Laura Cahill Class: Junior Hometown: Virginia Beach, Va. High School: Kempsville Height: 5-5 Position: B

Career honors
- Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week (8-27-07)
- NFHCA National Academic Squad (2006, 2007)
- Academic All-Big Ten (2007)

Lion Career
2007: Started every game at back, primarily playing on the right side....Played the entire game in all but four games....Displayed outstanding stick skills that allowed her to continually disrupt opponents' dribbles....Part of a defense that recorded a Big Ten-leading nine shutouts and that had a 1.26 goals against average, which ranked 13th in the country and second in the Big Ten....Did not record any shots on the year....Was one of three different Penn State players to be named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week during the season as she earned the award on 8-27 after her outstanding play on defense in the Nittany Lions' two wins on opening weekend against top 10 teams Old Dominion and Virginia....Named to the NFHCA National Academic Squad.

2006: Did not play in the first two games of the season but played in the final 20 games, starting 19 of them, the second most on the team for a freshman....Entered the game at Lock Haven (8-31) after Chase Bacon left with an injury and has started the last 19 games....Recorded her first career point at Northwestern (10-20) when she assisted on Allison Scola's second goal of the game in what was a natural hat trick for her....Played in all eight of Penn State's shutouts....Team went 16-4 in games she played in....Part of the defense that led the Big Ten in goals against average (1.12), shutouts (8) and goals allowed per game (1.14) and that finished second in fewest goals allowed (25)....Defense also ranked fifth nationally in goals against average and ninth in shutouts per game (0.36)....Named to the NFHCA National Academic Squad.

High School
Played four years of varsity field hockey at Kempsville High School....A team captain, named Kempsville field hockey MVP senior year....All-Beach district first team selection in 2004 and 2005....Honored as second team All-Region senior and junior year....All-Beach district second team in 2003....Participated in National Futures 2002-05....Played in National Hockey Festival and National Indoor Tournament all four years, winning gold medals in both in 2003.

Personal
Currently undecided on a major....Full name is Laura Christine Cahill....Parents are Paul and Colleen Cahill....Has two sisters, Sara (23), who played field hockey at Penn State and Amy (21), who plays soccer at Elon....Born on November 5, 1987 in Bethesda, Md.

Char Morett on Laura Cahill
"Laura continues to play tough defense on a consistent basis. She has really worked to improve her passing game in order to be an effective right side threat. She understands the game and plays with a tough competitive attitude. Her years of experience in our defense will surely be relied upon this season."