NOTE: Throughout the fall semester, we will take a look back at some of the top events in Drew University Athletics occurring on the same date in history.

On this day in 1993, Tami Lynn Hineline C'94 made a school-record 36 saves for the field hockey team in a 3-0 loss to The College of New Jersey. She continues to hold the record some 27 years later, with no other goalie getting closer to 10 saves of the Hineline's mark.

In 2012, Hineline's stellar showing was featured on drewrangers.com in a series of the top-five greatest individual performances in school history. 

*********************************

In 1993 a cost of a gallon of regular gas was $1.11, tuition to Harvard University was $23,514, and Tami Lynn Hineline had 36 saves in one field hockey game.

Every team has an arch nemesis, one opponent that, for some unknown reason, a team cannot seem to beat. For Drew's field hockey team, that adversary was Trenton State. In fact, Drew is 0-25 in its history against TCNJ. In the year 1993, the Rangers had one of their best opportunities to defeat the Lions. The reason largely had to do with an all-time great performance from the Rangers cage-minder Tammy Lynn Hineline. 

Hineline was virtually assaulted in net, as the Lions fired a remarkable 39 shots. The Rangers, generally an extremely tough defensive unit, had all kinds of trouble slowing down TCNJ's attack. Fortunately for the Rangers, Hineline was on top of her game, stopping 36 of the 39 shots. The performance went for naught, however, as the final score was 3-0 in favor of the Lions.

When the game was over, Hineline recalls that "everyone was coming up to me telling me that I probably just set a record." Obviously spectators were aware that they had just been witness to Drew history. One of the only people not that impressed was Hineline: "It was my last chance to beat (TCNJ) and I was pretty upset that we didn't win." For Hineline the individual accolades were miniscule in comparison to the teams goals.

The game against TCNJ was hardly an anomaly in Hineline's career. 1993 is, arguably, the greatest season for a goalie in Drew's history. Hineline still holds the records for most shutouts in a season (9) and lowest goals against average (.84). She also holds the record for most shutouts (22.5) and most saves (524) in a career.

Hineline's record setting career as a goalie had an unorthodox start. She in fact began her field hockey campaign as a forward. In the beginning of her sophomore season, however, the team was void of goaltenders. Consequently, Maureen Horan-Pease, the coach at the time, decided to hold mandatory tryouts for goalie. Since the team had an overabundance of forwards, Coach Horan-Pease made them the victims of the goalie drought. Hineline recalls thinking, "Oh no, I do not want to be goalie!" Rather unintentionally a great talent had been unleashed through improbable circumstances.

That first year in goal for Hineline was tremendous for the Rangers. The team went 13-4-3 and 4-1 in the conference. When asked about that first year in goal, Hineline said, "I never would have survived without my teammates. They really supported me and helped me get through that first year." Hineline not only credits her teammates for the success she had in '91, but all throughout her career. "I'm proud of what I was able to accomplish," Hineline explained "but I never would have been able to do it without my great teammates." 

Today Hineline spends the majority of her time raising her two children, a full time position in itself, but also finds time to coach her daughters soccer team.

For her whole career Hineline felt as if she had to play catch-up with the other goalies she faced because of her lack of experience. Ironically, every goalie that has followed Hineline has had their hands full trying to catch up to the standards she set. It seems improbable that anyone will be able to break the 36 saves plateau. Not only does a goalie have to make that many saves, but they have to find a team as tenacious as TCNJ to take 39 shots. This fact alone made Tami Lynn HIneline's performance truly a moment to remember.

Story and interview by Jack Beers C'13