Four High School Seniors Ink National Letters to Join Red Flash Field Hockey Squad
LORETTO, Pa. (June 12, 2006) – Four high school seniors from four different states signed national letters of intent to join the Saint Francis field hockey team during the 2006 season, head coach Liz deSimas announced on Monday.
Sara Dittmann (State College, Pa./State College), Therese Nunnally (El Cajon, Calif./Cathedral Catholic), Allison Severage (Garwood, N.J./Arthur L. Johnson), and Mary Wright (Virginia Beach, Va./Kempsville) will all compete for playing time when the Red Flash season begins on Aug. 29.
“We are very eager to begin the 2006 season with these four young women joining our team,” said deSimas, who will enter her third season at the helm of the Saint Francis field hockey program. “We made great strides last season, and I feel that we are on the verge of taking the next step in the development of Saint Francis field hockey. Sara, Therese, Allison and Mary will be able to help in that progress.”
Dittmann is a goalkeeper out of State College Area High School, where she played for head coach Cindy Solic. She led the Little Lions to a 15-2-4 record, a District 6 Class AAA title and a PIAA semi-regional win during her senior season. She also helped State College win a district title in 2003. She had a career 86.0 save percentage, and received the freshman field hockey award, as well as the Tri-Valley Scholar-Athlete award while playing for the Little Lions. Dittman, who plans on majoring in Elementary Education/Special Education at Saint Francis, received the Power of the Paws award, East Coach Field Hockey award, and a Girl Scout Gold award during her high school career. Her father, Jerry, earned his Master’s Degree from Saint Francis in 1990.
Nunnally played midfield for head coach Gretchen Tornabene at Cathedral Catholic High School, where she was the team MVP on her way to helping the Dons to a 17-5-1 record in 2005. She was a 2004 and 2005 San Diego County All-League First Team selection, as well as a 2004 and 2005 San Diego County All-Section First Team honoree. She led Cathedral Catholic in total points in 2003, 2004 and 2005, capping off her career with 8 goals and 18 assists in 2005. During her senior campaign, Nunnally was named to the all-tournament team at the Serra Tournament, and was named the tournament MVP at the South Bay/Bonita Tournament. Also an outfielder on her high school softball team, Nunnally is undecided on her major at Saint Francis University.
Severage played attack for head coach Katrina Anderson-Dobbins at Arthur L. Johnson High School, where she was a North Jersey Third Team selection. During her senior year, she was named to the Union County Coaches First Team, the Union County Star-Ledger First Team, the All-Mountain Valley Conference First Team, and the All-State Star-Ledger Group II Third Team. Severage scored 28 goals and assisted on 24 more goals during her career, which was capped off with a Mountain Valley Conference championship in 2005. Also a winter and spring track & field participant in high school, Severage is undecided on her major.
Wright played forward for head coach Eileen Sutton at Kempsville High School, garnering the team’s MVP award and Second Team All-Beach District honors during her senior year. As a team captain, Wright scored 9 goals and had 6 assists in 2005, and she posted 12 goals and 6 assists in 2004. Also a participant in swimming and track & field, she was named to the French Honor Society, and helped as an athletic trainer for the swimming and track & field teams. Wright plans to major in Physical Therapy at Saint Francis.