April 3, 2003
EVANSTON, Ill. - Northwestern head field hockey coach Marisa Didio did not waste any of her valuable recruiting time this offseason, inking her second consecutive class of seven signees for the upcoming 2003 season. One major difference from the 2002 class is the addition of in-state talent.
"I'm excited," said Didio. "The 2003 recruiting class is a great mix of position, individual talent and personality. This class will be coming into a united and directed company of Northwestern field hockey players. They will help us achieve the level of success we envision as a team."
Unlike the 2002 class, where all seven signees hailed from different parts of the U.S., this year's group includes three Chicagoland-area talents. Wenny Ng comes from Vernon Hills while Lauren Przyborowski and Stephanie Pullos both hail from River Forest. Ng, Przyborowski and Pullos were all named to an Illinois All-State team in their careers, with Ng and Przyborowski earning selections in 2001 and 2002.
Sticking to the Midwest, Didio signed Ohio standout Megan Sieberg. Sieberg garnered All-Ohio accolades as well as all-region honors in her career.
Not only did Didio and her staff locate local and regional talent, they went international by signing Canadian Sherri-Anne Nyberg. Nyberg hails from Kelowna, British Columbia, where she excelled in field hockey. Nyberg was selected for the 2003 Canadian Junior National Squad and was nominated for British Columbia's Athlete of the Year in 2002.
After finding 2002 signee Thadia Rintel, from Cape Elizabeth, Maine High School, Didio went back to the well and found Christina Foley. Foley, a 2002 Miss Maine Field Hockey nominee, was selected to Maine's All-State team her junior season. Joining Foley from the east coast is Meghan Small, who hails from Macungie, Pa. Small has enjoyed honors such as Pennsylvania High School Field Hockey Coaches' Association All-State First Team and was Moravian Academy's MVP in 2001.
Below is a list of the 2003 signees, followed by player biographies on the next two pages.
Christina Foley (midfield-Cape Elizabeth, Maine/Cape Elizabeth)
Wenny Ng (midfield/forward-Vernon Hills, Ill./Stevenson)
Sherri-Anne Nyberg (goalkeeper-Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada/Kelowna Secondary)
Lauren Przyborowski (back-River Forest, Ill./Oak Park River Forest)
Stephanie Pullos (forward-River Forest, Ill./Oak Park River Forest)
Megan Sieberg (forward-Toledo, Ohio/Maumee Valley Country Day)
Meghan Small (midfield-Macungie, Pa./Moravian Academy)
Christina Foley/Midfield
Cape Elizabeth, Maine/Cape Elizabeth
High School: Four-year field hockey letterwinner ... Named 2002 Portland Press Herald All-State Honorable Mention ... Chosen as Cape Elizabeth High School MVP in 2002 ... Garnered 2002 all-state accolades as well as 2001 and 2002 Western Maine All-Conference honors ... Named Western Maine Conference All-Star in 2001 ... Cape Elizabeth's Field Hockey Spirit Award recipient in 2001 ... Named 2000 Cape Elizabeth Defensive Player of the Year and was a member of Western Maine Conference championship and state runner-up field hockey team ... Also three-year letterwinner in softball and basketball ... As a softball player, selected as a Western Maine All-Conference Honorable Mention in 2001 and 2002, along with winning Cape Elizabeth's batting award in 2001 ... Received invitation to U.S. Field Hockey Futures Program in 2001 ... Cape Elizabeth Honor Roll student.
Personal: Born Christina Maria Foley on 4/6/85 ... Daughter of Philip Foley and Catherine Groark.
Wenny Ng/Midfield
Vernon Hills, Ill./Stevenson
High School: Three-year varsity field hockey letterwinner ... Named to the 2001 and 2002 Illinois All-State teams ... Participated in numerous field hockey camps including the 2002 Windy City camp and Marisa Didio's field hockey camp ... Named to 2001 and 2002 Illinois All-State Academic teams ... Also lettered in basketball, gymnastics, and earned four varsity letters in track and field ... National Honor Society member ... Member of Stevenson Class Board (Student Council) ... Nominated for Wendy's Heisman Award and was an IHSA All-State Academic Team Honorable Mention ... Member of Stevenson's highest academic Gold Honor Roll ... Named to the North Suburban All-Academic Conference team ... Stevenson's Female Fall Scholar Athlete for having the highest GPA of all female athletes.
Personal: Born Wenny Wing Ping Ng on 12/8/84 ... Daughter of Paul and Yvonne Ng.
