THIRD MEMBER OF KARIYA FAMILY MAY COMPETE FOR UMAINE
by Larry Mahoney
Bangor Daily News: 01Feb97
 
ORONO -- One brother became a household name in Maine.  Another is well on
his way to becoming one.
 
Seventeen-year-old Noriko Kariya, the younger sister of former University of
Maine star Paul Kariya and current Black Bear right winger Steve, was on a
field hockey recruiting visit while getting a rare opportunity to see Steve
play here Friday night.
 
She knew her brothers enjoyed Maine so she inquired about attending Maine.
 
She is also looking at a few other schools.
 
Noriko Kariya, the fourth of T.K. and Sharon Kariya's five children, has
been playing field hockey for five years and plays year-round.  She also
plays ice hockey and has learned a lot from her old brothers and older
sister Michiko.
 
"I'm the second youngest so I take with me a lot of what Pal, Steve and
Michiko have done," said Noriko.  "I learned from them and I've grown with
them as they have achieved different things."
 
She said her brothers have "very different personalities" but similar hockey
styles as does 15-year-old brother Martin.
 
"They're all excellent hockey players who have the same ability to see the
ice very well.  They are playmakers, definately," said Noriko, who follwed
the blueprint.  "I'm more of a playmaker, too.  I play like they do only in
field hockey."
 
A wing-center-midfielder, Noriko said she has been blessed with another
Kariya trait:  speed.
 
Noriko likes field hockey and ice hockey equally but said there are many
more scholarship opportunities in field hockey and field hockey is big in
her native British Columbia and Ontario "where a lot of the national team
members come from."
 
She said she was enjoying her visit and looking forward to seeing her
brother after Friday's game.
 
"Everybody has been away doing their own things so when we get a chance to
see each other, it's a big event," she said.
 
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