Vera Schoenfeld
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Sport:
Field Hockey |
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Year
Graduated: 1997 |
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Year
Inducted: 2002 |
If ever two teammates deserved to be inducted into the Athletic
Hall of Fame the same year, it is Michele Barnard and Vera
Schoenfeld. They played together for four years. They were
both midfielders. They were both All-Americans. They both
won the Mildred Barnes Award as the University's Outstanding
Female Student-Athlete. They both still hold 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 in school history. Even head
coach Sally Starr nominated the two of them for the Hall of
Fame at the same time, hoping that tonight would become a
reality.
"I am sure that Vera and Michele are excited,"
said Coach Starr, who has now coached eight Hall of Famers
during her 22-year Terrier coaching career. The group includes
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," the coach continued. "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 seventh in the
nation, while they were ninth in 1995.
"The success of our teams mirrored the success enjoyed
by both Michele and Vera," said Coach Starr.
During her career, Vera scored 55 goals and accounted for
152 points, marks that are still school records.
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, in which 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
1 Athlete of the Year. She was also voted GTE/CoSIDA Academic
All-America for the second year, received the ECAC's Division
1 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.
