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Blue Hen field hockey team signs 5 recruits

9:17 a.m., Feb. 8, 2005--Five high school standouts have signed NCAA letters of intent to compete for the University of Delaware field hockey team, which captured its first Colonial Athletic Association title and advanced to the NCAA tournament last fall.

UD Head Coach Carol Miller said the players, all from Delaware, are forward Jessica Cortellino of Harrington, forward Casey Howard of Camden, midfielder Erin Marihugh of Delaware City, forward Taryn Neeman of Felton and midfielder Danielle Renken of Rehoboth Beach. All five were All-State selections in 2004.

"We believe we have not only acquired the five best field hockey athletes from within the state and the region,” Miller said, adding she believes the players are also “among the top in the country."

"Many have received acknowledgment for their talents on the national level,” Miller said. “We have had our eyes on them for a long time by observing them at our clinics, camps and United States Field Hockey Association developmental programs. These five have committed themselves to playing field hockey all year around and have a special connection to one another already, having either played together or against one another. It is our hope to feed off those connections and to continue the development of one of our strongest attributes within our program­team unity and chemistry."

Cortellino earned second team All-State honors and first team All-Henlopen Conference South honors at Lake Forest High School in 2004, leading the team to a 13-4-1 record and a spot in the state quarterfinals. She scored a season-high three goals against Delmar. She is the daughter of Robin and Robert Fleming, both UD graduates.

Howard was a two-time first team All-State and first team All-Henlopen Conference North selection in 2003 and 2004 and led Caesar Rodney High School to a 19-1 record and the 2004 state title. She led the state in scoring last fall with 33 goals and eight assists and was named to the National Field Hockey Coaches Association All-South Region team. She scored a season-high four goals twice and netted two or more goals five other times. She also led Caesar Rodney High to the state semifinals in 2003. She is the daughter of Cathy and Kevin Howard.

Marihugh was a first team All-State and first team All-Blue Hen Conference selection in 2004 at William Penn High School and a second team All-State pick in 2003. She was among her team's top scorers with 10 goals for the 2004 season. She led William Penn High to a record of 12-4-1, the Blue Hen Conference title and a spot in the state tournament. She is the daughter of Joyce and Manny Panebianco.

Neeman was a two-time first team All-State and first team All-Henlopen Conference South selection in 2003 and 2004 for Lake Forest High School, leading the squad to a 13-4-1 record and a spot in the 2004 state quarterfinals. She scored 20 goals, including four in one game and three in four other contests, and had 11 assists last fall as she led the team to the Henlopen South title. She is the daughter of Roland and Nancy Neeman.

Renken earned first team All-State and first team All-Henlopen Conference North honors in 2004 when she had seven assists for Cape Henlopen High School. Cape Henlopen has advanced to the state semifinals four times in the last five seasons and was state runner-up last fall. She is the daughter of Jon and Judy Renken.

UD had seven players from Delaware on its 2004 NCAA tournament team roster, including senior All-American Erica LaBar, who played at William Penn High, and sophomore All-American and CAA Defensive Player of the Year Amanda Warrington, from Cape Henlopen High.

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