Pennridge seniors Courtney Wolff, Shannon Zickler and Stef Sokol were honored at a signing ceremony on February 9, 2009.
Courtney Wolff – West Chester University (Field Hockey)
Final list of colleges: Temple, Northwestern, St. Joseph’s, Bloomsburg, Kutztown, East Stroudsburg, West Chester
Major: Kinesiology: health and physical education with a minor in coaching
Reasons for choosing West Chester: “I wanted a college that was not too far from my family and friends. I was also looking for somewhere that I could get a great education and also be able to play on the field hockey team. When I went on my official visit, West Chester University felt right. I liked the girls, the campus and the surrounding town. It is close enough for me to travel to Philadelphia and New York. When I asked other teachers about West Chester’s kinesiology program, they told me it was one of the best. Overall, it was the college that offered me everything I wanted.”College expectations: “I would really like to earn playing time as a freshman and hopefully earn the respect of the coaches to become a starter later in the season. I hope to maintain a 3.5 or higher GPA in my freshman year. I believe I will have to find a balance between academics and schedule demands of playing a Division One sport.”
Pennridge athletic accomplishments: Service Award for field hockey as an 11th and 12 grader; Suburban One All-League, Continental SOL All-Star in 12th grade, Captain of 2008 Pennridge field hockey team, 2008-09 captain of X-Calibur Liberty indoor team, USFHA National Regional Rumble Gold Medal Winner for field hockey in 2008; three-year lacrosse player and honorable mention 2007 for lacrosse; attended the Euro-tour and played hockey for 13 days in Europe.
Pennridge academic accomplishments: Distinguished and Honor rolls every marking period for high school; member of National Honor Society; Executive Council since freshman year; Mathematics Award in 9th grade; Social Studies Award in 10th and 11th grades; Latin 3 Award and Ceramics Award in 11th grade; member of Stand Tall and several other organizations.
When did the idea of playing field hockey at the collegiate level become a reality? “Every time I stepped onto the field, I said, ‘I want to keep playing every day,’ and I wanted to go to college and play and keep doing what I love.”
Career plans: “When I finish college, I hope to be a physical education teacher at Pennridge High School and eventually the head field hockey coach as well!”
Coach Jen Wolfe says: “She’s a worker. She has earned everything she has gotten. I can’t take any credit for what she’s done. She’s worked really hard. She’s a marvelous indoor player. She definitely has ball control, and she definitely is a stick handler. She sees the field and she knows the game so well, so when it comes down to game situations, she knows how to react, she knows what to do because she has that experience.”
Shannon Zickler – University of Maryland (Soccer)
Final list of colleges: West Chester, Drexel, Morehead State, Monmouth, Maryland
Major: Undecided
Reasons for choosing Maryland: “I was looking for a college that made me feel at home with a great soccer program and an even better academic program. I chose Maryland because of the outstanding soccer program and athletic facilities on campus, the wide array of majors, the location and the beautiful campus in College Park.”College expectations: “I hope to compete for the starting goalkeeper position and improve my all-around game. In the classroom, I would like to maintain a minimum of 3.5 GPA.
Pennridge athletic accomplishments: Four-year starting goalie; 26 shutouts in three seasons; 0.788 goals against average; All-Conference honorable mention as a ninth grader; All Southeast Pennsylvania Area Honorable Mention; All-Conference second team and team coach’s award as a 10th grader; All Southeast Pennsylvania Area first team selection and All-Conference second team as an 11th grader; team MVP as 11th grader; High School MVP.
Pennridge academic accomplishments: Distinguished Honor Roll, Member of the National Honor Society, Pennridge High School Student Ambassador
When did the idea of playing soccer at the collegiate level become a reality? “It’s always been a goal for me ever since I knew about college. I always wanted to continue playing. I know other girls who have gone, and they love it.”
Coach Jorge Rodriguez says: “She’s very athletic, but on top of being athletic for a goalkeeper, I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone as fearless in goal as Shannon. She’s great at coming off the line and coming out for anything outside her 18-yard box. She’s not afraid to get stuck in, she’s not afraid to come out for a ball in the air in traffic. She’s not afraid to get hit, she’s not afraid to take a shot at point-blank (range). She’s extremely fearless. She’s got the work rate to make it at the collegiate level, and she clearly has the physical traits for it. I think she will do very well in college. For a goalkeeper, she’s got just about the total package you’d want for a D-1 college program.”
Stef Sokol – Wagner College (Water Polo)
Final list of colleges: Albright, Kutztown, Wagner
Major: Marketing Management
Reasons for choosing Wagner: “I was looking for a school with competitive water polo and an accelerated business program that offered internships that would help me to understand what a career in business would be like. I chose to accept Wagner’s offer not only because of its water polo program but also because of its location and prestigious business program.”College expectations: “As a freshman, I hope to learn as much about the sport of water polo and become the best player I can be. I’m excited to travel with my team and represent Wagner College. Academically, I hope to maintain a GPA of at least 3.0 in order to create a successful career for myself.”
Pennridge athletic accomplishments: Varsity swimming (9, 10th & 11th grades) was MVP Freshman and team MVP in 10th and 11th grades. Varsity water polo (11th and 12th grades); named “Ms. Water Polo” and all-state honorable mention (12th grade)
Pennridge academic accomplishments: Honor Roll and/or Distinguished Honor Roll all four years, GPA of 3.571 going into senior year
When did the idea of playing water polo at the collegiate level become a reality? “I started playing water polo my freshman year, and ever since I started playing, I loved it, and that’s when I started thinking about playing in college.”
Coach James Bauman says: “She really worked hard in the season and the off-season. I was a new coach last year. She really listened in practices and games and really worked to learn what she needed to do. She has great size for water polo, and she’s a good swimmer. She’s got the attributes that you need for her position (center). She’s the one we mainly ran our offense through. When I met her as a junior, I knew this was something she wanted to do. We talked about it in the off-season, and I told her what she needed to do, and she did that.”
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