If ever two teammates deserved to be inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame the same year, it is Vera Schoenfeld and Michele Barnard. They played together for four years. They were both All-Americans midfielders. They both won the Mildred Barnes Award as the University's Outstanding Female Student-Athlete.
They both held school records five years after they stopped competing for the Terriers. They both combined to give the Terrier field hockey team its best penalty corner combination. Even head coach Sally Starr nominated the two of them for the Hall of Fame at the same time, hoping the induction would become a reality.
"I am sure that Vera and Michele are excited," said head coach Sally Starr, who at the time had coached eight Hall of Famers including Chris LaPointe, Terry Geldart, Sally Maxell, Lisa Barone, Patrice Schena Cachat and Lori Heywood Hand in addition to Michele and Vera. "But they are as excited for the other person as they are of themselves.
"That's what they were about when they were playing here. They did whatever was necessary for the team to win."
Obviously, they did much for the team to win.
During their four-year careers, they played on teams that had a combined record of 60-24-1 and advanced to the NCAA tournament twice. Their 1996 team was ranked No. 7 in the nation, while they were No. 9 in 1995.
"The success of our teams mirrored the success enjoyed by both Michele and Vera," said Starr.
Vera scored 55 goals and accounted for 152 points during her career, marks that were still school records at the time of her induction.
Her freshman year, she was named the Conference Rookie of the Year, while she was First Team All-Conference as a sophomore. It was her junior year, though, when the honors came flowing.
During the season, she set or equaled six scoring records and was named First Team All-American. She was also First Team All-Region and All-Conference and received the Barnes Award. An outstanding student, as well, she was voted GTE/CoSIDA Academic All-American.
The following year, she had 16 goals and 17 assists and was named the New England College Athletic Conference Division I Athlete of the Year. She was also voted GTE/CoSIDA Academic All-America for the second year, received the ECAC's Division I Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year and received the Gretchen Schuyler Award as the University's Female Athlete of the Year.
Her play earned her First Team All-American recognition along with First Team All-Region, First Team All-Conference, was named the America East Player of the Year and received the Barnes Award.Â
