The Northwestern women's field hockey team has established themselves as one of the premier programs in the country, but the 2021 national champions still feel like they have more to accomplish, and some experience on the international stage could help the cause.
Despite three straight trips to the national championship game, the Northwestern women's field hockey team is not satisfied, partly because they've come up just short in their last two trips, including last year's heartbreaking defeat in a shootout.
"I haven't watched the final game still from last year, but I think as a coach the ultimate goal is to make the Final Four, and to vie for a championship, and not many coaches in any sports are able to do that," head coach Tracey Fuchs said. "I'm so proud of the group we've put together, and what we've accomplished over the last five, six years. We want to vie again this year, and I think we're going to get better and better as the season goes on."
The Wildcats have two additions to their roster. Maddie Zimmer is back. Ashley Sessa transferred in. Both of them took an Olympic redshirt last year to play for the Team USA women's field hockey team.
"It's really hard to kind of encapsulate in a couple words, but overwhelming, amazing. It's just so insane to walk around the village, and these high profile athletes, and know that you're there doing the exact same thing that they're doing. So it's also just a very gratifying experience. I'm really lucky and grateful to be there." Zimmer said.
"It was a mental challenge, but being able to lean on such an amazing group of girls was just phenomenal," Sessa said. "I've definitely this past year matured a lot throughout the year, so I'm very thankful for that opportunity."
There was another Wildcat in Paris. Fuchs served as an assistant for Team USA.
"It was amazing. It all came full circle. I played in two Olympics, and I had the opportunity to coach an amazing group of women, with two of them being Northwestern Wildcats," Fuchs said. "We're building towards [the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028] and want to push for the medal stance. So that's our next goal."
Back in Evanston, the Wildcats seem as locked in as ever, even setting a school record for most consecutive Big Ten wins. So the goal has to be Final Four or bust, right?
"I definitely think that that's a goal that we've had. I think it's realistic for us considering the growth that our program has had in the past few years, but again just focusing one game at a time. The most important game is the one that we're playing next" Zimmer said.
The Wildcats are 13-0 so far this season, with five games left until the Big Ten Tournament. The NCAA Tournament begins Nov. 15.
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