BOONE, N.C. - The App State Field Hockey team is set to take the field for the first time in 2023 on Friday in Towson, Md. This season marks the 55th year of Mountaineer Field Hockey in Boone. Here is what fans need to know about the 2023 season.
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Recapping 2022
- Finished the 2022 season with a 14-6 record, tying a program record for wins in a season and posted their first winning season since 2019 where they finished 11-9.
- Won 10 games in a row last season, which was the second-longest winning streak in program history.
- Led the MAC in goals (58), points (165), goals per game (2.90) and scoring margin (1.75).
- Saw eight players garner All-MAC selections.
- Appeared in the MAC Championship game for the first time in program history.
2023 Notes
- The Mountaineers will return 10 players who played in all 20 games a season ago.
- Of those 10 players, seven started at least five games.
- Senior defender Grace Ball and fifth-year goalkeeper Addie Clark have been named the Mountaineer captains for the 2023 season.
- Ball played every minute of every game last season and has been a mainstay on the Mountaineer defense over her three seasons in Boone. Last year, she helped the Mountaineers record a MAC-high seven shutout victories.
- Addie Clark garnered All-MAC second team honors a season ago for her play in the cage and is entering her fourth year as the starting goalkeeper for the Mountaineers.
- The 2023 squad will return five players who received All-MAC honors last season.
- Fifth-year goalkeeper Addie Clark finished second in the MAC in fewest goals allowed (23) and goals against average (1.09). She led the MAC in total shutouts with seven.
- Fifth-year forward Sarah Farrell enters the 2023 season as the top-returning goal scorer, having notched a career-high seven goals last season.
- Sophomores Bridget Donovan, Lise Boekaar and Henriette Stegen will continue to build on phenomenal freshman seasons in the Black & Gold that saw each player garner All-MAC freshman team honors. The trio combined for 12 goals and 33 points a season ago.
At The Helm
- After spending the previous six seasons as an assistant coach for the Mountaineer field hockey program, Emily Dinsmore enters the 2023 season as the newly minted Mountaineer head coach. She is the ninth head coach in program history.
- As the assistant head coach, Dinsmore helped lead the 2022 App State field hockey team to its first winning season since 2019 and propelled the defense to MAC-high seven shutout victories.
- App State's first win in the 2023 season will mark Dinsmore's first win as a collegiate head coach.
The Team
Returners
- Bridget Donovan
- Saw action in all 20 games last season for the Mountaineers. Netted five goals and notched 13 points in her freshman season. Named to the All-MAC freshman team.
- Sarah Farrell
- started 15 games in 2022 for the Mountaineers and played in all 20 games. Scored seven goals and tallied 16 points, both career highs. Enters the season as the leading returning goal scorer for App State.
- Ruby Clark
- Has appeared in six games as a Mountaineer, tallying 58 minutes played. Has two sisters currently on the roster (Addie and Mamie).
- Kendall Cooke
- Saw 15 minutes of action as a sophomore. Helped lead App State to a shutout victory over Saint Louis on Oct. 16.
- Sarah Callery
- Enters the season as a sophomore. The first appearance of the 2023 season for Callery will be her App State debut.
- Sarah Perkins
- Tallied 509 minutes and played in all 20 games for the Mountaineers in 2022. Notched two shots on goal in five attempts.
- Henriette Stegen
- Appeared in all 20 games in 2022. Won MAC Offensive Player of the Week in September 2022 after netting a goal against Central Michigan and forcing overtime late with a goal against No. 15 Wake Forest. Led the team in shot-on-goal percentage (17-20, .850). Named to All-MAC freshman team.
- Charlotte Bosma
- Appeared in 14 games in 2022, starting eight of them. Scored three game-winning goals, which was the fourth-most in the MAC last season. Scored the team's lone goal against Kent State in the MAC semifinals to clinch the team's 10th straight win and a spot in the MAC Championship game. Tallied a .800 shot-on-goal percentage.
- Jillian Orcutt
- Entering her third season at App State. Made 12 appearances a year ago and played 349 minutes.
- Rachel Fleig
- Started eight games and appeared in all 20 games last season. Scored a career-high six goals, including one against Miami (OH) in the MAC Championship game. Finished the season with a shot-on-goal percentage of .800.
- Grace Ball
- Enters the 2023 season as co-captain of the team. Played in every single minute of the 2022 season (1,269). Helped lead App State to seven shutout victories, the most in the MAC. Played in the 2023 Senior Nexus Championship.
- Samantha Connors
- Appeared in nine games as a freshman in 2022. Played a season-high in minutes against No. 15 Wake Forest on Sept. 25.
- Hadley Kuzmicky
- Saw action in 15 games in her first season at App State. Recorded her first career assist against MAC champion Miami (OH). Tallied one shot-on-goal in 2022.
- Leah Hurwitz
- Played in all 20 games for the Mountaineers in 2022. Recorded a shot-on-goal against Miami (OH). Contributed in each contest during App State's 10-game win streak that led to a MAC Championship game appearance.
