Wake Forest Athletics
Wake Forest Field Hockey Begins 2011 Campaign
8/13/2011 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Aug. 13, 2011
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - In her 20th season at the helm, Jennifer Averill led the Wake Forest field hockey team through its first practice of the season Saturday morning at Kentner Stadium.
The first session of the season began with physical fitness testing before focusing on more technical skills for the second half of practice.
Through just one practice, Averill can feel the excitement from the team with the new season officially underway.
"It started initially with our first meeting yesterday. Everybody had bright smiles and was really engaged with one another. It seemed like a very cohesive group, so that is extremely optimistic" said Averill. "Our priority through preseason is to keep that mentality and that attitude so it stretches to our first game against Iowa."
The Demon Deacons will begin competition against the Hawkeyes on August 27 in Ann Arbor, Michigan as part of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Wake Forest will then face the host Wolverines one day later.
Having experienced the success of three NCAA National Championships (2002, 2003, 2004) and three ACC Championships (2002, 2003, 2006), the Demon Deacons again have their eyes set on adding to those totals.
"Our goals never deviate from year to year. We always want to put ourselves in position to compete for championships," said Averill.
Wake Forest finished the 2010 season with a 10-10 overall record and a 1-4 record in the ACC. The Deacs also earned postseason appearances, falling in the semifinals of the 2010 ACC Championship to Maryland and dropping the first game of the NCAA Championship to Princeton.
The Demon Deacons are no strangers to the postseason and have appeared in 12 consecutive NCAA Tournaments.
