Field Hockey Signs Seven to National Letters of Intent
11/18/2014 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
EAST LANSING, Mich- Michigan State field hockey has announced that it will welcome six incoming freshmen to the roster for the 2015 season. Bailey Higgins (Louisville, KY), Alyssa Judd (Somerville, NJ), Amanda Robinson (Donegal, PA), Sam Siegel (Bedminster, NJ), Maddie Vann (Yorktown, VA) have all signed National Letters of Intent to enroll at Michigan State in the fall, while MSU also received an NLI from Makenzie Brown (Glasgow, Scotland), who will join the Spartans in January of 2016.
"I am excited to officially welcome Sam, Bailey, Alyssa, Maddie, Amanda, Madison and Makenzie to the Spartan family," said head coach Helen Knull. "The 2015 class provides great energy, passion and depth to the program. All seven of these young women bleed Green and White already, and they haven't even stepped on campus for their first class yet. As a group, they bring a lot of experience and a winning tradition from their high school and club programs."
Makenzie Brown
Midfield/Defender • Glasgow, Scotland/Kelvinside Academy
Scottish National Champions representing West of Scotland... Team Captain... Two-time school player of the year... School 1st XI captain elect 2014-15... Club young player of the year... Ran cross country in high school and was a Glasgow Schools cross country champion in 2012.
Knull on Brown: "Makenzie is following in her brothers footsteps to play college sports in the US. Mak has been in the Scottish U16 and U18 pipeline and will be bringing a wealth of experience to the Spartans."
Bailey Higgins
Defender • Louisville, KY/Assumption
Kentucky KHSAA State Champions... Miss Kentucky Field Hockey... Kentucky Tournament MVP and named to the All-Tournament Team ... Team finished with a final record of 22-3-1 her senior year... Played in the National Futures Tournament (2012-2014)... Played at the Junior Olympics in 2012 and 2013... Two-time varsity captain.
Knull on Higgins: "Bailey joins the Spartans and continues in the footsteps of other former Miss Kentucky Field Hockey award winners - Kristen Henn, Mallory Tyler and Kristin Matula. At Assumption High School in Louisville, Bailey helped lead the Rockets to a state title and also garnered the state tournament MVP."
Alyssa Judd
Goalkeeper • Somerville, NJ/ Somerville High School
NJSIAA North Jersey, Group 2 Section 2 semi-finalist her senior year and finished with a final record of 7-11-2... Made 41 saves in 2014 and 202 total saves in career... MVP of high school team... Earned varsity letter as a sophomore... Second Team All-County, Second Team All-Conference, and Third Team All-Area her junior year... Senior year team captain.
Knull on Judd: "Alyssa will be joining Sierra Patton and Katie Miller in our goal keeping unit. Alyssa possesses solid fundamentals and an aggressive style in the goal. We look forward to seeing her compete for time in the goal."
Madison O'Neill
Forward • Hummelstown, PA/ Lower Dauphin
Mid-Penn Keystone First Team All-Star...District III AAA Champions (GWG)... State Semi-Finalists... 23 goals and 15 assists her senior season and finished with 24-2 final record ... Falcon Classic All-Tournament team 2012 and 2014... Mid Penn Keystone All Star Team 2012-13... Two-time defending PIAA AAA State Champions (2012 and 2013)... District Three Champions (2011 and 2013)... Mid Penn Champions (2012, 2013 and 2014)...Mid Penn All Star 2014.
Knull on O'Neill: "Madison has a nose for the goal. She has the ability to score and assist on goals using her speed and skill execution. She joins us at Michigan State from Lower Dauphin where she has been coached by Linda Kreiser, who is one of the best high school coaches in the country. She teaches her players the intangibles - hard work, sportsmanship and a passion for the sport."
Amanda Robinson
Defender • Donegal, PA/ Donegal High School
Lancaster-Lebanon Section III First Team All-Star... District III AA Champions... Finished her senior season with seven goals and nine assists, leading her team to a 20-4 record... 2011 L-L League Section III honorable Mention...2012 L-L League Section III Second Team All-Star... 2013 L-L League Section III Second Team All-Star, First Team All-League, First team All-State.
Knull on Robinson: "Amanda is a true defender. She has been the anchor on her high school and club team, controlling the backfield with excellent communication and an aggressive mindset. She comes from a field hockey family, as her Mum played field hockey at Elizabethtown College and her older sister Katie graduated from University of Virginia in 2013."
Sam Siegel
Forward • Bedminster, NJ/ Bernards High School
Sectional Runner-Up her senior season and finished with a final record of 18-4, tallying 26 goals and 13 assists ... Scored 87 goals and 26 assists in her career... Was named a 2014 Player to Watch... First Team All-Conference (2012, 2013)... First Team All-Somerset County Coaches Association (2012, 2013)...First Team All-County Star Ledger (2013)...First Team All-North Jersey (2013)...First Team All-State (2013)... Played at the National Futures Championship (2012, 2013, 2014) and Junior Olympics (2012, 2013).
Knull on Siegel: "I have been following Sam's high school and club career since she was a freshman and it has been awesome watching her game develop. She is a ruthless forward who always plays with speed and intensity. I am looking forward to developing her game at the collegiate level and watching her style of play add to the Spartan offense."
Maddie Vann
Midfield/Forward • Yorktown, VA/ Tabb High School
All-Region First Team her senior year... 2014 Conference 19 All-Star Conference First Team... District Champions and state finalist in 2014... Barbara Longstreth Award Winner in 2010... NIT Champion 2012...AAU Junior Olympics Silver Medal in 2012... VHSL State Runner-Up in 2012... 2013 Disney Showcase Bronze Medal... 2013 VHSL State Semi-Finalist... 2014Disney Showcase Bronze Medal 2014... 2014 NFC Silver Medal.
Knull on Vann: "Maddie is coming to MSU after winning two state titles in her four years of high school. As soon as Maddie stepped on campus, it felt like home for her and the coaching staff knew it would be a good fit."
