SUNY Oneonta Athletics

The 1979 field hockey team has the distinction of being the first women's team in history to qualify for the national tournament.  In 1979, the team was invited to compete in the AIAW Division III national tournament at Princeton University.  At that time, the tournament was sponsored by the Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women and recognized by the United States Field Hockey Association.

The team qualified for the national tournament after winning both the NYSAIAW Division II and EAIAW Division III regional tournaments.  They hosted the former and defeated C.W. Post 2-1 before moving on to Manhattanville for the Regional tournament where they beat city-rival Hartwick in strokes.

At the national tournament, the Red Dragons won its first two games versus Calvin, 1-0 and Hollins College, 3-1 to advance into the semifinals.

In the semifinals against top-seeded Franklin & Marshall, a late goal by Colleen Larsen tied the score at two apiece and sent the game into overtime.  The teams remained deadlocked through two overtime periods and one series of strokes.  In the second set of strokes, the teams each had two goals entering the final shooter for F & M, where she ended the game after putting her stroke by the Oneonta goalie.

Oneonta came back the next morning in the consolation game and beat Glassboro (NJ) State 2-1 in the second overtime to finish third overall.  Larsen assisted by Allison Merchant scored the game-winning goal.

The team ended the season with an overall record of 17-5.  The 17 wins are still the second most wins in program history.  The next year, the 1980 team won 19 games and finished eighth at the national tournament.

1979 Field Hockey Team
Brenda Meese, Coach
 
Madeline Beaman Felice
Jenny Bertino Spartz
Ginger Cobb Sonnergren
Merrill Koptiuch Gisondo
Colleen Larsen Plantier
Patricia Maher Blanch
Allison Merchant Spagnoletti
Verona Poyser
Heather Proffitt Conklin
Diane Reby Starr
Louise Ross Lansing
Colleen Skerkis Brannan
Diane Van Tyle Oles
Mary Watros
Karen Zuhlke Knauf
Carolyn Capo Smith
Carol Nisbeth Durkin
Marlene Haman
Kristine Moran
Amy Robbins
Amy Schoen
Amy Ludik-Furman