May 26, 1999

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - Virginia head field hockey coach Jessica Wilk has named Mary Casabian as her assistant, effective immediately. Casabian comes to Virginia from Harvard, where she was an assistant for the Crimson in 1997 and 1998.

Casabian, a 1997 graduate of the University of Iowa, was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year her senior season as the captain of the Hawkeye squad. A three-time Regional All-American, Casabian was also a member of the All-Big Ten team in both 1995 and 1996. The 1996 team finished the regular season ranked second in the nation. In addition, the Hawkeyes advanced to the Final Four in both 1993 and 1994, and in 1995 and 1996 the team was undefeated in Big Ten play.

While a member of the Hawkeye team, Casabian was a representative on the Women's Intercollegiate Sports Council where she organized community service functions for teams and worked on promoting events within the athletic department.

Casabian, who has written articles for national sports magazines, is heavily involved in the United States Field Hockey Association (USFHA) Futures program as the head coach at a site. She also serves as a clinician at a number of field hockey camps around the country.

Wilk stated, "I'm very excited to have Mary join the staff. She was a talented player with a great deal of experience, and she will bring an energetic and enthusiastic style to the program. Mary is a great complement to the Virginia team."