Courtney Wood, Class of 1995
The centerpiece of two Hall of Fame soccer teams (1993, 1994), Courtney Wood ’95 possessed tremendous creativity on the ball and determination to become a winning force in the Falcons’ astonishing 33-1-1 record during her tenure. The hard-charging, opportunistic midfielder had a knack for finding the net or setting up chances for teammates, including Kelly Witman ’96 and Hall of Famers Shaunette Richards (Barnett) ’94 and Lauren Sellers ’96. A scoring phenom, Wood registered two points a game on 44 goals and 27 assists, numbers which still rank among Peddie’s all-time leaders. She ranks fourth in career points (71), fifth in assists and tied for fourth in goals (with Richards).
No matter what role she filled, Wood’s track record of two Prep A titles, Trenton Times Team of the Decade (1994) and volumes of wins against the best competition underscored her importance to the Falcons’ success during her two years in the Old Gold and Blue. She received numerous individual accolades, including Parade All-American, New Jersey Player of the Decade and NJ Girls Soccer Coaches Association 1994 First Team as the only private school member.
Wood’s storied Peddie career began on Sept. 15, 1993, when she netted her first Falcon goal in her first game to seal a 2-0 victory against nationally-ranked Villa Joseph Marie. During the 1994 campaign, Wood scored in each of her first five matches and kept pace to finish the season with 21 goals. She tallied her final two goals in back-to-back games against Blair in the Prep A Championship and the traditional season finale.
Wood took to heart the words of Coach Ray Cabot on what is needed to compete successfully at a high level. “He taught me the value of self-discipline and that the will to win is always greater than the skill to win,” she said.
Her success extended to her collegiate days at Seton Hall University, where she helped develop a program only in its second year. A three-time NJ College All-State honoree and All Mid-Atlantic Region selection, Wood provided the leadership to guide the Pirates to a 25-11-1 mark overall and 16-5 record in the Big East during the 1997 and 1998 seasons. She took her game to a new level and ranks second all-time in goals (26) and points (66). Her career at Peddie and Seton Hall is also the definition of durability, recording a streak of 108 consecutive games, all starting assignments.
A true warrior, Wood carved out a reputation as one of the top players in Peddie girls soccer history.