FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Fairfield University Field Hockey and Head Coach Jackie Kane are pleased to announce eleven new additions to the team for the upcoming 2018 season. This year's incoming class consists of ten freshmen from three different states as well as Germany and Argentina.  The eleventh player is a graduate student from Scotland.
 
"I am really excited about this group of incoming players" said Kane.  "They come from some of the top club programs in the country and internationally. We are looking for these young players to step up into significant roles this season as they represent half of our roster."
 
Gabby Saxon
A midfielder from Gwynedd Mercy Academy High School in Pennsylvania, Gabby Saxon was an Honors student who had success with her high school team and her club team, the Main Line Mayhem Field Hockey Club.  She was an AACA (Athletic Association of Catholic Academies) All-Star in 2016, 2017, and 2018 as well as a Pennsylvania PIAA All-Star for the 2017-18 season.  Her high school team won the District 1 Class A Championship in 2017 and Saxon was also named a captain of her the team this past season. 
 
Erica Kelly
Erica Kelly was a defender and midfielder while she was in high school at North Penn in Towamencin Township, Pennsylvania.  She was an honors student in high school and received the Anne Ainstine Memorial Award and North Penn Pride Award for her academic achievements.   Kelly was named to the All-League third team in 2016.  In 2017, Kelly was named to the All-League first team and All-State second team and received the Pennsylvania High School Field Hockey Coaches Association (PHSFHCA) senior academic award.  She was also honored with the NFHCA coaches academic award in both 2016 and 2017.  She will also join her FSC Club teammates Emily Halderson and Mackenzie Boyle with the Stags this season.
 
Malen Iglesias
A midfielder and defender from Buenos Aires, Argentina, Iglesias was a captain of her club field hockey team Ba.Na.De. and was a National Honors Society member.  She also played varsity soccer in high school.  She received the best player of the year award for her club in both 2013 and 2015 and was on the Maryland University Camp All-Star team in 2017.  Iglesias intends to study management in the fall. 
 
Michaela Harrington
Michaela was a midfielder and forward for Lake Braddock Secondary School and Rampage Club field hockey in Burke, Virginia.  She was named first All-Conference in both 2016 and 2017.  She was also named second team All-Region in 2017 and was a part of the All-Region Tournament Team.  Off the pitch, Harrington was on the Athletic Honor Roll.  She is currently undeclared but has an interest in international relation and economics.  
 
Iona Armour
A graduate student from Edinburgh, Scotland, Armour was a midfielder for Mary Erskine School and her club team Grove Menzieshill.  She attended the University of St. Andrews as an undergraduate. Armour played U15, U16, and U18 winning four inter-district titles before continuing her success in U21.  She was a captain of sport at her school and received full colors in field hockey.  She will begin her studies at Fairfield to receive her Master of Arts in Communications. 
 
Ymke Huisman
Huisman hails from Valkenswaard, a small town in the south of the Netherlands where she played midfield for her club field hockey team, H.O.D. Valkenswaard since she was six years old.  She was selected to attend the KNHB Hockey Academy at Oranje-Zwart and was named to the South of Netherlands team by the Dutch National Hockey federation.  She attended school at SG Were Di where she was an honors student and she intends to study Communication this year. 
 
Mackenzie Boyle
Mackenzie Boyle was a midfielder and honors student at Central Bucks High School East in Doylestown, Pennsylvania.  Her team was back to back Suburban One League Continental Conference champions in 2016 and 2017 and Boyle was named to the Suburban One Continental Conference First Team in 2017.  She also was named First Team All-State PIAA AAA in 2017, CB East 2016 Defensive Player of the Year, and received the CB East 2017 Unsung Hero Award.  Boyle also found success with her club team, FSC Field Hockey as they were three-time National Indoor Tournament Pool winners, two-time Junior Premier Indoor League Champions, and made it to the U19 National Club Championship in 2017.  Boyle will study nursing in the fall.
 
Faith Spaziano
Spaziano comes to Fairfield from Long Valley, New Jersey as a four-year honor roll student. She played for Total Dutch from 2012-2018. She starred as a high school varsity player for all four years and served as captain in the 2017 season.  Spaziano holds her high school's record for Career Points (210) and Career Goals (78).  She won "Rookie of the Year" in 2014, Offensive Player of the Year from 2015-2017 and was an NJAC Conference First team selection three years straight.  Spaziano was awarded Third Team All-State Group 3 in 2015, and Second Team in the same class for 2016 and 2017. She was a First Team North Jersey Group 3 selection 2015-2017 and First Team All-County in the same respective years. Faith will study Marketing this coming school year.
 
Ava Leonhardt
A midfielder and forward for Notre Dame Academy and the WC Eagles, Leonhardt comes to Fairfield from Media, Pennsylvania. She was a National Club Champion in 2014, an ESPN World Wide Sports Disney Showcase Champion in 2015, and a NIT Champion from 2014-2017 with WC Eagles. She served as team captain for her high school in 2017 and was awarded First Team All Inter AC and Second Team All Delco in 2017 as well.  Leonhardt intends on pursuing her studies in Business.
 
Jolanda Richter
Jolanda Richter is a midfielder and forward from Berlin, Germany where she had success with her club team, TuSLichterfelde.  Richter was a member of the Berlin Elite team for five years winning the Berlin Championship three times.  She was also an East German Champion in 2015 and came in second place in 2018.  She plans to study economics when she arrives this fall. 
 
Luzi Persiehl
A defender from Germany, Pershiehl comes to us from the Großflottbeker THGC club and Gymnasium Hochrad school teams. Her and her club won the Hamburg Championship and qualified for the German National Championship in multiple seasons. She intends on studying International Business at Fairfield this Fall.