U-M Adds Five Players During National Signing Period
2/14/2005 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- University of Michigan head field hockey coach Marcia Pankratz announced today (Monday, Feb. 14) that five student-athletes -- Erin Dallas (Marlow, N.H./Keene State HS), Stephanie Hoyer (Englewood, Colo./Cherry Creek HS), Michaela McDermott (Shaker Heights, Ohio/Shaker Heights HS), Paige Pickett (Dallas, Texas/Episcopal School) and Sarah Wilhite (Hummelstown, Pa./Hershey HS) -- have signed National Letters of Intent, commiting to attend and compete in field hockey at U-M in the fall of 2005.
"It's an outstanding class," said Pankratz, "and it's very balanced with athletic, smart hockey players that love to compete and want to be champions and are excellent students. They have everything that we're looking for -- great character, excellent students, great athletes, great work ethic, a lot of leadership. They have that intangible of wanting to be great and doing everything they can to bring success. We expect several of them to step on the field and hit the ground running."
Dallas, a midfielder, will join the Michigan program after serving as a four-year starter at Keene State High School. Leading her high school team in scoring all four years, Dallas was a three-time all-state first team selection (2002, '03, '04) and earned second-team honors as a freshman (2001). Dallas was a three-year member of the United States Field Hockey Association's Futures Elite program and competed at the 2005 "A" Camp after twice participating in the "B" Camp.
"Erin is tenacious," said Pankratz. "She's a natural goal scorer, which is a necessity for every team. She has great hockey sense and brings a real knack for scoring goals. She has a determined attitude and a work ethic that will push everybody to play hard."
Hoyer, a forward, comes to Michigan as the top high school prospect out of Colorado. The state's leading scorer with 15 goals and 17 assists, she garnered Player of the Year accolades by both the Denver Post and Rocky Mountain Times in her senior season. A three-time all-state selection, Hoyer helped Cherry Creek to a state championship in 2002 and a runner-up performance in 2003. Hoyer was a two-year selection to the Futures Elite program and participated in the "A" and "B" Camps in 2004 and 2005.
"Stephanie is extremely fast," said Pankratz. "She brings April Fronzoni-like speed back to our team; she'll be able to keep up with (Mary) Fox up there. That's always a dangerous asset; you can't teach it, and it's really hard to defend. She also has great skills to complement her speed, so we expect her to be a threat from the get-go."
A midfielder, McDermott was named the Cleveland Plain Dealer's Player of the Year and earned all-state honors in each of her last three seasons. McDermott was also a three-time selection to the USFHA Futures Elite program (2003, '04, '05) and competed in 2004 European tour to Holland with the U16 team. An accomplished lacrosse player, McDermott was a member of the Shaker Heights team that captured the 2002 state championships and claimed runner-up honors in 2003.
"Michaela is a versatile athlete," said Pankratz. "She has tremendous potential and will add great depth to our lineup. She is going to be able to come in and certainly fill the role we need her to fill."
Pickett, a goalkeeper, spent the last three years competing at the Episcopal School of Dallas, where she was named the most valuable player in 2003 and earned back-to-back All-Southwest Preparatory honors (2003, 04). A three-year participant of the USFHA Futures program, Pickett played for Team Gateway SW -- along with current Wolverine Keri DeVos (Fort Worth, Texas/Country Day HS) -- and the Houston Hockey Club in the 2003 and 2004 USFHA National Field Hockey Festivals.
"Paige is athletic and very quick," said Pankratz. "The goalkeeping position is critical, and she has very solid skills and can certainly hold her own in the cage. Paige will combine with Beth Riley to form a very strong team back there."
Wilhite, a forward, comes to the Wolverines after serving as a starter for four years at Hershey High School, where she earned NFHCA High School All-America second team honors in 2004. Wilhite is a four-year Futures Elite participant and three times competed in the "A" and "B" Camps (2003, '04, '05).
"I think Sarah's greatest attribute will be her field presence," said Pankratz. "She's going to be a tremendous leader; she has that moxie, that air of leadership that commands the field. We expect her to really step in and contribute right away. That's an intangible quality that is really outstanding."
The Wolverines (17-6, 5-1 Big Ten) wrapped up the 2004 season with its sixth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance. U-M was also regular-season tri-champions in the Big Ten, marking their fifth title in the last six years, and won the conference tournament for the third time in program history.
| Name | Pos. | Hometown (High School) |
| Erin Dallas | M | Marlow, N.H (Keene State) |
| Stephanie Hoyer | F | Englewood, Colo. (Cherry Creek) |
| Michaela McDermott | M | Shaker Heights, Ohio (Shaker Heights) |
| Paige Pickett | GK | Dallas, Texas (Episcopal School) |
| Sarah Wilhite | F | Hummelstown, Pa. (Hershey) |
Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423
