KELLY STUCKEL
Field Hockey, 1976-79
February 19, 2000

Kelly Stuckel was a four-year standout during one of the brightest eras in the history of SMS field hockey as she helped spark the Bears of coach Rhonda Ridinger to four straight postseason tournament appearances and a cumulative record of 95-11-2 from 1976 through 1979.  Stuckel was a starter for the Bears in every game of her four-year career and is the SMS all-time leader in career assists.  SMS turned in a 16-3 record in 1976 and finished second in Missouri AIAW play before capturing third in the regional AIAW tournament.  The Bears earned their first state championship in 1977 and finished as the regional runner-up in 1977 while posting a 23-4-1 season record.  SMS wound up 28-2 in the 1978 season and was again second in regional tournament play after finishing third in state AIAW play.  The 1979 Bears broke through, winning state and regional titles and tacking on an AIAW national championship as Ridinger’s club was 28-2-1.  In the national tournament in Princeton, N. J., SMS opened with a 4-0 victory over C. W. Post and followed that with a 3-1 win over Bemidji State in the quarterfinals.  SMS beat Lehigh 4-0 in the semifinals and shut out Colgate 2-0 for the championship.  SMS career goals scored record holder Chris Dufner played the same four seasons as Stuckel, with Stuckel gathering most of her assist total aiding Dufner’s goals, while Stuckel punched up 41 career goals of her own, a total which still ranks fifth on the SMS all-time list.  Stuckel’s single season scoring high was 14 goals in 1978 and she had 11 as a freshman in 1976.  Stuckel has spent most of the past 20 years as a high school and college field hockey coach in the St. Louis area, including nine seasons as head coach at Saint Louis University.