Central Michigan University Athletics
Field Hockey Announces Signing Class
12/2/2014 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. - Central Michigan field hockey coach Cristy Freese has announced the signing of six student-athletes to letters of intent.
Four of the six Chippewas-to-be hail from field hockey hotbed Pennsylvania, one is from St. Louis, and another from Michigan.
"She's our first from Michigan in a while," Freese said of Kayla Harding, who played at Skyline High School in Ann Arbor and boasts an extensive club background including national showcase events and Junior Olympics. "She's been very well coached and been a part of a club program that plays at a very high level. She's got good speed. We're excited to sign a player from the state of Michigan."
Joining Harding, who becomes the Chippewas' first Michigan-bred player in nearly a half decade, are Grace Forthaus of St. Louis, Mo., and four Pennsylvania natives: Anna Forry, Alexandra Davis, Leah Umberger and Kady Gurtis.
"If you look at all six of these players that we signed, there's a lot of similarities," Freese said. "They're good field hockey players, they're hard workers, they've been captains of their teams, they've played a lot of club field hockey, and they play other sports.
"They look pretty similar across the board and I really think it's going to be a real strong class."
Forthaus, a forward, has scored 28 career goals at Visitation Academy in St. Louis.
"She's played a lot of field hockey, she's a good student and she's also a soccer player/lacrosse player," Freese said. "I like that. I've had in the past ice hockey players and all that translates really nicely to field hockey.
"The St. Louis area has been good for us. We have a limited number of players that we get from that area, but the ones that we do get are really good players."
Davis is a defender who played at Oley Valley High School, the same program that produced current Chippewa Taylor McKeon.
"Good program, top-notch coaching, really good skill, solid defender," Freese said in describing Davis.
Forry is primarily a mid who played at Elizabethtown High School, possesses "solid skills, is a hard worker, and is somebody who wants to win," Freese said.
Gurtis is a mid out of Wyoming Valley West High School and, when she joins CMU, will reunite with high school teammate Alex Gonda, who just completed her freshman season with CMU.
"She's a good athlete, a hard worker, great student - everything we hear about her is so positive," Freese said. "And she's played a lot of field hockey, which you can do in Pennsylvania year-round. And in that area, it's not only good coaching, you're always playing against top-level teams, top-level kids."
Umberger, who can play midfield or back, is the niece of Megan Umberger, who played for Freese at CMU from 1992-95.
"I know the family really well," Freese said. "Athletic, hard working, just a winning kind of family. Leah certainly fits that mold."
The Chippewas finished 7-12 in the 2014 season including 5-1 in Mid-American Conference play. They shared the regular-season championship and earned the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament.
"Two forwards, two mids and two backs is what we recruited, knowing that sometimes what you come in at is not necessarily what you end up at," Freese said. "I think it's going to be a real solid class. They're all very similar with respect to the work ethic they're going to bring and the attitude they're going to bring to want to really work hard and continue to add to our championship list."
Freese said the class is in line with the philosophy that has evolved in the CMU program in the recent past.
"Our current freshman class, the group that's here, is going to be the class that helps us in the fall (2015)," she said. "I think that's where our program has changed in the past four years and because of that, in the past three years, on the final day of the regular season, we're always competing for a championship and I think it's because we've gotten to the point in our program where we're able to put experience on the field.
"If we're playing a lot of freshmen, we're not winning many games. This freshman class I think is very good and a solid group of student-athletes. They're going to add to our depth next year and their work ethic is going to allow them to develop. Do one or two of them get on the field and start eventually (in 2015)? You never know, but I think what it does is it gives us another really solid class so that we're not every rebuilding, we're just continuing to maintain a high level and that's what we want to do."
Anna Forry • Defender • 5-9 • Elizabethtown, Pa./Elizabethtown Area HS
Three-year letterwinner ... two-year team captain ... named Lancaster-Lebanon Second Team All-Star in 2013 ... earned Lancaster-Lebanon First Team All-Star honors in 2014 ... played club field hockey with Sutters' Brigade for four years under head coach Bob Derr ... club team captured third place at Disney Showcase ... also earned one letter in lacrosse in EHS' inaugural season ... received recognition on 2014 Lancaster-Lebanon Academic All-Star Team ... selected CMU over La Salle, Kent State, Arcadia University and Kean University.
