It's Tiger time for MSJ's Reinprecht

by TOM UTESCHER

For Mount St. Joseph Academy senior Sarah Reinprecht, a member of the United States Under-19 and Under-21 field hockey teams, it really wasn't possible to make a poor college choice.

Her "short list" included ardent suitors from Duke, Princeton, and the University of Virginia, and when she made her decision public late last month, it was Princeton which received a verbal commitment from the Mount midfielder.

"It's not too close, and not too far, and obviously it's one of the best academic universities in the country," said Reinprecht, who paid her official NCAA visit to the New Jersey school October 2 and 3, but had made overnight trips there twice before. "There's a lot of school spirit; everybody's like "Go Tigers!" and there's a lot of support for the sports teams."

Princeton's second-year mentor, Kristen Holmes-Winn, had already coached the Magic standout when Reinprecht was a member of the U.S. Under-16 squad. The national runner-up in hockey back in 1998, Princeton won its tenth straight Ivy League title last year, but was eliminated in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Holmes-Winn knows that recruits like Reinprecht are vital in the attempt to climb back into the top echelon of the sport.

"Sarah probably could've started at any university in the country this year - that's how far along she is," the Tigers' skipper asserted. "She's as fundamentally sound as any player I've ever coached. She has all the skills, and she can do them at pace, which for her age is truly remarkable. On top of that, she has a great understanding of the game."

"Her skills and her field awareness are exceptional," says Lois Weber, who coaches the Mount team along with Sarah's mother, Tina Reinprecht. "She's a good leader by example because of her skills, but she's also a good leader in that she has high expectations of her teammates."

In 2003, the MSJ star scored a team-leading 16 goals, helping propel the Magic to the state Class AAA quarterfinals, farther than any Mount squad had gotten before. At the end of the season, she was one of just 16 players in the United States to be named a First Team All-American, and this fall, her 13 goals have paced the Mount to a 10-1 start.

Reinprecht grew up steeped in the sport. Her mother is not only her high school coach, but also operates the highly-successful Mystyx club team and camp program. Her younger sister Katie, a freshman at the Mount this year, is currently a member of the U.S. Under-16 team.

Up through eighth grade, Sarah attended Gwynedd Elementary School, where Lois Weber was coaching at the time. Reinprecht was already starting for the varsity team as a sixth grader.

"I always had the feeling that she'd be a Division I college player," Weber recalls, "and I attribute a lot of it to her hard work ethic. The way she works in the off-season, not only on her field hockey but weight training and conditioning. She's very dedicated."

In the eyes of Princeton's Holmes-Winn, one of the greatest assets her new recruit possesses is the desire to keep improving her game.

"A lot of kids will nod "yes," but in terms of absorbing information and then applying it, Sarah is outstanding," the coach observes.

The Mount middie says, "I definitely attack more now, and I feel like I have more vision; I see the field better. I'm still working on my scoring skills and my one-on-one defense. There's always room for improvement."

Princeton will lose eight seniors to graduation, and it's likely that the team's top rookies will see action almost immediately. For Reinprecht, it's a help to have played under Holmes-Winn before.

"She's very calm and composed, and she preaches the basics," the future Tiger says. "She has a great way of dealing with her players. She can explain stuff that needs to be changed without being too harsh, and she gets her point across."

To start off with, Reinprecht will pursue a liberal arts curriculum at Princeton. Her academic interests are varied, and she's not ready to be pinned down to a major just yet.

"I love art," she says. "I probably want to go into something in advertising. I also really enjoy history and science."

For now, she wants to focus on winning the Catholic Academies championship (the Mount lost on overtime penalty strokes in the 2003 final) and on making a trip deep into the state playoffs. Having the college selection process over and done with is a relief for her, and clearly a delight for Princeton.

"I love Sarah," The Tigers' Holmes-Winn says. "Beyond what she brings to us athletically, I think she's an extraordinary person."