Jan. 19, 2004

Wake Forest's Jamie Whitten, Lauren Crandall and Claire Laubach - all key members of the Deacons' 2003 NCAA championship team - have been selected for United States Junior National Teams.

Whitten was named to the Under-19 team and Crandall and Laubach were chosen for the Under-21 team. All were selected by USA Field Hockey after team trials in Virginia Beach, Va.

The two USA junior teams will compete in various domestic and international events in 2004 including the USA Field Hockey Summer League and annual JFK International Tournament in Virginia Beach for the U19 team and an international tour and regional training sessions for the U21 team. The teams will also serve to prepare age-eligible athletes for next year's Pan American Junior Championships and the 2005 Junior World Cup.

Whitten, a freshman back, started all 23 games for Wake Forest in 2003, helping the Deacons to a 22-1 record. Crandall played in all 23 games, started 22 times and had seven goals on the season as a freshman. Laubach, a junior, scored eight goals and dished out 12 assists last fall.

Crandall and Laubach are two of eight ACC players on the Under-21 team. Whitten is one of six ACC selections on the Under-19 team.

The Junior National Team selections are the latest in a long list of postseason honors for the Deacons. Recently, head coach Jennifer Averill was named the National Coach of the Year for the second straight year by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association.