(Posted February 18, 2010)

HUNTINGDON, Pa. - The Juniata College field hockey team picked up another top recruit when the Eagles received commitment by Taylor Bowman (Wyoming, Pa./Dallas) to further her education at Juniata, and be a part of the back-to-back-to-back Landmark Conference champions.

Bowman will come to Huntingdon after being a four-year letter winner and three year starter for the Dallas high School field hockey team. As a center midfielder, she scored four goals, assisted five others and made two defensive saves during her senior season. She was selected as a captain as a senior, and was named the team's most valuable player her last two seasons.

"Taylor is an amazing player with tremendous stick skills and knowledge of the game," Dallas High School head coach Kylie Rosengrant said. "Taylor possesses a love of the game that is seldom seen at a young age. She has the desire to win, the determination to work hard, the patience and maturity to take constructive criticism as well as the knowledge of the sport to help others learn."

Head coach Caroline Gillich will look to play Bowman as a defender and possibly at mid-field.

"She is extremely tough in marking which is something we really need in the defensive end and will be an asset on defensive corners," Gillich explained. "Offensively she has great stick skills and can carry the ball herself against opponents, or work it out with teammates. She has a lethal hit that we plan to put on goal to score more from the backfield this year."

Bowman was named to the Pennsylvania Field Hockey Coaches Association All-State Second Team in 2008 and 2009 while also helping her team to the Pennsylvania State High School AA Tournament Semifinals in 2007.

She also competed in the Diamond State Games, earning a gold medal in 2009 on the under 19 team. She has gold medals from the 2009 Keystone Winter Games as well as a silver medal from the 2009 Keystone Summer State Games.

Off the field, her achievements do not waver. She ranks in the top ten percent of her class with a 3.85 GPA. In addition, she was inducted into the National Junior Honor Society in May of 2008. This past season, she was named to the 2009 All-State Academic Field Hockey team and the 2009 Gladiator by SGI/NFHCA High School National Academic Squad.

"Her absence on the field will be a void difficult to fill," Rosengrant said. "I am fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to coach such a talented player and look forward to see her success as she continues her field hockey career."

"She will be a great asset to our defensive unit," Gillich continued. "We are very excited to have Taylor join our team and our family; it's a perfect fit."

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Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.