Nov. 23, 1999

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- Virginia Cavaliers coach Michelle Vizzuso (Fairfield, N.J./West Essex) was named as part of the United States Field Hockey Association's Team of the Year for 1999. Virginia's career leader in assists, Vizzuso has been a member of national teams since 1995 and a member of the senior national team since 1997.

A member of the United States National Teams since 1995, Vizzuso was the youngest member of the 1998 USA National Field Hockey Senior team that competed in the FIH World Cup in Amsterdam. In 1999, Vizzuso won a silver medal at the Pan American Games held in Winnipeg. The USA also just won the silver medal at the Hockey Test Event in Sydney, Australia, where the USA tied defending World and Olympic Champion Australia in the tournament.

Vizzuso holds the Virginia record for both assists in a career (60) and in a season (25). Her 60 assists ranks second all-time in the ACC and in the top-16 all-time nationally. She was a four-time All-American, earning first-team honors in both 1997 and 1998. She is the only person in ACC history to record 50 goals and 60 assists in a career. Her 13 career-game-winning assists is also a Virginia record, and she is the only person in school history to record double digits in both game-winning goals (12) and assists for a career.

Vizzuso was the first person in school history to reach double-digit scoring in both goals and assists in a single season, which she did in 1996, 1997 and 1998. She led the team in scoring with 53 points in 1998 and finished her career ranked third all-time in scoring at the University with 160 points. Her 53 points as a senior is the highest total for a senior in Cavalier history.