Northwestern University Athletics
McCollum Inks Four To National Letters of Intent
2/7/2008 12:00:00β―AM | Field Hockey
Feb. 7, 2008
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern has signed four future Wildcats to National Letters of Intent, announced today by head coach Kelly McCollum. The class of 2012 consists of Jamie Orrico (Southbury, Conn./Pomperaug), Regan Mooney (Spring City, Pa./St. Pius X), Kaylee Pohlmeyer (Severna Park, Md./Severna Park) and Claire Thompson (San Jose, Calif./Leland).
"We are excited to welcome such a talented and versatile group of players to our squad," McCollum said. "They all have chosen to be Northwestern student-athletes for the right reasons and we are confident that they will make their mark on our program in so many ways."
McCollum and the Wildcats signed four outstanding prospects, hailing from Connecticut to California. Three became all-county selections their senior years, while the other was named her team's MVP and twice was selected as an all-league performer. In 2007, Jaimie Orrico was named the Connecticut Player of the Year. Regan Mooney led her area in scoring with 33 goals and 15 assists in her senior year. Kaylee Pohlmeyer led her team to three-consecutive state championships and Claire Thompson won two National Futures Championships and was Leland High School's team MVP in 2007.
"All of them have high-level, competitive experiences that prepare them well for the next step into Big Ten athletics," McCollum said. "They are successful individuals who are driven and committed to our program's beliefs and philosophies. Our staff is confident that this class of four will fit into our system nicely."
Orrico, the 2007 Coca-Cola and Hartford Courant Connecticut Player of the Year, was an all-state and All-Southwest Conference selection for three-straight years to end her career. Orrico's Pomperaug team finished 2007 as the state runners-up and earned the conference championship for the third-straight year. Orrico also was a standout in lacrosse, where she holds her high school's record for most goals in a season. In 2007, she was named an academic all-American.
As a two-time captain of her team in high school, Mooney earned a litany of recognition as an upperclassman. She was named a first-team all-conference player in both 2006 and 2007, while joining the second team as a sophomore. In her senior year, she was selected as the team's MVP, while helping her team reach the league's semifinals. As a sophomore, and again as a senior, Mooney's school won the division championship.
Pohlmeyer comes to Northwestern with three-consecutive Maryland state titles under her belt. The first-team all-county defender scored the game-winning stroke in the 4A Regional Finals last season, which was one of 32 in her career. A year ago, Pohlmeyer flashed her potential, being named second-team all-county and to the coaches' all-county team. She was an honorable mention All-Metro selection in both 2006 and 2007, as well.
Two National Futures championships and two all-league performances highlight Thompson's career at Leland. Thompson played five sports growing up and settled on field hockey, where she excelled in high school. Her senior year she was named Leland's MVP, and she has eight years of club experience under her belt for the Quicksilver Wildcats. Thompson's Futures championships came in the under-16 league in 2006 and the under-18 league in 2007. She was named all-league in both 2004 and 2005, while earning honorable mention honors in 2006.
"This group has an energetic personality that inspires those around them," McCollum said. "Within our current team's environment, we know their individual personalities will shine and complement our squad -- they each embrace what the Northwestern field hockey experience is all about."
Following are complete bios for Northwestern's four signees:
Jamie Orrico
5-7 • F/M
Southbury, Conn./Pomperaug
High School: Four-year letterwinner and captain in both field hockey and lacrosse ... 2007 Coca-Cola Connecticut Player of the Year ... Hartford Courant Connecticut Player of the Year ... All-state, All-Southwest Conference first team from 2005-07 ... NFHCA Regional All-American in 2006 and 2007 ... State runners-up in 2007 ... Won Southwest Conference championship from 2005-07 ... MVP of Team West in 2007 All-Star game ... MVP of Southwest Conference championship game in 2006 ... Three-time Danbury News Times all-area selection ... Scored 43 goals and had 72 assists and eight defensive saves in four-year career ... Holds Pomperaug school record for goals in a season in lacrosse ... 2007 first-team All-Colonial Division lacrosse selection ... 2006 first-team All-Southwest Conference lacrosse selection ... Scored 167-career goals in lacrosse ... 2007 academic All-American, All-Southwest Conference.
Personal: Born Jaimie Elizabeth Orrico on 8/21/90 ... Daughter of Maureen and John Orrico ... Father was the captain of the Lafayette football team ... Brother was the captain of the Yale baseball team ... Sister played field hockey at Yale ... Played with NU junior Stacy Uchida in high school ... Plans to major in journalism.
Regan Mooney
5-7 • F
Spring City, Pa./St. Pius X
High School: Two-time captain and four-time letterwinner in field hockey ... Three-year letterwinner in basketball ... Scored 63-career goals ... Led the area in scoring senior year with 33 goals and 15 assists ... First-team all-conference selection in 2006 and '07, second-team in 2005 ... Pottstown Mercury all-area selection in 2007, second-team in 2006 ... 2007 team MVP ... Reached league semifinals three times ... Won division championship in 2005, '07 ... Played in 2006 National Futures Tournament and won silver medal ... Played in 2006 Junior Olympics, Futures Elite ... Club team won Pool A championship at the National Indoor Tournament in 2007 ... Three-time Nation Hockey Festival pool champion ... Won 2007 Disney Showcase under-19 championship.
Personal: Born Regan Katherine Mooney on 6/24/90 ... Daughter of Kim and Jim Mooney ... Mother played field hockey at Purdue ... Sister plays basketball at the University of Scranton ... Competed against freshman Kaylee Pohlmeyer at National Indoor Tournament championship ... Chose Northwestern over American University and Boston University ... Enrolled in the School of Education and Social Policy.
Kaylee Pohlmeyer
5-6 • M
Severna Park, Md./Severna Park
High School: Three-year letterwinner in both field hockey and lacrosse ... Won state championship in 2005-07 ... Scored 32 goals in four-year career ... First-team all-county, coaches' all-county, All-Examiner in 2007 ... Second-team Baltimore Sun, all-state in '07 ... Second-team all-county, coaches' all-county in 2006 ... Honorable mention All-Metro in 2006 and '07 ... Scored game-winning stroke in 4A Regional Finals in 2007 ... Club team participated in Festival from 2004-07 ... Won Festival G pool in 2007, B pool in '06 ... Named top scholar athlete of high school in 2006-08 ... Member of Futures Elite team in 2008, Futures from 2006-08.
Personal: Born Kaylee L. Pohlmeyer on 9/12/90 ... Daughter of Carol and Paul Pohlmeyer ... Father wrestled for the Naval Academy ... Anticipated major is undeclared.
Claire Thompson
5-1 • F San Jose, Calif./Leland
High School: 2007 team MVP ... First-team all-league in 2004, second-team in 2005 ... CCS honorable mention 2006 ... 2006 under-18 National Futures champion ... 2005 under-16 National Futures champion ... Played in the 2006 AAU Junior Olympics, 2005 Futures Elite ... Played soccer, swam, danced and cheered competitively ... Dean's List all four years.
Personal: Born Claire Thompson on 12/08/89 ... Daughter of Terry and James Thompson ... Anticipated major is economics.