Kayla Harding • Forward • 5-2 • Ann Arbor, Mich./Skyline HS
Four-year varsity starter ... two-year team captain ... earned MHSFHA First Team All-State honors as a senior ... led SHS to a 2013 Division 2 state championship and to the 2014 Division 1 state championship game ... named First Team MHSFHA First Team All-Conference as a freshman, sophomore and junior ... selected as team MVP as a freshman ... played four years of club field hockey with Pinnacle under head coach Nancy Cox ... attended the Disney Showcase and Festival twice ... selected for nationals in 2010 (alternate), 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 ... selected for the Junior Olympics in 2013 ... also lettered three times in lacrosse ... selected CMU over Kent State, Wooster, Centre College and Louisville.
Alexandra Davis • Defender • 5-6 • Oley, Pa./Oley Valley Senior HS
Three-year letterwinner ... received Berks County All-Division First Team honors as a senior ... won a Berks County championship in 2014 ... helped OVSHS to the PIAA state semifinals in 2013 and 2014 and to the quarterfinals in 2012 ... led the Lynx to three Division III championships, to a Berks County championship in 2014, to Berks County runner-up finishes in 2012 and 2013 and PIAA District 3 AA championships in 2012 and 2013 ... played club field hockey for X-Calibur FHC (2009-13) and for Philly Hockey Club (2013-15) ... participated in the National Indoor Tournament 2011-14 ... also recruited by Cornell, Vermont and Franklin and Marshall College.
Leah Umberger • Midfielder • 5-8 • Hershey Pa./Hershey HS
Four-year letterwinner ... team captain for 2014 season ...totaled 10 career goals and 6 assists ... played club field hockey for PA Mavericks ... won a gold medal at the 2012 and 2013 USFHA Outdoor Festivals ... qualified for the National Indoor Tournament in 2013 and 2014 ... also earned a varsity letter in track, competing in 800m, 1600m, 3200m relay and 4x800 relay ... a PIAA state track & field qualifier in 2012 ... placed third in the 3200m relay in the Mid Penn Conference and placed fifth at the PIAA District III meet ... member of National Honor Society and French National Society (2013-15) ... member of the distinguished honor roll (2011-14) ... also recruited by Longwood, Appalachian State, Delaware and Limestone College.
Kady Gurtis • Midfielder • 5-4 • Kingston, Pa./Wyoming Valley West HS
Three-year varsity letterwinner and starter ... led WVWHS to a PIAA District 2 AAA championship and a PIAA AAA state qualifier appearance in 2014 ... won a Varsity Gold Division title at the 2014 Keystone State High School Indoor Championships ... named Wyoming Valley Coaches All-Star AAA Second Team in 2013 ... won three Wyoming Valley AAA Division 1 championships (2011-13) ... won a Division 2 PIAA AAA championship and was a PIAA State AAA qualifier in 2011 ... played club field hockey for PA Elite FHC (2013-present), KaPow FHC (2011-13 and Valley Styx FHC (2010-11) ... was a guest player for the Granite State Elite (NH) at the 2014 Disney Festival ... a 2014 NIT qualifier ... also participated in track & field in 2011-12 ... selected CMU over James Madison and Towson.
Grace Forthaus • Forward • 5-5 • St. Louis, Mo./Visitation Academy
Four-year varsity player ... 2014 team captain ... led Visitation Academy to state quarterfinal appearances 2010-14 ... totaled 28 goals and 15 assists in high school career ... named MWAA First Team in 2014 ... topped VA in scoring, posting 10 goals and 8 assists as a senior ... earned 2013 MWAA Second Team honors after recording 12 goals and 6 assists ... won first place in pool at 2012 Gateway Classic Tournament ... gained club experience with Aim Field Hockey under head coach Lauren Cornthwaite ... attended National Indoor Tournament with Aim (2011-13) ... helped Aim Orange to a second place finish in its flight with a 5-1 record at the 2013 Disney Showcase ... also earned two varsity letters in soccer and one in lacrosse.
