Temple University Athletics
2014 Field Hockey Season Preview
8.14.14 | Field Hockey
PHILADELPHIA - The bar has been raised by the Temple field hockey program, and in 2014 the Owls have the pieces in place to achieve even greater success. Coming off a season that saw Temple nationally ranked for the first time in 12 years, the Owls return leading scorer and All-American Amber Youtz for her final season as well as a host of other veterans and talented newcomers.
Amanda Janney begins her 10th season at the helm after earning her 100th victory near the end of the 2013 slate. Janney has taken the Owls to a conference tournament in each year of her career, and despite the new challenges that came with joining the BIG EAST Conference last season, the tournament berth was earned yet again. The Owls finished fourth in the powerhouse league and were knocked out in the BIG EAST semifinals by eventual national champion Connecticut.
Janney has continued to build the program to new heights, and is proud of how far the team has come. "I have seen the program make huge strides," she said. "Every year we've gotten better and made small steps. It's very rewarding to now have a team that's consistently a top 20 contender and able to beat some of the best teams in the nation. We're able to play with anybody and we also have some of the best players in the nation.
"The team has really developed for the better, and we're very proud that they also have such strong characteristics academically. They're focused on their majors, getting internships, and we really feel that we're providing the complete experience for our student-athletes."
Leading the offense again this season will be Youtz, who was named an All-American as a junior despite missing four full games due to injury. She has continued to excel in the offseason, and was named to the U.S. Field Hockey Indoor National Team along with incoming freshman Maiyah Brown.
Other Owls to watch out for on offense and in the midfield include sophomore Katie Foran and juniors Sarah Deck and Alyssa Delp. Foran and Delp combined for nine goals and nine assists last season, while both Deck and Delp started in all 20 games.
The Owls will be without second-leading scorer and all-region honoree Molly Doyle, who was lost to graduation along with starters Lauren Hunt and Mandi Shearer. The trio accounted for 13 goals and 16 assists last season, but Janney is confident that the team will be able to replace that loss.
Leadership on and off the field will come from the Owls' three team captains- seniors Nicole Kroener and Lizzy Millen along with junior Rachel Steinman.
Kroener has proven to be a valuable weapon on penalty corners for Temple, and led the team last season with 10 assists while also scoring three goals. Steinman helps anchor a strong defensive unit that includes Millen, the team's starting goalkeeper for the past three seasons and an All-BIG EAST Second Team honoree last year.
Another defensive anchor who flies under the radar statistically is junior Taylor Shronk, who recorded two defensive saves last year.
"There aren't many weak spots for us in terms of holes we need to fill," said Janney. "We expect to have an outstanding season and build off the success we had last year being ranked in the Top 20. We know we can beat the teams on our schedule and we expect to do very well in our second year in the BIG EAST Conference."
This year's slate begins with the annual Conference Cup Tournament hosted by Temple, but this year the games will be played at The Spooky Nook near Lancaster, Pa., the training site of the USA National Team.
"We will be hosting the first collegiate games to be played at the home of our national team," said Janney, "and we are happy to continue the traditions of the Conference Cup." Temple will be facing Northeastern and UMass at the tournament, which will also feature powerhouse Maryland as co-host. Two games will be played on Friday, Aug. 29, and another two are set for Sunday, Aug. 31.
After the opening weekend, Temple will play eight more non-conference games before beginning its BIG EAST schedule at Providence on Oct. 3. The Owls will host four of those contests- against Delaware, Drexel, Kent State and American. They will travel to Rutgers, Duke, Maryland and Bucknell in that same stretch.
The Owls will play BIG EAST home games against Villanova and UConn, and in addition to Providence, they will travel to Old Dominion and Georgetown for conference contests.
"We're ready to start our 2014 season," said Janney. "Our team has been training hard in the spring and we have been successful in our spring tournaments. We lost three amazing seniors in Mandi Shearer, Molly Doyle and Lauren Hunt, who helped develop our program into a Top 20 team. We are going to miss them, but we return eight starters who will be ready for the challenges of the new season."
Janney has never shied away from scheduling the Owls against the best teams in the nation, and she has done so again in 2014. Temple will face eight teams ranked in the Top 20 at the end of the 2013 season, and six of those opponents are non-conference games. The Owls will travel to #1 Maryland and #5 Duke, and will host #9 Penn State on Oct. 5. Temple's 3-0 shutout win on the road at then-#6 Penn State in 2013 helped the Owls earn a #11 national ranking the following week.
"We have seen success with our philosophy of scheduling the best teams to prepare our team for conference play," said Janney, "and we have scheduled some of the best in the nation again this year. We will be playing three out of the four 2013 Final Four teams, including National Champion UConn, runner-up Duke, and 2013 ACC Champion, also the newest member of the BIG TEN Conference, Maryland."
Temple will celebrate Alumni Day during Homecoming weekend when the Owls host La Salle on Sunday, Oct. 12. The Owls will also honor Play 4 the Cure in October, and will look to use other home games to honor causes and promote the sport of field hockey. Senior Day will see Temple honor Youtz, Kroener and Millen. That celebration will be held prior to Temple's final regular season game against UConn on Saturday, Nov. 1.
"We have a strong home game schedule," said Janney, "and we are looking forward to showcasing our talents on Geasey Field in front of our home crowd."
Following the final home game, the Owls will hope to earn a berth in the four-team BIG EAST Tournament, being hosted in 2014 by Providence College on Nov. 7 and 9.
"It's a big year for us," said Janney. "We expect great things from our team. We're still searching for that championship trophy and we expect to be in the postseason. We hope to be playing our best hockey in November and to continue to raise the bar in our postseason play."