- Lise Boekaar
- Played in all 20 games for the Mountaineers in 2022 and made 17 starts. Named to the All-MAC freshman team after tallying three goals and four assists. Tallied a .833 shot-on-goal percentage.
- Claire Grenis
- Entering her third season as a Mountaineer. Has played 30 minutes at goalkeeper in her career.
- Addie Clark
- Started all 20 games at goalkeeper for App State in 2022. Named second-team All-MAC after finishing second in the conference and eighth in the nation in goals against average (1.09). Recorded seven shutouts in 2022, the most in the conference. Twice named MAC Defensive Player of the Week. Has never allowed more than three goals in a game.
Newcomers
- Florine Koopman
- Signed with App State out of Wassenaar, The Netherlands, and will make her U.S. debut in the fall. Had a successful stint with HGC under head coach Pim van Paassen that included her being named team captain. Spent three years competing in the highest league available in Wassenaar.
- Kassie Paul
- Signed with App State out of Jamestown High School in Williamsburg, Va. Named Regional Player of the Year as a senior. Named to the all-conference team three times and the all-state first team as a junior.
- Noa Ginjuame Matas
- Signed with App State out of Sant Cugat, Barcelona. Experienced a great career for her club team in Barcelona, Junior F.C., where she played under Carlota Pechame, a member of the Spanish national team. Led all of U-16 in goals scored in 2021 and is a two-time gold medalist with the Catalonia Hoquei Club.
- Casey Tyrrell
- Signed with the Mountaineers out of Mechanicsburg Area High School in Mechanicsburg, Pa. Played primarily with her club team, Central Penn Field Hockey, under head coach Belinda Heltzel. Helped lead her team to a JPOL championship in 2021.
- Sophia Baxter
- Signed with the Mountaineers out of Sykesville, Md. Helped lead her school, Marriots Ridge, to three regional championships and one state championship during her career. Was named all-state her last two years and all-county all four years. She also competed under Sarah Dawson, earning Futures Felvel I NFC selections, Nexus Championship selections and AAU selections.
- Mamie Clark
- Joining her two older sisters (Addie Clark, Ruby Clark), Mamie Clark comes to App State out of Louisville, Ky. Was named an all-star during her last two years at Sacred Heart Academy and was a nominee for the 2022 Bunny Doherty Defensive Player of the Year Award. Recorded 26 defensive saves in her high school career.
- Elizabeth Tegeler
- Signed with App State out of Providence Day High School in Charlotte, N.C. Was a four-time all-conference selection at Providence Day and was named to the all-state team as a junior. Also earned Charlotte Observer all-star team honors all four years and was once named to the Max Field Hockey Invitational all-tournament team. Helped lead Providence Day to two NCISAA championships.
- Dakota Anderson
- Signed with App State out of Bruton High School in Williamsburg, Va. Was named one of the top 100 players in her class by MAX Field Hockey. Was also a junior Olympic gold medalist and was named to the all-region team three times as a goalkeeper.
The Schedule
- The 2023 schedule is highlighted by trips to Winston-Salem, N.C. and Chapel Hill, N.C. where the Mountaineers will take on the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (Sep. 10) and the defending national champion North Carolina Tar Heels (Sep. 24).
- The Mountaineers will open the season in Towson, Md. where they will face Towson (Aug. 25) and Georgetown (Aug. 27).
- App State will then welcome Drexel (Sep. 1) and Davidson (Sep. 3) as part of the team's home-opening weekend.
- A week later, the Mountaineers will square off against future MAC foe James Madison (Sep. 8) as part of three consecutive road games from Sep. 8 - Sep. 15.
- The Black and Gold will open MAC Conference play on the road against the Bellarmine Knights on Sep. 15.
- Following that matchup, App State will welcome the Miami RedHawks for a MAC Championship rematch on Sep. 22 at Brandon & Erica M. Adcock Field.
- Taking a break from MAC Conference play, the Mountaineers will head to Chapel Hill to square off against the 2022 defending national champion North Carolina Tar Heels.
- The following week will see the Black & Gold head to Mount Pleasant, Mich. for matchups against MAC opponent Central Michigan (Sep. 29) and Lindenwood (Sep. 30).
- After a three-game road trip, App State will return home to face the Kent State Golden Eagles on Oct. 6 in a rematch of the 2022 MAC semifinal game.
- The Mountaineers defeated the Golden Eagles last fall as part of their 10-game winning streak and to clinch their first MAC Championship appearance in school history.
- The Mountaineers will cap off the road portion of the 2023 schedule with a four-game road trip that will include stops at Longwood (Oct. 13), Queens (Oct. 15), Ball State (Oct. 20), and Louisville (Oct. 22).
- App State will close the home and regular season schedule with matchups against the Ohio Bobcats (Oct. 27) and the Saint Louis Billikens (Oct. 29).
- The MAC Tournament will be played from Nov. 3-4 at Miami (OH).
