Al’s Fearless 6ix
Maryland
Massachusetts
Northwestern
North Carolina
Syracuse
Virginia
There are two major questions hanging over NCAA Division I subject hockey this season. One: “Who’s going to be the following St. Joseph’s or Liberty, a group popping out of nowhere to make a Closing 4?”
Two: “Will a heretofore unknown participant, particularly from the rising wave of overseas expertise coming into collegiate subject hockey, assist a group notice a season past all expectations?”
As in lots of sports activities, incoming freshman lessons are scrutinized to loss of life, whilst groups ship coaches to recruitment camps in Europe to seek out gamers to up the talent stage on the roster, which has made the duty of writing a Division I preview so tough, we’ve needed to develop our typical Fearless 5ive and institute a Fearless 6ix.
Northwestern, your defending nationwide titleists, are stacked with skilled expertise. Begin with Olympians Maddie Zimmer and Ashley Sessa, the latter of which has one of the vital inventive ending minds within the recreation. Ilse Tromp is a superb first choice on penalty corners, whereas Olivia Bent-Cole is a proficient ahead who has provide you with some massive objectives in massive video games. I believe one participant to keep watch over for this group is midfielder Greta Hinke, who’s going to should be immense on each ends of the pitch.
North Carolina, I believe, is the group that would be the most definitely group to problem the Wildcats for nationwide honors. All you need to do is take a look at the assault line, led by present Honda Award winner Ryleigh Heck. Her sister Kara, who has executed nice work over time at Rutgers and Boston Faculty, is spending a grad 12 months at Chapel Hill, and might solely assist the assault. A big a part of that assault shall be Charly Bruder, a participant with a hammer of a shot. However the Heels additionally produce other choices on the hanging circle on assault penalty corners, together with Sanne Hak, Sietske Bruning, and switch Daniela Mendez-Trendler.
Difficult UNC for high honors within the loaded ACC shall be Virginia. The Cavaliers have an immense incoming recruiting class, one which incorporates Riley Savage, Bella Moore, Charly Nemec, and Lauren Sloan. Nevertheless it additionally contains goalie Soren Kipphut, who graduated from Woolwich Kingsway (N.J.) a 12 months early and has been creating on her personal the final 12 months.
One other group with a tremendous incoming class is Syracuse. The Orange have three freshman who performed final 12 months with Pottstown Hill College (Pa.) — Tane King, Aubrey Turner, and Taylor Bigbie. Add to that Sammie Goin, who had 118 assists for Ashburn Independence (Va.), lots of the “how did she discover her?” selection. They are going to be serving to main scorer Bo Van Kempen, who had 15 objectives a 12 months in the past.
Maryland is a group which has all of the instruments to make a run on the nationwide remaining, not solely due to its expertise, however its chemistry. The Terps have goalie Alyssa Klebasko and fullback Josie Hollamon, who’re purpose sufficient for them to win within the always-tough Huge Ten. However the group now has a roster loaded with expert expertise from again to entrance, together with Ella Gaitan, Fleur Knopert, and Maci Bradford. The Terps additionally get a profession 200-goal scorer in Jordyn Hollamon, who’s listed as a defensive midfielder.
If there’s a group on the market who might aspire to be the following Cinderella, look no additional than Massachusetts, who had a heartbreaking loss to Northwestern within the nationwide semifinal. Although Claire Danahy has graduated, Elani Sherwood and Elena Clococeanu return for the Minutewomen, and the group shall be longing for an opportunity to enhance on final 12 months’s marketing campaign.