Sherri-Anne Nyberg/Goalkeeper
Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada/Kelowna Secondary
High School: Four-year varsity field hockey letterwinner ...Kelowna Secondary competed in Class AAA, the largest of Canada's high school classification system ... One of 40 finalists selected to have the chance to play on the Canadian Junior National Squad that will compete in the Junior World Cup in Chile ... Nominated as British Columbia's High School Athlete of the Year in 2002 ... Selected to play on B.C. summer provincial teams from 2000 to 2003 ... Chosen to compete at U.S. National Festival in Palm Springs, Calif., in 2002 ... Competed on Kooteney Regional High Performance Squad from 2000 to 2003 ... Recorded shutout in 2001 Provincial Championship game, facing game-tying penalty stroke in 1-0 win ... Team finished runner-up the following season after Kelowna Scondary had not won a championship since the late 80's ... In 2002, under-18 British Columbia team won silver and bronze medals at Western National under-18 and under-21 championships held in Victoria and Winnipeg, Canada ... In 2001, under-16 team won a bronze medal at the under-18 Western National Championships in Regina, Canada ... Also lettered in basketball ... Member of Principals Honor Roll grades 8-12 ... Received the Eileen Morrissey Academic Achievement Award for maintaining a 4.0 for three consecutive terms ... Won 'Grade 11' Student of the Year Outdoor Education Award.
Personal: Born Sherri-Anne Elizabeth Nyberg on 7/2/85 ... Daughter of Verner Nyberg and Lorrianne and Craig Topf.
Lauren Przyborowski/Back
River Forest, Ill./Oak Park River Forest
High School: Three-year varsity field hockey letterwinner ... Named team MVP and defensive MVP in 2002 ... Competed for Windy City Flyers AAU team, finishing third in state ... Selected to play on 2000-01 and 2003 Festival teams ... Two-time badminton letterwinner and also played high school softball ... Part of Oak Park River Forest All-Academic Honor Team in 2002 ... Earned Dean's List Honor Roll recognition for her work in the classroom ... Part of Cum Laude Society and Spanish Honor Society.
Personal: Born Lauren Przyborowski on 3/18/85 ... Daughter of Carl and Georgina Przyborowski ... High School teammate with fellow recruit Stephanie Pullos.
Stephanie Pullos/Forward
River Forest, Ill./Oak Park River Forest
High School: Two-time varsity field hockey letterwinner ... Named to the Illinois All-State team, leading her team with 18 goals her senior season ... Named Oak Park River Forest offensive player of the year that finished third at state tournament ... Played for the Windy City Flyers AAU team ... Recognized as an Illinois State Scholar ... Part of the Illinois High School Field Hockey Association (IHSFHA) All-Academic Squad her junior and senior years ... Part of Oak Park River Forest Cum Laude Honor Society ... Three-time scholar-athlete award winner ... Earned Dean's List Honor Roll recognition ... Member of Spanish Honor Society and received an Oak Park River Forest Human Relations Award as a junior ... Vice-President of Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD).
Personal: Born Stephanie Alexandra Pullos on 10/5/84 ... Daughter of Spencer and Alexandra Pullos ... High School teammate with fellow 2003 recruit Lauren Przyboworski.
Megan Sieberg/Forward
Toledo, Ohio/Maumee Valley Country Day
High School: Four-year varsity field hockey, basketball and track and field letterwinner ... Named All-Ohio and All-Region in field hockey ... Selected as field hockey team MVP ... Scored 11 goals and 14 assists senior season ... Participated in Futures Elite in 2001 and 2002 ... Team captain for three seasons ... In basketball, averaged 25 points, nine rebounds and five assists per game as a senior ... Garnered All-Ohio Special Mention honors on her way to a Toledo Area Athletic Conference (TAAC) MVP selection ... Selected first-team all-district and was voted as team MVP ... Holds Maumee Valley Country Day all-time scoring record with 1,769 points ... Also hold single-game record of 41 points ... Named track and field All-Ohio as a sophomore and etched first-team all-conference honors her freshman and sophomore seasons ... Competed in both field hockey and basketball senior all-star games ... National Honor Society member.
Personal: Born Megan Sieberg on 6/24/84 ... Daughter of Tom and Colleen Sieberg.
Meghan Small/Midfield
Macungie, Pa./Moravian Academy
High School: Four-year varsity field hockey letterwinner ... Named Pennsylvania High School Field Hockey Coaches' All-Sate First Team in 2001 ... Name Moravian Academy in 2000 and 2001 ... 2001 unanimous Colonial League District First Team, Honorable mention in 2000 ... The Morning Call and The Express Times All-Area Field Hockey team selection in 2001 ... Also earned two varsity soccer letters ... 2001 Moravian Academy soccer MVP ... National Junior Honor Society member.
Personal: Born Meghan Ann Small on 5/21/85 ... Daughter of Jeffrey and Nancy Small.