Last semester, the ASU co-ed field hockey club team came in sixth place out of 14 teams at the National Hockey Festival. It was a bit of a setback for the team, as it had previously won the prestigious Cal Cup last May and looked to build on its success.
This semester, they’ll have a shot to redeem themselves and defend their hard-earned Cal Cup title. It is difficult to tell whether the team has the talent to repeat their win in the highly regarded tournament.
Projecting talent is a guessing game for the team because anyone is welcome to try out for the team, regardless of previous experience.
Coach Riyaz Mohamed knows the state of his team is still unknown this early in the semester.
“The beginning of the semester is always tough because we have to see the group we have for the upcoming semester,” Mohamed said.
The team’s success will depend on the play of sophomore Quinn Shollenberger. The two-year veteran Sun Devil has been playing field hockey for eight years, but mentioned the difference in playing the sport co-ed.
“It’s different, but fun,” Shollenberger said. “It’s a bit faster and a bit more physical now.”
Shollenberger gives the team a solid foundation to rest on as they head into the season looking to continue their success.
Women’s Rugby
ASU women’s rugby team is finding success.
In November, they competed in University of California San Diego’s Scrum by the Sea tournament and left ASU with some coveted hardware when they defeated Humboldt in the championship game.
The team also competed in the inaugural Women’s College 7s National Championships in College Station, Texas, but fell short in its bid for a national championship since they only tallied one victory in four games.
The beginning of the new semester means a fresh start for the current roster. Each semester, the team goes through crucial changes, losing valuable players and picking up new talent.
Club president and player Mikayla Gilbert, a sophomore, returns to the team to prepare the women, new and old, for another try at a national championship.
“We have a lot of new people this semester,” Gilbert said. “We lost a lot of players from last year, so right now we’re just working on a lot of fundamentals.”
Getting the fundamentals down quickly is crucial for the team to have the same success as last season.
This will be a big year for the women’s rugby squad as they look to put last season’s disappointing end behind them and begin a new path toward a national championship.
Reach the reporter at talopez3@asu.edu
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