By Ryan Laverty
Another chapter has ended for the Dinos women’s field hockey team. The team finished with their best season in Conference play in 13 years with a 5-5-2 record. Calgary capped their season with convincing wins over both the University of Alberta and the university of British Columbia. They also managed a draw with the eventual national champions the University of Victoria. Rookie Head Coach Anne Kromm was extremely happy with the play of the women all year, and has high expectations for next season. The team will only lose two players from this year’s roster, and will be acquiring a fifth-year player who transferred to Calgary this year.
As much as it may sound like the team will remain the same next year, it won’t. After five solid seasons with the University of Calgary, team captain Teresa McLachlan has played her final game here. It is a sad thing to see such an accomplished player, and all-around person, leave the team but she definitely has gone out in style. Despite the team not qualifying for the National Finals, McLachlan capped off her career by being named the Conference West Player of the Year.
"I’m sad that it’s over. But I’m glad that we went out strong. It felt really good to beat U of A and UBC. In five years I’d never beaten U of A and tied UBC only once," McLachlan remarked.
After a spectacular career with the Sir Winston Churchill High School Bulldogs, McLachlan embarked on the challenge of joining the Dinos in 1995. It was a challenge she took on head first. Not only did she make the team, but she cracked the starting lineup in her first year. A solid first year saw the 18-year-old McLachlan earn the runner-up for Conference Rookie of the Year.
An injury-ridden sophomore season caused her to sit out most of the year in 1996. But rested and recovered, McLachlan returned in 1997. In 1998 Mclachlan proved she was worth her weight in gold. She was nominated as a Canada West All-Star, a Canadian Intercollegiate Athletic Union All-Canadian and she was awarded a University of Calgary Athletic Award of Merit.
In addition to being a stalwart on the field, she has also been a force in the classroom. She received several awards for her scholastic accomplishments over the years, including the Calgary Booster Club Scholarship and the Making Strides Scholarship. She was also a Royal Bank Academic All-Canadian in her years of studying kinesiology.
A graduate since this past May, McLachlan is embarking on yet another challenge; a Masters of Education. Her plans for her field hockey future are still up in the air, but no matter where she decides to go any team will be fortunate to have her. As an overall leader and ambassador of this institution for five years, her presence will be both remembered and missed. Thank you, Teresa, and good luck in wherever you go and whatever you do.