ALBANY, N.Y. - The University at Albany field hockey program and head coach Phil Sykes have announced three mid-year additions to the team.

Two transfers and a freshman, Jette Kurz, Pilar Lorenzini, and Sarah Salameh joined the team at the start of the spring semester. They have been competing as Great Danes during the indoor season (spring 2024) and will continue with the team in the fall of 2025 at Alumni Turf.

Jette Kurz

F | 5-7 | Stuttgart, Germany | HTC Stuttgarter Kickers

Quick Facts: Coming in as a freshman, Kurz’s most recent field hockey competition led to a championship title for indoor in 2024. She also added a second-place finish at the German Championship with the selection squad (HBW).

Sykes on Kurz: “We are very excited to have Jette joining our team. She is a very powerful and dynamic player and will add a lot to our attack. She comes from a family that is very passionate about field hockey. Her older sister recently represented Germany at the Paris Olympics.”

Pilar Lorenzini

D/M | 5-1 | Mendoza, Argentina | Instituto Nuestra Señora del Libano | Club Leonardo Murialdo

Quick Facts: A sophomore transfer from Wagner College, she was named All-Tournament during both the 2023 and 2024 seasons. At Wagner, she started all 37 games and totaled 16 points from four goals and eight assists with one defensive save throughout her freshman and sophomore campaigns. 

Sykes on Lorenzini: “Pilar is the first player from Argentina to be a Great Dane. She is a very skillful and experienced player that will add tremendous stability to our midfield and defense. Both of her parents are coaches and you can see this in her hockey intelligence.”

Sarah Salameh

M | 5-4 | Washington, N.J. | Warren Hills Regional High | NJ Starz

Quick Facts: A transfer from Towson, she appeared in all 18 games during her rookie season. During high school, Salameh was named Second Team All-New Jersey in 2023. She graduated as a three-time offensive player of the year with three first team all-conference, three first team all-county, and three first team all-group nods. As a New Jersey Senior All-Star, she was named to the MAX Field Hockey Top 150 in the Class of 2024.

Sykes on Salameh: “Sarah comes to us from a very competitive part of New Jersey. She has a good feel for the game and is quite skillful in any situation. Her toughness and desire for success will add a great deal to our team.”

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