hold down the starting spot at goalkeeper for the second-straight season. A member of the U.S. National Under-23 Team, Yates posted three shutouts in 19 starts last year for the Wildcats, posting a 1.81 goals against average.

Quick Hits

NU returns 68 percent of its total offense from last season, but returns 73 percent of its goal scoring.
The Wildcats return two of their three All-Big Ten performers from a year ago: Gohsler and second-team all-conference forward Wendy DeFord.

Head Coach Diane Loosbrock

Diane Loosbrock (Iowa, 1989) is in her first season as a collegiate head coach. She spent the past three seasons as an assistant coach for the Northwestern field hockey program. The two-time All-American was a member of Iowa's 1986 NCAA Championship team and played for the U.S. National Team from 1989-91.

Northwestern University Athletics