Dez Fillmyer leads Rider University
By Celeste E. Whittaker
Courier-Post
Rider field hockey coach Lori Hussong calls Dezarae Fillmyer the “heart and soul” of the Rider team.
The former Florence High School standout is a senior back for the Broncs and is the defensive catalyst and a strong leader.
Hussong, a former standout in field hockey and softball at Cinnaminson, says no one will outwork Fillmyer, either.
“This year, more than ever, we’re really depending on her for not only what she does on the field but off the field for us,” Hussong said. “I would say she’s having a great start to her senior year. She’s the backbone of our defense and she’s been the backbone for the last two seasons.
“She’s really grown into the role of a leader on our team. That’s something she’s worked hard to do and worked hard to gain the respect of her teammates. I don’t think you’ll find many kids on the team that work harder than her every single practice and gives her best effort that she does.”
Fillmyer has a team-high nine points for the Broncs (2-4), including a team-leading four goals, all on penalty strokes. She was recently named Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Week.
“It feels like just yesterday I was a little freshman,” said Fillmyer, who has started all six games and is one of three seniors. “I’m one of the three senior captains this year. I just try to work hard and do as much as I can and produce as much as I can and try to win championships. My biggest goal is to get to the Sweet 16.”
The Broncs finished 13-7 last season, winning the MAAC regular season title. They lost in the conference semifinals in a 1-0 defeat to Robert Morris.
Fillmyer, who started all 20 games last season, scoring four points, wants to go much further in her final year.
“I’ll remember the reasons why I wanted to come here is the team felt like family they liked each other,” Fillmyer said. “Watching them play, they were amazing. Virginia Egusquiza was an All-American. Watching her play and learning from her, I feel like her and a few of the other girls, they helped me become a better player. I feel like my game since high school has elevated a lot.
“Actually, I knew coach Lori before I got to Rider. I had played field hockey with her daughter when we were younger. I’ve always had that connection, comfortable feeling with them. It’s good playing close to home, too. My family can come out and watch me play. It’s nice to have a support system.”
Hussong, the 2013 MAAC Coach of the Year, has 199 career wins at Rider. She’d rather not speak about the wins, though, and instead talks about her team and Fillmyer. She’s very pleased with the progress Fillmyer has made as a player and as a leader in her four seasons. And, she’s started her senior season off with a bang.
“I’m really just proud that she’s developed into the player she’s become,” the coach noted. “She’s one of the best defenders, I feel, in the conference. In the past she’s been overlooked as far as season recognition.”
Rider has three other South Jersey players on its current roster: Melissa Cunningham (Collingswood), Rachel Ippolite (Kingsway) and Kalyn O’Brien (Seneca).
Hussong mentioned some former South Jersey players that had standout careers in recent years at Rider, such as Gabby Burgo and Ellie LaBar of Collingswood and Jackie Adams of Shawnee.
“South Jersey field hockey is one of the hot beds in the country as far as recruiting goes,” said Hussong, who was an All-American field hockey player at Trenton State (now The College of New Jersey) and won two national championships there. “The same teams that were strong when I played in high school are still the strong teams in the area. We look to South Jersey to get some Jersey Girls to stay in New Jersey and play for our program.
“When we do, it ends up being a really good experience for everyone involved….When we look for good field hockey players, we don’t have to look too far.”
Indeed.
Reach Celeste E. Whittaker at cwhittaker@courierpostonline.com. Follow her on Twitter @cp_CWhittaker.
Girlz Gamez 