Northwestern University Athletics
Wildcats Set to Begin the McCollum Era
8/26/2004 12:00:00β―AM | Field Hockey
Aug. 26, 2004
A new era of hockey is beginning at Northwestern as newly appointed head coach Kelly McCollum takes the reigns this season. Just the sixth head coach in the program's history, McCollum brings with her a keen knowledge of NU. McCollum captained the Wildcats' 1994 Big Ten Championship team that advanced to the NCAA semifinal round. After serving as an assistant in Evanston the last four years, McCollum is poised and ready to take NU to the next level.
"Northwestern is a place that has great tradition in field hockey," says McCollum. "Our job (as a staff) is to bring NU back to Big Ten and national prominence."
Having not advanced to the NCAA tournament the last 10 years has not gone overlooked by McCollum or her team.
"The returning players have committed themselves to moving our program forward," says McCollum. "The biggest thing we've stressed in preseason training is everyone makes a difference.
"We've put a few changes into place," said McCollum. "They're not overwhelming, but we will need to work through it and see the changes play themselves out."
NU graduated three strong seniors, but the coaching staff has plenty of experience to rely on in a pair of seniors and a junior class of six.
"The core of our team is back," says McCollum. "With only two seniors on the squad this year, we will be looking for the junior class to take a major step in their maturation, as not only field hockey players, but field hockey leaders."
McCollum's squad is not easing into its first season under the rookie head coach, taking on a pair of nationally recognized programs in James Madison and Kent State to open the season this weekend. The Wildcats face JMU Sunday and Kent State Monday. Both games will be played in Akron, Ohio, with noon start times.
"We begin with two very strong opponents," McCollum said. "One of our goals this year was to compete against a much more challenging schedule than in the past. We know we have some battles to fight but I believe we are prepared.
"We had a solid preseason. The kids trained hard and they are ready to show it. The upperclassmen really took another step in leading this team toward its goals and I am very confident headed into the season."
That leadership begins on the front line with senior Candice Cooper. Cooper enters her final collegiate season 12 points shy of 20th place on the Northwestern career points list with 44. She has led the Wildcats in scoring the last two seasons, earning second-team All-Big Ten laurels in 2003.
"Candice is a scorer and a tremendous competitor who is always a threat," McCollum said. "As one of only two seniors, she has really stepped up this year."
Cooper is expected to lead a squad that has improved its offensive output in each of the last three seasons. In 2001, NU scored just 16 goals compared to 24 in 2002 and 34 in 2003. With expectations to find the back of the net, the offense also welcomes back sophomore Meghan Small. As a freshman, Small finished second on the team in scoring with 14 points. She tallied three game-winning goals, and a total of six on the season.
"Meghan is a strong overall player," says McCollum about her second year player. "She can play both sides of the ball very effectively. We see Meghan being a significant contributor to our team."
McCollum knows she has more than just a pair of options on the attack. Other potential scoring threats are juniors Ellen Schlafly and Holly Palin. Schlafly started 15 games in 2003, taking 13 shots and scoring three goals.
"Ellen is a very talented athlete," said McCollum. "She is powerful and creative enough to make things happen in front of the goal. She came back this season much stronger and is a player who has raised the level of her game tremendously."
Palin has started every game of her collegiate career (37 games), heading into her junior season.
"We are expecting big things from Holly this season," says McCollum. "Holly has had a productive first two years, but I think she is ready to come on and take more of a leadership role on the field."
Other forwards vying for playing time will be sophomores Stephanie Pullos, Wenny Ng and Megan Sieberg. Sieberg played in 15 games in 2003, scoring two goals -- one a game-winner -- and tallying an assist. While not seeing any playing time in 2003, Ng has potential to see significant action in 2004. "Wenny really improved this spring," says McCollum. "Her speed and athleticism is going to make her a strong competitor for the front line."
Small, Palin and Schlafly will all see time at both the forward and midfield positions.
The midfield is the biggest question mark in Coach McCollum's short tenure. "We have a lot of players who can play two positions," says McCollum about trying to fill her midfield slots.
"In 2003 Christine Nannicelli scored five goals from a midfield position, but this year, she will anchor our defense." McCollum stated, "At any one time, five to six different players can play the midfield for us."
While there is a bevy of talent returning to the midfield position, freshman Amanda Care will have the opportunity to step in right away and compete for a starting job.
"Amanda is a very smart player," says McCollum. "She has a strong skill set for this level and is knowledgeable both offensively and defensively.
"Right now, the midfield is our most competitive position," said McCollum when asked who her midfield starters would be. "There are a number of different ways we could go, we'll just have to see how the preseason plays out."
While players compete for midfield positions, senior Morgan Kuhn and Nannicelli will be the mainstays on defense.
"Morgan and Christine will be our defensive leaders," says McCollum. "Morgan is a coach on the field and Christine is right behind her. The two of them will control our defense and determine what our defensive unit can accomplish this season."
In 2003, Nannicelli played a midfield position, and was third on the team with 12 points. She scored five goals and recorded two assists. Kuhn started all 18 games in the backfield. She has made 33 career starts. The defense will get a boost from junior Rachel Cody.
"Rachel was one of our most consistent players in the spring," says McCollum. "She made big strides and I anticipate her competing for a major role on our team."
Lauren Przyborowski and Christina Foley will also be vying for a spot in the backfield
Accompanying a defense that allowed 30 goals in 2003 are goalkeepers Sherri-Anne Nyberg and Kelly Augustine. Nyberg, a sophomore from British Columbia, started 15 games her freshman campaign, saving 89 shots and recording four shutouts. Augustine, a junior, started three matches, saving 12 shots and recording one shutout.
"Both goalkeepers are up for the challenge of earning the starting spot," says McCollum. "They had good healthy competition in the spring, and we are really expecting an exciting battle for the cage."
