Field Hockey Welcomes Five Newcomers

March 26, 2012

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - University of Louisville head field hockey Justine Sowry coach has announced that Olivia Cabral, Megan Anstotz and Kendall Weedling have signed National Letters of Intent to play for the Cardinals in the fall of 2012. Additionally, Tori Nuccio and Victoria Stratton have joined the Cardinals field hockey team and are eligible to play in the spring of 2012.

"The coaching staff is very excited to welcome the new additions to our 2012 Louisville field hockey team," said Sowry. "These athletes come from various locations and each possess a special skill set I feel is necessary to continue to move our program forward and in pursuit of a BIG EAST championship."

"The three incoming freshmen are competitive, athletic and well-rounded individuals," said Sowry. "All come from a strong club or high school program and I expect each will enter the collegiate ranks ready and well prepared. I believe each of these young women will make her presence known and will have an immediate impact on our program both in the classroom and on the hockey field."

"In addition to three freshmen, Cardinal Field Hockey welcomes two transfer student-athletes. Our two transfers add experience to our young squad and this spring season has been critical for the overall development of the team; particularly our defensive unit."

2012 Louisville Field Hockey Recruiting Class

Player	Position	Hometown (Previous School)
Megan Anstotz	Midfielder/Forward	Audubon, N.J. (Audubon HS)
Olivia Cabral	Midfielder/Forward	Sayville, N.Y./ (Sayville High)
Kendall Weedling	Forward	Center Valley, Pa. (Southern Lehigh High)
Tori Nuccio	Midfielder/Back	Jackson, N.J./Jackson Liberty (Miami (Ohio) University)
Victoria Stratton	Defender	Auckland, New Zealand (Auckland University of Technology)

2012 Field Recruiting Class Profiles


2012 Field Hockey Recruiting Class Profiles

		Megan Anstotz Audubon, N.J./Audubon HS Midfielder/Forward Megan Anstotz joins the Cardinals from Audubon, N.J., where she was a four-year letterwinner at Audubon High School. She was a two-time All-South Jersey selection, earning first team honors in 2011 and was named to the second team in 2010. Additionally, she was a four time All-Group team member (first team 2010-11, second team 2008-09) and a four-time All-Conference team member (2008-11). A member of the USA Field Hockey U17 national team, Anstotz was an Olympic Development selection in 2011 and was selected to the Junior High Performance training squad in 2010 and 2011. She competed in the Junior Olympics from 2008-10 and participated in Futures Elite from 2008-12. Anstotz on choosing Louisville "I chose the University of Louisville because I loved everything about it!" Justine Sowry on Megan Anstotz "Megan is one of those athletes who commits to being the best she can be and we look forward to helping her achieve her personal goals. She possesses excellent speed, has quick hands and will most certainly elevate the team's overall level of play. Her work ethic and demeanor will help to create a positive and productive environment both on and off the field."

		Olivia Cabral Sayville, N.Y./Sayville HS Midfielder/Forward Cabral lettered for four years at Sayville High School, where as team captain and MVP in 2011, she led her team to the Suffolk County title. She helped lead her team to four Division II titles, going undefeated in division play in 2010 and 2011. The Suffolk County Player of the Year was also a two-time All-State and All Long Island selection. She earned All-County, All-League and All-Division honors from (2009-11) and was an Empire State Games Silver Medalist in 2010. She competed for the United States Field Hockey Coaches Association Futures Elite, Futures Level I, the AAU Junior Olympics and participated in the National Futures Championships from 2009-11. Cabral also played for the Jersey Intensity club team which earned the 2011 U19 National Field Hockey Festival Gold Medal and the 2010 U16 Disney Field Hockey Showcase Bronze Medal. Cabral on choosing Louisville "As soon as I saw the facilities and all that U of L had to offer both athletically and academically, I knew it was exactly what I was looking for. After spending time with the girls on the team and meeting the coaches, I could get a sense for the team and commitment and I felt it was the perfect fit." Justine Sowry on Olivia Cabral "Liv is a hardworking, caring and competitive individual who will make a significant impact on our program. She loves to win, is incredibly selfless and will hold her teammates accountable. Liv has great poise, reads the play well, and makes good decisions with the ball. She has the ability to play across many lines which will provide great flexibility."

