Dear Loyal Buckeye Friends & Family,
We hope this newsletter finds you well. We're thrilled to update you on all the great things happening in our program, including the official start of the 2022 season! Our team is a great mix of experienced veterans coupled with a talented group of freshmen and three transfers who will make an immediate impact. We're excited about the potential of this group and what the season will hold.
This will be a special year both for our program and at Ohio State because we're celebrating the 50th anniversary of Title IX. There are so many great women who have paved the way for today's athletes and we're honored to have the opportunity to shine a light on them.
We encourage you to come out and support us when you can. It means a lot to our players to have Buckeye Nation behind them both at home and on the road. And thank you for all that you do to represent Ohio State field hockey!
The Ohio State University Department of Athletics kicked off a year-long celebration of 50 Years of Title IX in June. The 2022-23 athletics/academics calendar represents the 58th year of women’s intercollegiate sporting events. We've come a long way in that time, thanks to many women who have been pioneers and set a standard for others to chase.
2022 Schedule
The Complete Student-Athlete Experience
It was a busy summer for the Buckeyes in the "real world." Many of them had valuable experiences as interns in their respective fields of study, which sets them up for success following graduation.
Hanna Killeen: Social media marketing and graphic design intern for Fans Meet Idols
Megan McKenna: Worked in the ICU and ACU of the James Cancer Hospital as a student assistant
Emma Goldean: Worked as a PCA at the Nationwide Children’s Primary Care Clinic
Delaney Lawler: Was a Bucks Go Pro intern working with LEARFIELD focused on ticket sales development
Ali Gordon: A marketing/sales intern for Simple Times
Leanne Bough: Worked with InnoSource in its business office as a financial analyst.
Claudia Thomas: Medical research for legal issues with Healthcare Strategies
Buckeyes Welcome a New Teammate
During preseason training in August, the Buckeyes gained a new teammate. Rilynn signed with the squad as part of the Team IMPACT program and will be a valuable member of the group this year as practices, games and everything in between. Welcome to the team, Rilynn!
Buckeye Nation
Alumnae Reunion Weekend - Sept. 2-4
We were thrilled to welcome back many alumni on Sunday, Sept. 4 at halftime of our home-opener vs. Lehigh. The recognition was part of a weekend that included many opportunities for our alums to not only see the many facility improvements and enhancements but also reconnect, reengage and rediscover their Buckeye family.
Rachel Levan '21
Catch up on Rachel Levan’s trip to Hawaii with an organization called GIVE Volunteers. Rachel hiked up and sand boarded down an active volcano, made handmade tortillas, learned to surf, and created a permaculture garden for the local school students to learn about agriculture and sustainability! While there the volunteers also partnered with the Ocean Defenders Alliance where they helped remove debris from the reef.
Liz Tamburro '17
This season Liz had the opportunity to play for 3 teams at the senior level for Atletic Terrassa Hockey Club. Two of these teams are the top 2 women’s teams for the club who both won their league championships and will ascend to the next highest league for next season. This means that for next season, the club will now have its top two women’s teams playing in the top two Spanish National Leagues: Division of Honor A and B. They will play against the best teams not only in their region, but all over the country! With the second women’s team, Liz was able to contribute to making club history as they became the first women’s team to have an undefeated season! For next season, she will continue to play for Atletic joining the first women’s team in Division de Honor A. “I am forever grateful for my time at Ohio State and all the coaches and the program did to prepare me for the next phase of my career! God bless and Go Bucks!!!” -Liz Tamburro
Meet the New Buckeyes
#4 Zella Bailey
Freshman // Midfield // Virginia Beach, Va.
