Ladino making an impact at Stonehill

By Ed Collins, Standard-Times staff writer

It didn't take Pam Arpe long to realize that Jackie Ladino had a great future as a college field hockey player.

"She had a great highlight tape from high school and I knew right away that I wanted to recruit her," said Arpe, who guided Stonehill College to the NCAA Division II Final Four last season. "It's always an unexpected surprise when you find a freshman who can come in and contribute right away at this level."

A former star at Dartmouth, where she also played on the Indians' 2005 state-championship basketball team, Ladino has proven to be a great addition for the Skyhawks, who are ranked fifth nationally.

"Jackie is very athletic, she has great speed, and her stickwork has really improved," said Arpe, who's in her seventh season at Stonehill. "She's a very mature player and she has great awareness on the field."

A good passer, Ladino has a goal and a team-high eight assists playing right wing for the Skyhawks, who improved to 13-3-0 overall and 11-2-0 in the Northeast-10 Conference with a 2-0 league win over Franklin Pierce College on Saturday.

"Jackie sees the field very well and her passing skills are excellent," said Arpe. "She's been setting up a lot of scoring chances for her teammates."

One of seven freshmen on the Skyhawks' roster, Ladino started the season coming in off the bench, but she quickly worked her way into the starting lineup, where she has been a fixture in the team's last eight games.

"If you prove you can play your position and get the job done in games, you're going to play for me no matter how young you are, and Jackie has done that," said Arpe. "The one big thing I like about Jackie is that she's very coachable. She learns from her mistakes and she doesn't repeat them."

Arpe said she also likes the fact that Ladino hasn't been intimidated while playing against some of the best defenders in the country.

"Jackie has been going up against a lot of experienced players, but that's done nothing to slow her down," said Arpe. "She has a good feel for the game and she plays with a lot of confidence and composure."

A balanced lineup has been a team strength for the Skyhawks and Arpe said Ladino has proven to be a key part of the squad's overall makeup.

"We don't have any real superstars, but we have players who know what their roles are. Jackie's passing has been a big key to our success and that's been her role this season," said Arpe. "We like to take our players' strengths and blend all those talents into a cohesive unit. We have a different mix this season, but we're playing well together and we're getting the job done."