University Park, Pa. — Penn State field hockey coach Charlene Morett has announced the addition of an accomplished group of six standout student-athletes who will begin competing for the Nittany Lions next fall.
Katie Andrews, Katie Breneman, Jenna Chrismer, Laura Gebhart, Casey Haegele, and Taylor Herold will all join the program in time for the 2011 season. A well-rounded group of competitors, they have all pieced together outstanding résumés during their respective careers.
"It’s an extremely talented class, and they really give depth to every position," said Morett. "We didn’t overload any area. We feel really good about getting players who can play from the forward line, through the midfield line, and into the backfield. They’re players who’ve come to our camps and we really enjoy watching play. We’re excited to have them join the group that we have now."
Andrews joins the program after capping off an incredible career at Lancaster Mennonite. A highly-regarded defender, she earned first-team All-State honors as a senior after receiving honorable mention accolades during her junior campaign. A perennial member of the Lancaster-League All-Star team, she garnered first-team honors during each of the last two seasons and was named Rookie of the Year as a sophomore.
"Katie is a very, very strong player," said Morett. "She’ll most likely be a backfield player for us. She has strong tackling skills and discipline. She has great vision coming out of the backfield. She also has great transitional skills where she can start to play in the backfield and support in the offensive end."
A well-rounded athlete and four-year starter on the basketball team, Andrews is a member of the National Honors Society and an Honor Roll student. The daughter of Randy and Christine Andrews, she hopes to major in agriculture science education with a minor in business.
Breneman comes to Happy Valley with an incredible background compiled at Penn Manor. While excelling on the field, she helped lead the Comets to new heights, highlighted by a 2008 state championship, in addition to earning a slew of personal accolades for her efforts.
"Katie Breneman is a player with great size and athleticism who will be a back," said Morett. "She’s a three-sport athlete at Penn Manor. Just with her athleticism, she shows a lot of versatility and can play somewhere between the midfield and backline."
The daughter of Valerie and Nelson Breneman, Katie earned first-team All-State accolades as a junior and senior while also receiving a spot on the Academic All-State squad. A first-team Lancaster-Lebanon All-Star in each of the last two seasons, she also earned second-team nods as a sophomore and served as a team captain during her senior campaign.
Chrismer will don the blue and white after piecing together an exceptional résumé during an outstanding career at Crestwood. While leading the squad to consecutive District 2 titles, including a 19-2 season in 2010, she earned nearly every conceivable state and national honor for her work as a forward.
"Jenna is primarily a forward/midfielder," said Morett. "She’s extremely quick and fast. She has some great skills when it comes to shooting. She’s someone we’ll look to get the ball to around the net and put it in."
A second-team NFHCA All-American and a Mideast Region honoree, Chrismer was a perennial All-State selection and earned first-teamnods during each of the last two seasons. The daughter of Joe and Beth Chrismer, she earned a spot on the National Under-19 team after concluding her careerwith 100 goals at Crestwood.
Gebhart was honored as a first-team All-American during each of her final two seasons at Donegal. A four-year member of the first-team All-State squad, she was a recurring Lancaster-Lebanon All Star and was named the league’s Player of the Year as a senior. In addition to her career with theIndians, she has also been competing at various levels for the United States during the last few years.
"Laura brings a great deal of experience having played with the various United States teams," said Morett. "She has the versatility to be an impact player right away either at midfield or along the forward line. Her ability to create situations through her stick and passing skills are really something you will notice on the field."
Previously a captain of the National U-17 squad, Gebhart is currently a member of the Under-21 and United States Developmental teams. The daughter of Dave and Crystal Gebhart, she comes from a field hockey background as her mother competed for Lock Haven while her sister, Kirstin, just wrapped up a highly-decorated career at American.
Haegele joins the Nittany Lions following an excellent career at Central Bucks South over the last four years. During that time, she garnered first-team All-League and All-Intelligencer honors as a senior after earning second-team accolades during her junior campaign. A speedy athlete, she also earned first-team All-Southeastern Pennsylvania honors in 2010.
"Casey is a very quick forward," said Morett. "She has played a little midfield, but her quickness and speed are what we noticed right away. She works hard and is always quick to tackle back. She’s also quick to get the ball going with the new self-start rule."
In addition to her time with the Titans, Haegele also competed for the Mystx Club Team and was a member of the USA Futures Selectfrom 2007-10. The daughter of Chuck and Kelly Haegele, she also earned a spot on the National Futures Select Under-19 team in 2010 and competes with the Futures Elite in 2011.
The lone out-of-state recruit, Herold found a home as a standout forward/midfielder at James Monroe in Fredericksburg, Va. During her tenure with the Yellow Jackets, she led the squad to a regional championship in 2010 and a second-place showing in the state tournament for three straight seasons while amassing 101 goals and 50 assists during her storied career.
"We see Taylor being primarily a forward line player," said Morett. "She’s so aggressive around the cage. She gets her stick on a lot of cross balls. She can shoot on the backhand. She’s ready for the rebound. She’s an extremely talented, aggressive player, who we think is going to be scoring some goals in the future for Penn State."
Regarded as one of the top players in Virginia, Herold was named the 2010 State High School Player of the Year while also earning the top Regional and District awards for her performance as a senior. The daughter of Tammye and Dave Herold, she was a first-team All-State, All-Region, and All-District selection during each of her final three seasons.
The six student-athletes will join a Penn State program that reestablished itself as one of the finest in the nation last season. During the 2010 campaign, the Nittany Lions posted a 14-6 record and finished in the top-10 in the final NFHCA poll while also earning a berth in the NCAA Tournament.