• Named in 2020 to the Max Field Hockey Top 50 list
• A high school Regional Player of Watch in 2020 as a junior
• Was a National Indoor Tournament U16 Pool V winner in 2020 in addition to a National Indoor Tournament U19 participant
• A nominee for National Field Hockey Player of the Year by USA Today High School Sports
• Had 11 goals and 20 assists for an undefeated Frank W. Cox team as a junior in the spring of 2021
• Scored the game-winning goal in the state championship game
Holland Bell
Freshman // Back // Dublin, Ohio
• A Max Field Hockey West/Mid-West Region Player to Watch in 2021
• A two-time All-Ohio selection by Max Field Hockey
• Two-sport athlete who also played lacrosse at Dublin Scioto
• First Team All-Central Ohio Field Hockey League
• Selected to the 2021 Nexus Championship in Virginia Beach
Makayla Carahaly
Freshman // Forward // Morgantown, Pa.
• Had 25 goals and 14 assists in 28 games during her senior season in 2021
• Scored the game-winning goal in overtime to give Twin Valley a berth in the PIAA Class 2A finals
• Twin Valley went on to win the Class 2A state championship with a 3-2 win over Gwynedd Mercy Academy to finish the season 27-2
• Named to the Berks County Interscholastic Athletic Association All-Division I team
• Second team All-State as a junior
• Played club field hockey for the WC Eagles
Jessica Courtright
Freshman // Midfield // Ann Arbor, Mich.
• Led her team – Skyline High School – to the Michigan High School Field Hockey Association Division I state title as a senior in 2021
• Scored 36 goals and added 22 assists to earn MHSFHA Dream Team accolades
• First Team Division I all-state and NFHCA All-Midwest Region
• Has two sisters who also play field hockey – Coco and Lauren.
• Played club field hockey for Pinnacle
Kelly Davis
Freshman // Goalkeeper // Delmar, Del.
• First team all-conference and all-state as a senior
• Led her team – Delmar High School – to an undefeated season and state championship
• A U16 National Futures Championship selection in 2019
• Played club field hockey for the Shore Byrds
• Winter Escape pool champions and U19 NIT Pool B champions in 2021
• Runner up in Pool B at the 2020 U16 Disney Showcase
Katie Fichtner
Freshman // Back // Harwood, Md.
• A top-50 ranked recruit nationally by MaxFieldHockey.com
• A team captain and Washington Post All-Metro selection during her senior season at Archbishop Spalding
• MaxFieldHockey.com first team All-Region and third team All-America
• Field Hockey Coaches Association of Maryland first team all-state and Offensive Player of the Year nominee
• A U19 Nexus Championship participant in 2021
• AAU Junior Olympics Silver medalist in 2019
• Played club field hockey for Freedom
Riley Hudson
Freshman // Midfield/Forward // Medford, N.J.
• A top-50 ranked recruit nationally by MaxFieldHockey.com
• First team All-State and All-Group IV during her senior season at Eastern Regional, a traditional power in New Jersey
• Her team win the Group IV state title and the Tournament of Champions crown
• Finished second in the state of New Jersey in total assists and third nationally
• A Max Field Hockey Regional Plater to Watch selection
• Led the state of New Jersey in assists during her junior season with 25 in 14 games
• Selected for the U19 Nexus Championship
• Played club field hockey for the WC Eagles
Malen Iglesias
Graduate // Midfield/Back // Buenos Aires, Argentina
• Was selected to the NFHCA All-Region team in 2021 and collected the NEC Player of the Year award to go along with All-NEC honors at Fairfield
• Led Fairfield to the 2021 NEC Tournament and automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament
• Had 19 goals and 12 assists for 50 career points, averaging nearly a point per game over her 66 appearances with the Stags.
• Tallied five game-winning goals and posted two of Fairfield’s three goals in the Stags’ NCAA Tournament game against Delaware
• Selected as the Northeast Conference Scholar-Athlete Of The Year in February of 2022
• Appeared on the NEC Academic and Commissioner’s Honor Roll in each of the last three years
Loryn Jordon
Freshman // Forward // Owings Mills, Md.
