On Feb. 4, 2011, seven Central Bucks South seniors were recognized for signing letters of intent to play field hockey at the collegiate level.
“This was an extremely special group of girls,” Central Bucks South coach Christina Ford said. “Many of them were on varsity as freshmen, and ultimately, they have been playing together for three or four years on the varsity level. They were just an extremely talented group.
“It’s rare that you will have all the starters on your team extremely talented and then seven going on to play at the collegiate level, and the others could have if they had wanted to. They kind of just thrived off of one another.”
Jessie Accurso – Yale University (Field Hockey)
Major: Political ScienceFinal list of colleges: Yale, Harvard, Wesleyan, Kenyon
Reasons for choosing Yale: “It’s the greatest mix of great athletics and great academics. It’s the best out there, and I’m really excited.”
What was the progression that led you to playing collegiate field hockey? “I always knew I wanted to play in college. It started in my junior year. I did a lot of traveling with club, and last year I did a lot of camps just to get myself out there. It was an exciting process, and I couldn’t ask for a better outcome.”
Coach Christina Ford says: “Jessie was a three-year varsity player who played left forward. She is known for giving 100 percent of herself in practice and in a game. She works hard, gives her all and used her speed and skill on the left side and was there for many goals from the left post this season.”
Casey Haegele – Penn State University (Field Hockey)
Major: Physical EducationFinal list of colleges: Penn State, Syracuse
Reasons for choosing Penn State: “I just loved it there. I visited last year in the spring, and after that, I knew that’s where I wanted to go. Just the environment – everyone is so happy. It’s so awesome.”
What was the progression that led you to playing collegiate field hockey? “I always thought I wanted to play a sport in college, but I never knew whether it was field hockey or lacrosse. In 10th grade, I decided more toward field hockey. It was a very difficult decision.”
Coach Christina Ford says: “Casey was on the varsity for four years. She played forward, but this past season she played center mid with Maddie Harding. Casey is just one of those dynamic players to watch. She has incredible dribbling and stick skills, and she can maneuver around anyone on the field. She was called upon many times to take out the other team’s best players to make sure they didn’t get the ball, and if they did, she had great skills to get possession back.”
Madison Harding – Villanova University (Field Hockey)
Major: NursingFinal list of colleges: Villanova, Duke, Lafayette, American
Reasons for choosing Villanova: “I took into consideration the distance from my house and my major because I knew what I wanted to do, which is nursing. I go to Lafayette a lot because we do a lot of clinics there, and I know the coach, but they didn’t have my major. I went to Duke, and I absolutely loved it there. It was so close to me going there – they had a pre-med major, but they didn’t have nursing. I always liked Villanova – my mom went there.”
What was the progression that led you to playing collegiate field hockey? “I always wanted to do it. The recruiting process was a long process. There were so many schools. I started contacting coaches in seventh or eighth grade. I knew where I was going since last December, and it was a complete weight off my shoulders.”
Coach Christina Ford says: “Maddie was a four-year varsity player, and she was just a staple on CB South’s hockey field. She really had composure and game awareness that made her a threat in any position – defense to attack. She was able to support her teammates from her midfield position.”
Colleen Kempf – La Salle University (Field Hockey)
Major: Speech PathologyFinal list of colleges: La Salle, Cornell, ODU, Marywood, Scranton
Reasons for choosing La Salle: “I really wanted a school with my major, and I really like La Salle – how it was self-contained and a small school. It had a really good program, and I liked the girls on the hockey team. I went for an overnight, and I really enjoyed it.”
What was the progression that led you to playing collegiate field hockey? “I always wanted to play hockey in college. My sister plays at Scranton, and I’ve pretty much always known I wanted to play.
“The recruiting process was difficult, but as soon as I visited La Salle, I pretty much knew that’s where I wanted to go.”
Coach Christina Ford says: “Colleen was a four-year varsity player. She was the spark on the team because she used her speed and her skill to just fly down that right side. She was really a transitional player from defense to offense for us, and she led many of our attacks. The field hockey ball can tend to slow people down, but her speed just increased when she got the ball on her stick.”
Casey McGowan – Indiana University of Pennsylvania (Field Hockey)
Major: Physical EducationFinal list of colleges: IUP, Kutztown, St. Joseph’s University
Reasons for choosing IUP: “I really liked the coach. He was really nice, and the campus is all brand new, and the girls were really fun.”
What was the progression that led you to playing collegiate field hockey? “I was unsure about whether or not I wanted to play hockey in college, but when I started playing indoor in ninth grade, I knew that’s what I wanted to do. I went to a lot of tournaments, e-mailed coaches. At times the recruiting process was really stressful – not knowing where I wanted to go, but other than that, it was an exciting process.”
Coach Christina Ford says: “Casey was a three-year varsity player who played left back or left mid. She played on the hard side of the field, and throughout the years, she improved to become a very dynamic left side player. We were really able to count on her skills to get the ball out of the defensive end by working it up their non-stick side. She really impressed everyone on the team with her skill over there.”
Brittany Varacallo – Indiana University of Pennsylvania (Field Hockey)
Major: Speech PathologyFinal list of colleges: IUP, St Louis (MO)
Reasons for choosing IUP: “I really bonded with the coach and the IUP team. The girls on the team were very outgoing and welcoming and made me feel like I was already on the team when I made my visit. It was really a good time.”
What was the progression that led you to playing collegiate field hockey? “I started thinking about playing hockey in college my sophomore year when I took my first trip to Disney for a Showcase with my travel team. I went with my dad – he is the number one supporter in my life.”
Coach Christina Ford says: “Brittany played goalie, and it was difficult having two senior goalkeepers at a position that doesn’t really get as much share time as other positions. She has very good technical skills and was very aggressive in the way she was able to beat players 1v1 with her diving ability.”
Katie Walsh – St. Joseph’s University (Field Hockey)
Major: EducationFinal list of colleges: St. Joe’s, Penn State, Immaculata
Reasons for choosing St. Joe’s: “I actually didn’t think playing hockey in college was a possibility for a long time. The St. Joe’s coach contacted me after I went to the National Hockey Festival. It was a big surprise. I thought I was going to Immaculata and playing a sport there or else not playing a sport at all.
“I was thrilled with the opportunity. I loved the campus when I visited. I heard so many great things about the program – I knew a couple of girls there, and that really convinced me.”
What was the progression that led you to playing collegiate field hockey: “Since my sophomore year, I realized I really enjoyed field hockey, and I started working more at it. I knew I wanted to play, but I never thought I would have a chance to play D-1.
“I was having a hard time deciding between Immaculata and Penn State. I didn’t know if I would really like it at Immaculate just to play field hockey, or should I go to Penn State and give that up. That was going to be a hard decision, so I’m glad I’m getting the best of both worlds. It will be a lot of fun.”
Coach Christina Ford says: “Katie played right back for us, and she stands out as just a girl who is passionate about the game of field hockey. Her dedication and her hard work made her a stellar defender for us all season.”
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