Field hockey’s young talent returns with a drive to improve
Junior midfielder Maite Sturm logged seven goals and 11 assists last season en route to being named First Team All-A-10. CT File Photo
Rodney Robinson, Contributing Writer
Field hockey looks to improve upon last year’s record-setting season after the Rams fell to the top-seeded Saint Joseph’s in the Atlantic 10 Championship 1-0.
“The end goal, I’d be lying if I didn’t say this, is to win the A-10 regular season and postseason championship, so that we can ultimately be competing in the NCAA Championship,” coach Stacy Bean said.
The Rams had a program-setting seven wins in A-10 play over the past season. The black and gold also played their way into the conference championship before falling short to Dayton.
The past two years have been very successful since Bean took over the program in January 2017, logging a 26-13 record over that span. Bean pointed to recruiting and the tempo of training as reasons for the turnaround.
“We try to emphasize training at the tempo we play at,” Bean said. “Just really setting up situations where our kids have to make decisions at speed, really translates to having success in a game.”
The Rams have a young team this upcoming season, with eight incoming freshmen and 10 returning players. Although the team is young, Bean stresses that the freshmen have “the same expectations as the upperclassmen.”
With only two seniors this season, leadership by committee and being a player-driven team are important to Bean.
“That’s really the most functional type of team dynamic you can get,” Bean said. “The teams that I’ve had over the years and who’ve outperformed expectations … are the teams that are player lead and player driven.”
Last season, freshman defensive player Janne Wetzel, freshman midfielder Mackenzie Williams and freshman defensive player Litiana Field all made the All A-10 Rookie Team. Field was one of 16 players in the country to make the national All-Rookie Team.
“We just look for them to keep growing as people and growing as players and not settling for, ‘Hey, we had a great freshman year,’” Bean said.
Junior midfielders Maite Sturm and Svea Sturm and Field were named to the All-A-10 Preseason Team this season.
The Rams look to build on their success over the past season, and Bean is excited about her team’s mentality.
“A lot of things have to go right in any team season to get the end result, but now that we have everyone pulling in the same direction, it’s a lot easier,” Bean said.
The Rams open the season Aug. 30 on the road against Lafayette. Their first home game is Sept. 6 against Long Island University, and A-10 play starts Sept. 20 against cross-town rival Richmond.
