Ever since I was a little girl, I knew I loved sports. From playing and competing in sports my whole childhood such as soccer, basketball, gymnastics, swimming, dancing, and karate, as well as the occasional football and frisbee games with my dad and brother in the backyard. I was aware of my competitive nature and knew I wanted to compete at the collegiate level.
Going from sport to sport I never felt content, something was always missing. That’s until I learned about field hockey. A new sport that felt unique, fast-paced, detail oriented and most of all fun. I quickly grew a newfound passion and love for this new sport. After playing in my first rec game and scoring in the first minute, I knew myself, as well as others, that field hockey would be the one I stuck with.
My field hockey journey began in the 4th grade when I was 9 years old. I began to compete competitively in 2017 with the Hymax Field Hockey Club located in Baltimore, Maryland where now currently in 2026 I will end my time with the club before I go to college.
When I entered my freshman year of high school, I was determined I would commit to play D1 field hockey in college. I started obsessing over my skill levels and my fitness. I would watch films and closely criticize myself and then work with trainers on what I needed to improve upon. I dedicated myself to field hockey entirely and cut all other sports out of my life.
Then sophomore year rolled around, and sending college emails suddenly became immensely important. I would email many colleges with personalized messages pertaining to that school before competing in college showcases, tournaments, clinics, USA field hockey pathway programs and many other events. I did this in the hopes of getting attention from major college coaches.
When competing at these various college events, I learned the importance of being calm and composed. Knowing your future lies on what coaches can see during that certain moment can be scary. I have always struggled with performance anxiety so these showcases were extremely stressful during the college recruiting tournaments.
During these tournaments, if you had a recruiting profile on the app Sport Recruits you would get notifications when colleges viewed your profile, helping you determine which colleges are interested in you.
I would also compose film reels and update my recruiting profile regarding field hockey endeavors and academic success before tournaments. Then I would email each college specifically with my game times and location to see me play. I would send this information out to colleges but communication was limited due to NCAA regulations so college coaches could barely respond.
I would send them notice of my accomplishments such as being a Two-time NexUS Championship gold medalist in the U14 and U16 divisions (2022, 2023). Freshman letterman at Maryvale Prep (2022), competing in Maryland’s premier conference, the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland (IAAM). My nomination to be in the MAX Field Hockey Class of 2026 Top 150 and my participation in the National Player Combine.
Although having this success, I still felt a sense of stress and worry about my future career.
These sophomore year events were important because on June 15th after sophomore year marks the first day NCAA Division I and II field hockey recruiting coaches can initiate direct, personal communication with prospective student-athletes. Starting this date, coaches can make phone calls, send emails/texts, and discuss recruiting, including verbal offers.
On the day of June 15th, I received many calls and emails and finally felt a wave of relief knowing my blood, sweat, and tears had finally paid off. Getting to this point many social events with friends and family were sacrificed. Time I could’ve spent doing other fun high school activities were compromised. But it was all worth it.
After many discussions, emails, calls, and facetimes, with different coaches regarding majors at their school, their values, the program and other attributes. I verbally committed to Saint Joseph’s University on July 5th before my junior year. A verbal commitment in sports is a non-binding, unofficial agreement between a student-athlete and a coach, while a written commitment more specifically is called a National Letter or Intent which is a legally binding contract signed on November 12 of your senior year.
I wanted a college that was faith-based in the Catholic church, had good academics, and an amazing sports program. So Saint Joseph’s University became the perfect match for me, no doubt. My dream of playing D1 field hockey would finally become a reality.
If I could go back and tell my younger self one thing about recruiting, I would advise myself to always believe in my abilities. Don’t doubt yourself, and work hard on the days that you don’t always feel your best. Having the opportunity to play division one field hockey is one of the greatest blessings of my life and I cannot wait to get to work.
