Field Hockey Welcomes New Signees
Dec 13 | Field Hockey
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Rutgers field hockey has announced the signing of five new players for the 2017 season. The Scarlet Knights will welcome Gracey Butsack, Gianna Glatz, Daphne Groothuis, Gianna Mancini and Kassidy Shetler to the team. RU will welcome three players from New Jersey, one from Pennsylvania and one from the Netherlands.
"I'm really excited about this group," head coach Meredith Civico said. "Technically, they're all really good field hockey players. They've got a lot of speed; they've got a lot of athleticism. We are bringing in a class like this is going to help progress our game and our brand of field hockey here at Rutgers. I think we are going to have a lot more versatility between players, a lot more fluidity between positions, and a lot more speed and attack going forward."
2017 NLI Signees
Gracey Butsack
Mohrsville, Pa. / Schuykill Valley High School
Midfield / Forward
Prior to Rutgers: Four-year starter and two-time captain … totaled 34 goals and 24 assists in high school career … First Team all-county as a senior and junior … First Team all-division in 2014 and Second Team all-division in 2013 … also competed in track and field … parents are David and Kellie … has one brother, Noah
Coach Civico on Butsack: "Gracey is an incredible athlete. She's spent a lot of time with us at Rutgers through camps and clinics, so we've been able to coach her quite a bit. She has the ability to play a number of positions, I think she's an incredibly versatile player. I think she's going to come in and develop, and add a lot of athleticism right off the bat to our team."
Gianna Glatz
Medford, N.J. / Shawnee HS
Goalkeeper
Prior to Rutgers: Made 465 saves in high school career … 2016 First Team All-South Jersey selection … U19 NFC selection … qualified for US U-17 National Indoor team …all-conference selection … played at same high school with classmate Gianna Mancini … parents are Maddie and Chuck, dad is a Rutgers graduate … brother, Chuck wrestled at York College of Pennsylvania and qualified for 2013 NCAA Championship
Coach Civico on Glatz: "I think Gianna Glatz is one of the top goalkeepers in the country, hands down. She's played with the US National Indoor team. She has incredible club experience. She is very focused, she is determined to come in and make an impact right away, which is something to coaching staff is really excited about. She is going to push the level of the other keepers immediately, and she is going to make a positive difference."
Daphne Groothuis
Nieuwerkerk aan den Ijssel, The Netherlands / Thorbecke Voortgezet Onderwijs
Midfielder
Prior to Rutgers: Played with Hockey Club Rotterdam in the Netherlands, where she was a team captain ... competed twice in National Championships with U16 team, earning silver and bronze medals … won gold medal at Inter Challenge Cup ... played three years for the regional team South-Holland ... is currently playing for hockeyclub Leonidas in the ladies first and U18 where she had 6 goals and 21 assists in 16 games in 2016 season … parents are Willemijn and Axel... has one younger brother Stijn who also plays field hockey.
Coach Civico on Groothuis: "Daphne is coming to us from the Netherlands. She is very creative, very technical, and very passionate about the game. She is passionate about coming in and helping our program go to the next level. She will be an impact player right away for us. I think she is able to play in the midfield or on the forward line, but can eliminate, can score goals. She is exciting."
Gianna Mancini
Medford, N.J. / Shawnee HS
Midfield
Prior to Rutgers: Team captain as a senior … scored 19 goals with 19 assists in her career …named First Team all-South Jersey and all-Burlington County, as well as First Team all-conference as a senior ... named First Team all-county as a junior … named First Team all-South Jersey as a junior and Second Team all-South Jersey as a junior … named to National Honor Society … played at same high school with classmate Gianna Glatz … parents are Jim and Nicole … has one sister, Isabella
Coach Civico on Mancini: "Gianna Mancini will see time for us in the midfield. She's an incredibly hardworking player. She plays both sides of the field well. She can attack from the midfield position, and an incredibly good defender as well. We will look for her to fill those outside midfield positions. She's got speed, she's got technical skills. She's a really solid all-around player."
Kassidy Shetler
Ramsey, N.J. / Ramsey High School
Forward
Prior to Rutgers: Had 248 career points (86 goals and 76 assists) … as a senior, named First Team all-county and First Team all-league … named Field Hockey Player of the Year by The Record… as a junior, named Third Team all-state and First Team All-North Jersey, all-county and all-league … as a sophomore, named First Team all-county and all-league, Second Team All-North Jersey … named to National Honor Society and National Foreign Language Society … three-time recipient of Scholarship R Award … also competed in lacrosse and track … parents are Katherine Babitts and Richard Babitts … has two siblings, Konnor Shetler and Eric Babitts
Coach Civico on Shetler: "Kassidy is an athlete. She's got incredible speed, she is creative. Her work rate on and off the ball, I haven't seen a player match it. That's something we are really excited about. She is a player that has the ability to make things happen, and she thinks outside the box, which is something our coaching staff will really like."
Follow Rutgers Athletics on Facebook (www.facebook.com/RutgersAthletics) and Twitter (@RUAthletics) for all of the latest news and updates. For specific updates regarding Rutgers field hockey, follow the program on Twitter (@RUFieldHockey) and Facebook. Fans can receive timely information, including special offers and giveaways throughout the year on our social media outlets along with www.ScarletKnights.com.