		Kendall Weedling Center Valley, Pa./Southern Lehigh HS Forward Weedling joins the Cardinals from Center Valley, Pa., where she was a four-year letterwinner at 2011 Colonial League and PIAA District 11 Champion and state quarterfinalist Southern Lehigh High School. She was the leading scorer for her high school team and was among the Morning Call and Lehigh Valley Area Top Ten Scoring Leaders. Weedling earned first team All-State, Morning Call All-Area, Colonial League honors in 2011. She also participated in the 2011 Disney Field Hockey Showcase. In 2010, Weedling was selected for the Junior National Camp and the Junior Olympics. She has competed for USFHA Futures Elite from (2010-12), participated in the National Field Hockey Festival in 2008 and was a Gold medalist in 2010 and competed in the National Indoor Tournament from 2008-10, winning the Gold medal in 2009. Weedling on choosing Louisville "I chose the University of Louisville because I could not imagine myself going to school and playing field hockey anywhere else." Justine Sowry on Kendall Weedling "Kendall was passionate about Louisville from the first day she stepped onto campus. She is one of the fastest athletes I have witnessed and that speed is something we look forward to on our attacking line. Combine athleticism with great three-dimensional skills and a competitive mindset, Kendall will provide a punch that will be noticeable."

		Tori Nuccio Jackson, N.J./Jackson Liberty (Miami, Ohio) Midfielder/Back Tori Nuccio joins the Cardinals from Miami (Ohio) University, where she played in 21 games with 16 starts in the backfield during her freshman season. She hails from Jackson, N.J., where she was a three-year letterwinner for Jackson Liberty High School. The three-time first team All-County, and two-time All Coaches Division selection scored 37 goals and had 20 assists in her high school career. She was also a third-team All-Shore selection and an Ocean County Senior All-Star team selection in 2009. Nuccio also lettered in lacrosse and was a team captain and first team All-Defense Ocean County pick in 2010. Nuccio played for the Spirit eagles from 2007-2010 and helped her team win the qualifier for the National Indoor Tournament in 2010. She also participated in the National Field Hockey Festival, National Indoor Tournament and Disney Showcase from 2007-09. Tori on Louisville "I chose U of L because it provided me with the best opportunity to succeed athletically and academically. Also, the overall support made my decision easy to want to transfer here. The team made me feel very welcome as soon as I arrived on campus. I am very happy with the decision I made to become a Louisville Cardinal. Justine Sowry on Tori Nuccio "Tori has settled nicely into the spring season at Louisville. She brings focus, intensity and competitiveness to every session. Because of her previous collegiate experience, she possesses a different defensive skill set which she can teach to our group. Her experience, winning attitude and mental toughness will be significant factors in contributing to her success as a Cardinal."

		Victoria Stratton Auckland, New Zealand/Saint Kentigem (Auckland University of Technology) Defender Stratton played for the Premier high school team from 2006-10. She was team captain from 2008-10 and was the team MVP in 2007, 2008 and 2010 and helped lead her team to a first place finish in the Kate Trolove Cup in 2008. In 2009, she was named Female Hockey Player of the Year. Stratton played for the Howick and Pakuranga club teams and attended the Auckland Hockey Academy from 2010-11. She was a member of the Auckland Women's team in her age groups from 2003-11 and helped her teams to national titles in 2009 and 2010 - when she was named MVP of the championship. She was also named Most Promising Player in 2010 and 2011 in the Premier I Women's team. She also played rugby, tennis and ran cross country. Victoria on choosing Louisville "I chose Louisville because it looked like a school that could make me a better person, academically and as an athlete. The facilities are amazing. The field hockey team was so welcoming and friendly. Making the decision to come to Louisville was the best decision I have made in my life so far. I am proud to say I am a Cardinal. Go Cards." Justine Sowry on Victoria Stratton "The process for Victoria to become a Louisville Cardinal was long and challenging, but was well worth the effort. Vic is a terrific leader in the backfield and as she gains confidence and familiarity with the demands and style of collegiate field hockey, she will take off in leaps and bounds. Her athleticism and her ability to distribute the ball out of the backfield are already proving to be tremendous strengths. As she continues to develop she will be a force to be reckoned with and a potent weapon for our program."

University of Louisville Athletics

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Megan Anstotz

Olivia Cabral

Tori Nuccio

Victoria Stratton

Kendall Weedling

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