Amanda Janney begins her 10th season at the helm after earning her 100th victory near the end of the 2013 slate. Janney has taken the Owls to a conference tournament in each year of her career, and despite the new challenges that came with joining the BIG EAST Conference last season, the tournament berth was earned yet again. The Owls finished fourth in the powerhouse league and were knocked out in the BIG EAST semifinals by eventual national champion Connecticut.
Janney has continued to build the program to new heights, and is proud of how far the team has come. "I have seen the program make huge strides," she said. "Every year we've gotten better and made small steps. It's very rewarding to now have a team that's consistently a top 20 contender and able to beat some of the best teams in the nation. We're able to play with anybody and we also have some of the best players in the nation.
"The team has really developed for the better, and we're very proud that they also have such strong characteristics academically. They're focused on their majors, getting internships, and we really feel that we're providing the complete experience for our student-athletes."
Leading the offense again this season will be Youtz, who was named an All-American as a junior despite missing four full games due to injury. She has continued to excel in the offseason, and was named to the U.S. Field Hockey Indoor National Team along with incoming freshman Maiyah Brown.
Other Owls to watch out for on offense and in the midfield include sophomore Katie Foran and juniors Sarah Deck and Alyssa Delp. Foran and Delp combined for nine goals and nine assists last season, while both Deck and Delp started in all 20 games.
The Owls will be without second-leading scorer and all-region honoree Molly Doyle, who was lost to graduation along with starters Lauren Hunt and Mandi Shearer. The trio accounted for 13 goals and 16 assists last season, but Janney is confident that the team will be able to replace that loss.
Leadership on and off the field will come from the Owls' three team captains- seniors Nicole Kroener and Lizzy Millen along with junior Rachel Steinman.
Kroener has proven to be a valuable weapon on penalty corners for Temple, and led the team last season with 10 assists while also scoring three goals. Steinman helps anchor a strong defensive unit that includes Millen, the team's starting goalkeeper for the past three seasons and an All-BIG EAST Second Team honoree last year.
Another defensive anchor who flies under the radar statistically is junior Taylor Shronk, who recorded two defensive saves last year.
"There aren't many weak spots for us in terms of holes we need to fill," said Janney. "We expect to have an outstanding season and build off the success we had last year being ranked in the Top 20. We know we can beat the teams on our schedule and we expect to do very well in our second year in the BIG EAST Conference."
This year's slate begins with the annual Conference Cup Tournament hosted by Temple, but this year the games will be played at The Spooky Nook near Lancaster, Pa., the training site of the USA National Team.
"We will be hosting the first collegiate games to be played at the home of our national team," said Janney, "and we are happy to continue the traditions of the Conference Cup." Temple will be facing Northeastern and UMass at the tournament, which will also feature powerhouse Maryland as co-host. Two games will be played on Friday, Aug. 29, and another two are set for Sunday, Aug. 31.
After the opening weekend, Temple will play eight more non-conference games before beginning its BIG EAST schedule at Providence on Oct. 3. The Owls will host four of those contests- against Delaware, Drexel, Kent State and American. They will travel to Rutgers, Duke, Maryland and Bucknell in that same stretch.
The Owls will play BIG EAST home games against Villanova and UConn, and in addition to Providence, they will travel to Old Dominion and Georgetown for conference contests.
"We're ready to start our 2014 season," said Janney. "Our team has been training hard in the spring and we have been successful in our spring tournaments. We lost three amazing seniors in Mandi Shearer, Molly Doyle and Lauren Hunt, who helped develop our program into a Top 20 team. We are going to miss them, but we return eight starters who will be ready for the challenges of the new season."
Janney has never shied away from scheduling the Owls against the best teams in the nation, and she has done so again in 2014. Temple will face eight teams ranked in the Top 20 at the end of the 2013 season, and six of those opponents are non-conference games. The Owls will travel to #1 Maryland and #5 Duke, and will host #9 Penn State on Oct. 5. Temple's 3-0 shutout win on the road at then-#6 Penn State in 2013 helped the Owls earn a #11 national ranking the following week.
"We have seen success with our philosophy of scheduling the best teams to prepare our team for conference play," said Janney, "and we have scheduled some of the best in the nation again this year. We will be playing three out of the four 2013 Final Four teams, including National Champion UConn, runner-up Duke, and 2013 ACC Champion, also the newest member of the BIG TEN Conference, Maryland."
Temple will celebrate Alumni Day during Homecoming weekend when the Owls host La Salle on Sunday, Oct. 12. The Owls will also honor Play 4 the Cure in October, and will look to use other home games to honor causes and promote the sport of field hockey. Senior Day will see Temple honor Youtz, Kroener and Millen. That celebration will be held prior to Temple's final regular season game against UConn on Saturday, Nov. 1.
"We have a strong home game schedule," said Janney, "and we are looking forward to showcasing our talents on Geasey Field in front of our home crowd."
Following the final home game, the Owls will hope to earn a berth in the four-team BIG EAST Tournament, being hosted in 2014 by Providence College on Nov. 7 and 9.
"It's a big year for us," said Janney. "We expect great things from our team. We're still searching for that championship trophy and we expect to be in the postseason. We hope to be playing our best hockey in November and to continue to raise the bar in our postseason play."
MBB Press Conference vs. ECU (Adam Fisher)
Thursday, January 08
Temple Men's Basketball 2025-26 All Access | Game 15 vs UTSA 1.03.2026
Tuesday, January 06
MBB Press Conference vs.UTSA (Adam Fisher, Gavin Griffiths, Jordan Mason)
Sunday, January 04
MBB Press Conference vs. Princeton (Adam Fisher)
Tuesday, December 23
