Cocalico grad Dana Sensenig is named to U.S. women’s field hockey team; several other athletes with local ties are set for Olympic Trials
Our sports editor, Keith Schweigert, is happy to report that former Cocalico standout Dana Sensenig will be heading to Beijing later this summer to participate in the Olympics as a member of the U.S. women’s field hockey team. Keith also provided an update where some other local athletes stand as far as their shot at making U.S. teams for the upcoming Summer Games, from his story in Tuesday’s New Era:
It’s official — Dana Sensenig is a United States Olympian.
The former Cocalico standout and Old Dominion University grad was one of 16 players selected for the United States women’s field hockey team, which was announced Monday night.
Sensenig, 23, will play midfielder for Team USA when it opens its quest for a gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing in August.
Sensenig could not be reached for comment.
Another former Lancaster-Lebanon League field hockey star, goalkeeper Amy Tran, a Northern Lebanon grad, earned a spot on the Olympic team.
Tran, a former University of North Carolina grad standout, is regarded as one of the world’s top players at her position.
Team USA will open the women’s field hockey tournament on August 10 against Pan American champion Argentina.
The U.S. will play each of the five other teams in its pool.
Pool A consists of top-ranked Netherlands, Australia, host China, Spain, Korea and South Africa.
The top two teams from each pool advance to the semifinals, which will be held on August 20. The bronze and gold medal matches will be held on August 22.
All of the U.S. team’s games will be televised on NBC.
The U.S. team will participate in a four-team tournament in Bremen, Germany from July 4-6, then will take on Netherlands in a three-game series from July 9-12.
The team will leave for China on August 2.
Sensenig may not be the only county athlete packing her bags for Beijing.
Kim Glass, a Conestoga Valley and University of Arizona grad, is hoping to earn one of the U.S. women’s volleyball team’s 12 roster spots for the Summer Games.
Glass and the U.S. team are currently playing in the FIVB World Grand Prix in Kobe, Japan. USA is currently 2-1 in the round-robin pool play portion of the tournament.
Glass, a 6-foot, 2-inch outside hitter, has been in the starting lineup for the U.S. team for its three games in Japan, and was a key member of the team that captured the bronze medal at the World Cup last November.
That third-place finish qualified the U.S. team for the Olympic Games.
The U.S. roster will be selected early next month. Glass is one of seven outside hitters competing for a spot.
Two Lancaster County swimmers are also hoping to earn a place on the Olympic team.
A pair of stars with Hempfield ties, Joe Kinderwater and Katie Riefenstahl, will both compete in the Olympic Trials, which begin on Saturday and run through July 6.
Kinderwater, 19, just finished his freshman season at the University of North Carolina after graduating from Hempfield last spring. He will compete in the 1,500-meter freestyle event, where he is seeded 15th.
The top two swimmers in the event earn Olympic berths.
Riefenstahl, who swam for Hempfield as a freshman before transferring to Germantown 
Academy, will compete in four events at the trials — the 100 freestyle, the 200 freestyle, the 100 backstroke and the 200 backstroke.
The 17-year-old freshman-to-be at the University of Texas set a state record in the 200-meter freestyle as a freshman with the Black Knights.
She posted qualifying times in six events for the Trials, but decided to focus on her four best events.
Another former Lancaster-Lebanon League swimmer, Cedar Crest grad and University of Indiana freshman Cody Weik, will compete in the 200 freestyle at the Trials.