• A second-team all-state selection by the Field Hockey Coaches Association of Maryland as a senior
• A two-sport athlete at Franklin who also played lacrosse
• Member of the Baltimore County Public schools All-Division team and a Baltimore County All Star
• Baltimore County Public Schools first team all-county and named Most Valuable Player
• Played club field hockey for the Warhawks
• U19 Nexus Championship gold medalist
• Member of the National Honor Society
Erin Little
Sophomore // Back // Acton, Mass.
• Started 13 of 17 games for Boston University in 2021 and took one shot on goal
• Won four league titles at Acton-Boxborough High School and earned Boston Herald All-Scholastic honors three times
• Three-time Dual County League All-Star
• 2019 Boston Globe All-Scholastic honoree and named a 2020 NFHCA High School Impact Senior
Lindsey Roberts
Freshman // Forward // Dowington, Pa.
• A top-50 ranked player nationally by MaxFieldHockey.com
• Second team All-Main Line by PAPrepLive.com as a senior in 2021
• Helped lead Villa Maria to the District 1-2A finals
• An AACA All-Star during her junior season in 2020 when she scored 14 goals and added 12 assists in 11 games
• Played club field hockey for the WC Eagles
• Disney Showcase U16 champions in 2020
Janneke van Stiphout
Graduate // Midfield // Tilburg, The Netherlands
• Has started each of the first three games for Ohio State this season.
• Provides depth and versatility in the midfield.
• Is an experienced international player who competed at the club level in The Netherlands before coming to Ohio State.
• From Goirle, Netherlands and attended Koning Willem II College
Olivia Wallace
Freshman // Forward // Virginia Beach, Va.
• Attended Cape Henry Collegiate in Virginia Beach, Va., the same school as current Buckeyes Olivia Zettervall and Ali Gordon
• A first team all-state and all-conference section during her high school career
• Member of the Virginia Independent School Athletic Association state champions
• Played club field hockey for Focus Field Hockey
Makenna Webster
Junior // Midfield // St. Louis, Mo.
• Will be a two-sport athlete at Ohio State while also competing with the defending national champion women’s ice hockey program
• Played two seasons of ice hockey at Wisconsin where she registered 66 points on 31 goals and 35 assists for the women’s hockey team
• In her freshman season, she helped the Badgers to the 2021 national championship and was named the Frozen Four’s Most Outstanding Player
• Was a member of the St. Louis’ Gateway Field Hockey Club’s U-19 team at the 2021 USA Field Hockey National Club Championships.
• A player for the club since she was in second grade, she helped the team to a second-place finish in the tournament.
Summer Hockey
Goalkeeper Abby Danson competed at the 2022 Senior Nexus Championship (NXC), presented by Osaka Hockey, which was held at the Virginia Beach Regional Training Center in Virginia Beach, Va. from July 17 to 22.
Danson provided a big lift to her team, leading them to an overall third-place finish.
Formerly known as the Young Women’s National Championship, the Senior NXC is held annually and features 144 elite high school, collegiate and post-collegiate athletes.
Cota Coaches in Austria With Men's U-21 Team
Assistant coach Patrick Cota went overseas in July to assist the United States U-21 Men’s National Team. Cota’s destination was Vienna, Austria. He served as an assistant coach as the Americans played three games with Austria
Taking place at Hockey Club Wein, it was the United State's first outside competition of 2022, following training camp weekends in April and May.
Facility Updates
Fans and visitors to Buckeye Varsity Field will notice several upgrades in 2022. Over the summer, a new astroturf playing surface was installed. Shortly thereafter, construction on a new two-story press box began and is now complete. And finally, a new videoboard is being installed.
A huge thank you to everyone who has had a hand in making these projects a reality. The experience for our fans and teams will be remarkable.
Preseason
The Buckeyes returned to campus in August to begin preparations for the 2022 season. Along the way, they were also able to spend time together as a team, strengthen their bonds and learn more about the many resources that Ohio State offers.
Fall Clinic 2022
The Buckeyes are excited to host their annual fall clinic on Saturday, Sept. 17 as part of a weekend that also includes games vs. Maryland and Wake Forest.