Farkas and Smith Headed to Young Women's National Championships
6/3/2019 9:32:00 AM | Field Hockey
The Lions will send a pair of student-athletes to the YWNC for the first time in program history.
LANCASTER, Pa. – Columbia head field hockey will be represented by Kelsey Farkas and Allison Smith at the 2019 Young Women's National Championship June 14-18 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. This marks the first time in program history the Lions have had two student-athletes invited to the event.
The YWNC is an annual event featuring 144 elite female field hockey athletes, including for the first time the 2019 U.S. U-19 Women's National Team along with top collegiate and post-collegiate players, that will be broken up into eight teams. The squads will face off for the prestigious title of national champions and for an opportunity to be selected to the 2020 U.S. U-21 Women's National Team and U.S. Women's National Development Team, or a trial for the U.S. Women's National Team.
Farkas, who is making her second consecutive appearance at the YWNC, is coming off a season where she earned All-Ivy League and NFHCA All-Region honors. The junior midfielder started all 17 games, posting three goals and four assists for 10 points in 2018.
"I am honored to have been selected to the 2019 Young Women's National Championship," said Farkas. "Having participated in the 2018 Championship I appreciate how beneficial this experience is for me as a player. YWNC challenges me to improve my game and bring lessons learned back to Columbia field hockey as we strive to elevate our program. It is wonderful that Columbia will be sending two players this year; hopefully, that number will continue to grow. I'm excited to play this year and share this experience with my teammate, Allison."
Smith made 17 starts from her midfield position and dished out an assist and 15 shots as a first-year. Prior to Columbia, the Wilmington, Delaware native competed at the 2015 and 2017 National Futures Championship.
"I am super excited to compete in the YWNC," Smith stated. "Any opportunity to play with and against top players offers a fun challenge, and I look forward to working on different aspects of my game at a high level. I am extremely thankful for the CUFH coaches and their investment in me and my teammates as players. I have learned so much from them and my teammates during my first year and hope to continue my development as a player at the YWNC and over the summer. I cannot wait to continue competing with the team in the fall!"
For more information on the Young Women's National Championship and USA Field Hockey, click here.
The YWNC is an annual event featuring 144 elite female field hockey athletes, including for the first time the 2019 U.S. U-19 Women's National Team along with top collegiate and post-collegiate players, that will be broken up into eight teams. The squads will face off for the prestigious title of national champions and for an opportunity to be selected to the 2020 U.S. U-21 Women's National Team and U.S. Women's National Development Team, or a trial for the U.S. Women's National Team.
Farkas, who is making her second consecutive appearance at the YWNC, is coming off a season where she earned All-Ivy League and NFHCA All-Region honors. The junior midfielder started all 17 games, posting three goals and four assists for 10 points in 2018.
"I am honored to have been selected to the 2019 Young Women's National Championship," said Farkas. "Having participated in the 2018 Championship I appreciate how beneficial this experience is for me as a player. YWNC challenges me to improve my game and bring lessons learned back to Columbia field hockey as we strive to elevate our program. It is wonderful that Columbia will be sending two players this year; hopefully, that number will continue to grow. I'm excited to play this year and share this experience with my teammate, Allison."
Smith made 17 starts from her midfield position and dished out an assist and 15 shots as a first-year. Prior to Columbia, the Wilmington, Delaware native competed at the 2015 and 2017 National Futures Championship.
"I am super excited to compete in the YWNC," Smith stated. "Any opportunity to play with and against top players offers a fun challenge, and I look forward to working on different aspects of my game at a high level. I am extremely thankful for the CUFH coaches and their investment in me and my teammates as players. I have learned so much from them and my teammates during my first year and hope to continue my development as a player at the YWNC and over the summer. I cannot wait to continue competing with the team in the fall!"
For more information on the Young Women's National Championship and USA Field Hockey, click here.
Players Mentioned
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