Ann Arbor trio brings in a hometown flavor
The CMU field hockey team has lacked one thing in recent history — home grown talent.
For the first time since 1996, the Chippewas will feature players from high schools in Michigan.
Freshmen Kay Brown and twin sisters Allyson and Jessyca Doan are not only from the Great Lakes State, but they all played field hockey together at Ann Arbor Pioneer High School.
Brown and Jessyca Doan play the backer position, while Allyson Doan plays forward and midfield.
The Chippewas scrimmaged the University of Calgary on the first day of practice and the trio were thrown directly into the fire.
“It was different than high school, but not different in a bad way,” Brown said. “We played on turf in high school so the speed was about the same.”
The three did not plan to play collegiate field hockey together at CMU. Brown was the first to sign, followed by the Doan twins.
It was a plan of the sisters, however, to play field hockey in college together and CMU was a perfect fit.
“I like the fact that Central was far enough away from home but still close enough to home,” Jessyca Doan said. “Coach (Cristy) Freese and the team is what really brought us here.”
Allyson Doan and Brown have been playing field hockey together since they were in elementary school.
But it was not until high school that Jessyca Doan picked up the sport. She learned the game quickly and took her game to the next level.
Field hockey is growing in the Midwest and in Michigan, especially in the Ann Arbor area.
Although they are not likely to star this season, the three freshman are excited about their first year.
“I think even if we don’t get a lot of playing time we can still impact the team by being good practice players and good teammates,” Brown said.
Freese said she likes that the three have experience playing together.
“Playing together is the key for this team to be successful,” she said.
The last player from Michigan to play field hockey at CMU was Shelby Arnold, also an Ann Arbor native.
Freese said Ann Arbor is really the only place in the state where there is a strong talent pool of players, forcing schools like CMU, Michigan and Michigan State to extend their recruiting across the country.
| No. | Name | Pos. | Grade | Hometown/HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 00 | Danielle Frank | GK | Soph. | Williamsville, N.Y. |
| 2 | Alisa Folk | F | Jr. | Richmond, B.C. |
| 3 | Allyson Doan | MF/F | Fr. | Ann Arbor |
| 4 | Courtney Blanchard | F | Soph. | Capetown, South Afr. |
| 5 | Kristy Reed | F | Sr. | South Wales, N.Y. |
| 6 | Kristi Seufert | MF/F | Sr. | Vista, Calif. |
| 8 | Stasia Burroughs | B | Sr. | Kent, Ohio |
| 9 | Alicia Blanesi | MF | Soph. | Hanover, Pa. |
| 10 | Jessyca Doan | B | Fr. | Ann Arbor |
| 11 | Katie Lincoln | F | Fr. | Lake Villa, Ill. |
| 12 | Amy Kaufmann | B | Sr. | Dauphin, Pa. |
| 14 | Nicole Rao | F/MF | Fr. | Pendleton, N.Y. |
| 15 | Laura Glaza | B | Jr. | East Rochester, N.Y. |
| 16 | Kim Ferris | B | Jr. | St. Louis, Mo. |
| 17 | Michelle Fogle | SB | Sr. | Columbus, Ohio |
| 21 | Bryanna Nelson | B | Soph. | Port Ewen, N.Y. |
| 22 | Kay Brown | B | Fr. | Ann Arbor |
| 23 | Erica Takacch | MF | Soph. | Duncannon, Pa. |
| 24 | Erin Dottery | MF | Soph. | Zionsville, Pa. |
| 27 | Sarah Mancuso | GK | Fr. | Pittsford, N.Y. |
