Field Hockey Announces Four Newcomers
ORONO, Maine -- Head coach Josette Babineau and the University of Maine field hockey program have announced four newcomers who will join the team in the fall of 2013. Danielle Aviani (Surrey, British Columbia), Emma Cochran (Surrey, British Columbia), Adriana Martineau (Norridgewock, Maine) and Sydney Veljacic (Coquitlam, British Columbia) will all join the 2013-14 Black Bear field hockey squad.
Aviani will join the Black Bears after attending North Surrey Secondary School. Aviani, a forward/midfielder, was a member of the U17 National Team in 2012 where she scored a game-winner against Team USA. She also spent time playing in the India Club Premier League (2013) and on the Surrey Sharks Division-I squad (2010-12). While with the Sharks, Aviani scored seven goals with five assists in 15 games while scoring a pair of goals with an assist in the India Club Premier League. Aviani helped her club team to a first place finish at the 2012 Mexican Nationals. While playing with True North Hockey Club, she helped the team to a first place finish at the 2012 USA Festival and also a first place finish in the USA Festival in 2011. She was selected Tournament 11 player in the 2012 Nationals where she scored four goals and two assists in a single game against Alberta. An honor roll student throughout her high school career, Aviani also played ice hockey where she won a gold medal at the 2010 British Columbia Winter Games for U16 ice hockey, zone three.
Cochran comes to the Black Bears after attending Clayton Heights Secondary. Cochran, a goalkeeper, played club for the Surrey Sharks (2006-13), was a member of Team British Columbia (2009-13) and was selected to the U17 Junior National squad in 2011. Cochran was named best defensive player in high school in 2009-2010, named her school team's most valuable player in 2011-2012 and was named Grade 11 Female Athlete of the Year in 2011-12. Cochran helped guide Team British Columbia to a gold medal at Nationals in 2011 and a silver medal in 2010.
Martineau joins Maine after attending Skowhegan High School where she guided her team to three State Titles, four Eastern Maine Championships and four KVAC Titles. Martineau, a back, captained her 2012 squad to a State Championship and was named a KVAC first team all-star and a second team KVAC all-star in 2011. Martineau was honored as an all-defensive player of the week at Elite field hockey camp hosted by Northeastern and was selected as the UMaine field hockey camp player of the week and an Elite field hockey camp all-star.
Veljacic, who attended Gleneagle Secondary School, will join the Black Bears after playing on the U17 Canadian Junior National Team (2011-present) and the U21 Canadian Junior National Team (2012-present). Veljacic, who was named U16 Field Hockey British Columbia Junior Female Player of the Year in 2011, played in a series with the U17 Junior National team against Team USA (2012) and played a series vs. Mexico with the U21 squad in the summer of 2012. Veljacic, who can play midfield and back, was a member of the British Columbia Provincial teams (2008-12) and a member of the British Columbia Regional team (2007-12). Veljacic helped guide 2012 Team British Columbia to a first place U18 Canadian Junior National Championship while also leading her 2012 AAA BC high school squad to a third place finish at the Provincial Championships and her high school to a District Championship in 2012. In 2010 and 2011, Veljacic led the U16 team to back-to-back Canadian National Championships. She was named tournament XI at the U18 National Championships, her high school leading scorer in 2012 and was a four year honor roll member. Veljacic played club for the Tri City Eagles.
The eligibility of all student-athletes is contingent upon admission to the University of Maine and compliance with all NCAA rules, including registration with the NCAA Clearinghouse.
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