Feb. 1, 2006

Washington, D.C. - The Georgetown University field hockey team will become full-time members of the BIG EAST Conference beginning in the 2006-07 academic year, it was announced today by the league office.

The Hoyas will become the seventh member of the BIG EAST Conference in the sport.

"We're very excited to join the league in field hockey," Georgetown Director of Athletics Bernard Muir said. "It's a strong commitment by the University to have our intercollegiate teams compete at the highest level and we look forward to the competition in one of the strongest conferences in the country."

Georgetown joins current league members Connecticut, Louisville, Providence, Rutgers, Syracuse and Villanova. Connecticut won the BIG EAST Tournament Championship in 2005 and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, one of two league schools to reach the postseason (along with Villanova). The 2005 league championship was shown on ESPNU, the first field hockey telecast by the channel. Three BIG EAST teams - Connecticut, Villanova and Louisville -were among the National Field Hockey Coaches Association top-20 last season.

Under the direction of Laurie Carroll, who completed her seventh season at the helm of the program, the Hoyas have made great strides since moving to the Division I level. The team, which competed as an independent last season, has compiled a 50-72 record under Carroll's direction. In nine years of coaching at the collegiate level, Carroll, a 1988 graduate of Maine, has amassed a record of 93-90.

"I am thrilled for the opportunity to lead this program into the BIG EAST Conference," Carroll said. "It's a tremendous opportunity for our student-athletes to compete in what will be one of the most competitive leagues in the country."

Carroll has led the Hoyas to two postseason appearances during her tenure, a period that has seen several student-athletes earn regional All-American honors and another 11 earn national academic honors from the National Field Hockey Coaches Association. The team was ranked fourth in the country for the National Academic Team Award.

During the 2000 season, the Hoyas were ranked among the top-20 teams in the country, reaching as high as No. 18. They were the last remaining undefeated team in the country that year, winning their first eight games and finishing the season with a 13-5 overall record. While setting a school record for most wins in a season, the 2000 squad was invited to play in the ECAC Division I Championship, its first postseason appearance. The team was ranked among the top-10 in the country in winning percentage and among the top-20 in scoring defense, scoring offense and margin of victory.

Georgetown returns 18 letter winners from the 2005 squad, which finished the season with a 3-14 record.