Collegiate athletics on the whole have a large atrophy rate. As semesters pass, students retire, quit due to injury or transfer. The AU field hockey team is no exception.
In August 2005, seven bright-eyed, excited freshmen joined the nationally ranked squad.
Today, the seven-person freshman class of is down to four senior members: Megan Henry, Jesika Pufnock, Irene Schickhardt and Katherine Turner, the "Core Four" of the Eagles.
During their freshman year, the team would achieve a No. 4 national ranking midway through the season, before finishing as No. 6.
"It was great to be at the top but I think we took it with a grain of salt," senior attacker Pufnock said.
Since then, the girls have spent four years sharing a locker room with the women's lacrosse, women's track and cross country teams.
It is abnormal for a nationally ranked team to share a locker room with others. But then again, AU is an abnormal team.
The team ranks 14th in the nation but is also in the top five in the nation academically.
"We don't want players who are just good hockey players. We want people to be excellent in everything they're involved with," Head Coach Steve Jennings said.
The "Core Four" have been an asset to the team both on and off the field. But academics and athletics are about the only thing these girls have in common.
Irene Schickhardt was a standout on the field from her freshman year. She started and played in all 22 games as a freshman, was a second team All-Region selection and earned Patriot League Co-Rookie of the Year honors. She was born and raised in Ludwigsburg, Germany, entering AU at the age of 21. Her maturity level differed from her classmates, but over the past four years they have grown into a tight group, she said.
Unlike Schickhardt, Megan Henry did not always see a lot of playing time.
"If you had told me I would have rode the bench my entire freshman year, I probably would not have come," senior midfielder Henry said.
The 5'3" midfielder is known for her super strength, maxing out many lifting challenges in the weight room. Intense lifting, practice and academic schedules are often causes of team atrophy
"As people quit and transferred we were brought together as the 'Core Four'," she said of her classmates.
When Henry is not in the weight room or on the field, she can be found in the dorm bathrooms with teammate Katie Turner, dyeing strands of their hair, blue or pink. The rock star duo bonded early freshman year.
Turner also, saw little playing time her first year.
"My freshman year I only played six minutes the whole season," she said.
Her playing time increased each year and she maintains she is happy to have earned her spot on the team. Her passion for field hockey is second to none and she intends to play competitive club hockey post graduation. Turner is a three-time Patriot League Academic Honor Roll and NFHCA Division I National Academic Squad selection.
The final member of the Core Four is Jesika Pufnock, who admits that when she chose AU, she "came for the team not the school." But Pufnock excelled academically and plans to attend law school after graduating in May.
Easily distinguished on the field by her curly blonde hair, this gregarious player enjoys traveling with the team, updating coach Steve Jennings's Wikipedia entry and getting to know other athletes. While she doesn't mind sharing a locker room with other teams she'll be the first to tell you about the woes of the locker room.
Roaches, different hair colors, bumps on the turf field and injuries have never deterred these girls.
The foreigner, the social butterfly, strong woman and the bookworm make up the "Core Four." Each member of the group lists winning the Patriot League Championship, winning the playing game and winning the first round of the NCAA tournament as season goals.
You can reach this writer at sports@theeagleonline.com.
