June 6, 2008

Loudonville, N.Y. - Siena field hockey coach Bill Davidson announced today the additions of eight incoming freshmen who will enroll at Siena and join the program beginning this fall. Jenna Gifford, Erin Gross, Rachelle Grover, Ashley Knox, Jess Murphy, Jennifer Reich, Mackenzie Smith and Sarah Szewczyk will comprise the Siena field hockey class of 2012.

A native of nearby East Greenbush, N.Y., Gifford was a key contributor for the past four years on both the field hockey and lacrosse teams at Columbia High. A First Team All-Star, she was also named a Times Union All-Star and won a bronze medal at the Empire State games. A true student-athlete, she was also named a scholar athlete and won her team's sportsmanship award.

Gross, who hails from Sayville, N.Y., earned four letters in field hockey and one in lacrosse at Sayville High. A strong offensive player, Gross led her team in goals during her freshman season. She also excelled in the classroom as well, earning the Athletic Honor Roll Award each of her four years in high school.

Grover joins the Saints from Salem, N.Y. where she was a multi-sport athlete competing in field hockey, basketball and softball. As a team captain at Salem Central High, she was named a Scholar Athlete during all four of her years and was named First Team Post Star for each of her final two seasons.

A native of nearby Ghent, N.Y., Knox also excelled in three sports, earning four letters in swimming, three in field hockey and two in softball at Taconic Hills High. She was an integral part of three Patroon Conference Championship teams and was named a First Team All-Star during both her junior and senior seasons. An All New York State Field Hockey team selection, Knox was also named MVP her senior season.

Murphy was a four year starter at forward and midfield at Millbrook High in Clinton Corners, N.Y. She also earned four letters in basketball, two in softball and one in track. She led her team to the Section IX Championship game as a junior and during her senior season she was named to the Mid-Hudson Athletic League and Poughkeepsie Journal Second Teams and was both an MHAL and NYS Scholar Athlete.

Reich, a native of Montauk, N.Y., comes to Siena fresh off a successful high school career at East Hampton High. A team captain during her senior season, Reich was selected to the Suffolk County High School All-Tournament team as a junior after being named the junior varsity MVP the previous year. In the classroom, she is a member of the National Honor Society, the Century Club and has been a Scholar Athlete each of her four years.

Smith, who hails from New Preston, Conn., was a four year starter in field hockey at Shepaug Valley High, while also earning two letters in swimming and diving and softball and one in track and field. A two-time Berkshire League All-Star and Scholar Athlete Award recipient, Smith also scored the winning goal for the Connecticut Nutmegs Gold Medal winning team. In addition, she was a standout contributor for the Connecticut team at the 2007 Cape Cod Classic, garnering All-Tournament Team honors.

Finally Szewczyk, a native of Effingham, N.H., earned four letters in field hockey and three in softball at Kingswood Regional. The Class I Player of the Year her senior season, she also received recognition on the Union Leader All-Star team, Foster's Player of the Year and was selected as a member of the Twin State team.

The eight incoming freshmen join a field hockey program that went 2-12 overall last season and 1-6 in the Northeast Conference. The Saints begin the second year of the Davidson era on Aug. 30 at Colgate.