LOWELL, Mass. (April 15, 2008) – Seventh-year head coach Shannon Hlebichuk has announced the addition of five student-athletes to the UMass Lowell field hockey team. Abby Auld (Waltham, Mass.), Annie Hansbury (Plaistow, N.H.), Jessica Colborne (Melrose, Mass.), Kayla Littig (Carver, Mass.) and Katie Younes (Newbury, Mass.) have signed national letters of intent to play for the River Hawks beginning in 2008.

Auld was a four-year Greater Boston League All-Star selection at Waltham High School. The forward was selected to play in the Massachusetts Best of 60 All-Star game and was the 2007 Daily News Tribune Player of the Year. A 2007 Boston Herald All Scholastic selection, Auld will be a graphic design major at UML.

“Abby has been attending UMass Lowell field hockey clinics since she was in eighth grade. Very early on I knew she could be a great fit for UMass Lowell. She has tremendous speed and skill and is both a terrific playmaker and finisher on the forward line.”

Hansbury, a defender, joins the River Hawks program after a successful career at Timberlane Regional High School. Hansbury started all four years at Timberlane Regional and was a captain of the team in 2006 and 2007. She was voted team Co-MVP in 2007 and was a First Team All State in 2007 and an Eagle Tribune All Star in 2007. Hansbury will be a health education major at UMass Lowell.

“Annie has tremendous vision of the field and is extremely poised in the backfield,” Hlebichuk said. “She has the superb ability of shutting down attacking forwards because of her strong anticipation skills.”

Jessica Colborne comes to UMass Lowell from Melrose High School. Colborne, a defender, was named the team’s MVP in 2007 and was a Middlesex League All-Star in 2006-07. She will be an Exercise Physiology major at UML.

“Jessica will provide depth for us at both midfield and defensive positions,” said Hlebichuk. “She is an extremely intense player and is relentless on defense. She is a physically strong player who outlets the ball quickly to her attacking teammates. That will give us more opportunities to put the ball in the back of the cage.”

Midfielder Kayla Littig joins the UML field hockey team from Carver High School. At Carver Littig was the MVP of the team in 2007. She scored 135 points in her high school career on 83 goals and 52 assists. Littig was a three-time South Coast Conference All-Star selection. Littig will be a math major at UML.

“Kayla is an athletic midfielder who has a dominant presence on the field,” said Hlebichuk. “She has tremendous strength, skill and vision. She has natural field hockey instinct and although she had a successful high school career, we believe she will reach her full potential while at UMass Lowell.”

Katie Younes joins the UML program after spending four years on the CW Post softball team. Younes had a decorated field hockey career at Triton Regional High School. She was three-time captain and team MVP, a three-time Cape Ann All-League selection, and a two-time Boston Globe All-Scholastic. She was the Cape Ann League Player of the Year in 2003.

“Katie was my top goalkeeper recruit when she was coming out of high school,” said Hlebichuk. “She is one of the most talented athletes to come out of the Cape Ann League in both field hockey and softball. Her athleticism and reactionary skills combined will allow her to be very successful in goal.”

At CW Post Younes was selected to the NFCA/Louisville Slugger All-Region team and the All-East Coast Conference First Team in 2007. She was a three-time East Coast Conference All-Academic team selection. Younes will graduate from CW Post with a BS in Exercise Science and is preparing to gain admittance into UML’s Physical Therapy Program.

“High expectations will be placed on Abby, Annie, Kayla, Katie and Jessica, both in the classroom and on the field,” Hlebichuk said. “They are all academically prepared for the rigors of college academics and athletically prepared for the demands of skill, discipline and competitiveness that we require of all UMass Lowell field hockey players. I truly look forward to watching this class develop over the next few years, as I see tremendous potential for greatness in each of them.”

The River Hawks went 19-3 in 2007, and captured the NE-10 regular season championship with a 15-1 conference record. UML also won the 2007 NE-10 tournament title, its fifth straight, and reached the NCAA Final Four for the fifth year in a row in 2007.