Dear Loyal Buckeye Friends and Family,
It's finally here! The 2024 season begins on Friday, Aug. 30 and we couldn't be more excited to compete. It's been a productive preseason training since the team returned to campus in early August and we're all ready to show that on the field. As always, we'll be tested against a very competitive schedule, as the Big Ten will be the best league in the country this season.
We can't wait to see you - and hear you! - at our games this fall. Thank you, as always, for the tremendous support. We see it, we hear it and we feel it!
Preseason Training
The Buckeyes returned to campus to begin preseason on Aug. 8 and held their first practice on Aug. 9. In addition to training, they've been able to bond off the field with events such as candle making and a team lunch at Forno.
The team also had two preseason scrimmages: vs. Ohio on Aug. 19 and Michigan on Aug. 25, both a home.
2024 Schedule
Ten home games, including four against Big Ten opponents, highlight Ohio State's 2024 schedule. The Buckeyes will play 18 regular season games, beginning on Friday, Aug. 31 against UAlbany. Ohio State will play seven games against teams that made the NCAA Tournament field in 2023, including three in non-conference competition. The Big Ten slate features home games versus Michigan State, Penn State, Indiana and Iowa.
The Complete Student-Athlete Experience
Four field hockey student-athletes hold leadership positions in various student-athlete engagement organizations. These organizations allow these Buckeyes to engage with their peers and impact the community with something that is important to them.
Buckeye Spectrum – Treasurer: Abby Danson
SHEROS – President: Loryn Jordon
Voice in Sport – Marketing Manager: Hanna Killeen
Student Athlete Advisory Committee – Vice President: Makenna Webster
“Being able to attend the Athlete Ally summit this summer was an unforgettable experience. Being in a room full of LGBTQIA+ athletes was extremely empowering and I’m so grateful I was able to attend. I was able to listen to so many amazing stories from NCAA and professional athletes such as CeCé Telfer, Angel McCoughtry, and Dr. John Carlos. I look forward to bringing what I learned at Athlete Ally to our team to foster a more inclusive and welcoming environment.” Abby Danson
“I am thrilled to be a part of the SHEROS e-board again this school year as President! SHEROS is a student-athlete organization focusing on diversity in female sports and is an organization that brings a sense of community to various female athletes of color. We have a bunch of fun and educational events planned for this school year and I’m extremely excited to get back to work with these inspiring women and continue to strive to making collegiate athletics an awesome experience for all people!” - Loryn Jordon
“I am the Marketing Manager on leadership of Voices Athletes Amplified. It is the Voice in Sport Ohio State chapter, a registered student athlete organization that supports and celebrates the experience of women in sport. Our Voice in Sport chapter has done a fantastic job hosting events, serving the community, and collaborating with partners across campus to make a positive impact. We seek to amplify the voices of female athletes while educating other student-athletes at Ohio State on things like title IX, Women in sport, and much more.” – Hanna Killeen
Makena Webster attended this year's Wolstein Leadership Academy retreat. The programing took place from May 1-2 and was an overnight retreat at Flying Horse Farms.
”The Wolstein Leadership Academy is a comprehensive program crafted to assist our student-athletes on their personal leadership journey. They are exposed to programming that will help define who they are as a leader and develop essential leadership skills by participating in a variety of development activities. The theme of this year's retreat was communication, conflict management, and accountability. Student-athletes across 15 teams had the opportunity to improve their skills and collaborate with fellow student-athletes to achieve life-long learning that will ready them to become influential, positive role models in the community and on their team.” - Kate Reymann (Director, Student Athlete Development)
Summer Internship Recaps
“This summer I worked as a marketing intern for Townebank Mortgage. During this time, I worked along side the entire marketing department and learned the in's and out's of how marketing affects a company. I worked with a few different projects over my three month internship and my favorite was learning about digital flyers that can be emailed. Overall, I truly loved my marketing internship and look forward to understanding more postgraduate!” – Olivia Zettervall
“My internship this summer at the James Cancer Research Institute allowed to me to interact with cancer patients to make them feel as comfortable as possible and doing anything that they may need! This was such a great experience and allowed me to make a lot of connections with a variety of medical professionals!” – Cam Forgash
“This summer I was able to intern with M/I Homes again as a construction intern. I helped the construction managers by doing quality control checks, locking/unlocking homes, marking doors and windows, and making minor repairs when needed. I’m grateful that they brought me back for a second summer and I look forward to working with them again in the future.” - Abby Danson
“This summer I shadowed a PA in the Emergency Department at Boston Children’s Hospital. I plan on attending PA school after I graduate, so this was an awesome experience to be able to learn and connect with people in the hospital. Being in the ED I saw a wide range of cases, but mostly broken arms of kids falling off the monkey bars!” - Erin Little
“I worked this summer with Tickets for Less in their marketing department. I assisted the team in various different tasks such as schedules layout, developing influencer programs, and reaching out to potential partners. I really enjoyed working for them all summer, they allowed me to see what working in a companies marketing department is like, and all the various jobs and people that go into it.” – Hallie Brost
“This summer I had an internship with the Anne Arundel police department. Each week I went to a different unit within the department, including the homicide unit, SWAT team, K-9 unit and more. It was one of the most rewarding and knowledgeable experiences that I have ever been a part of and I am eager to learn more about the field!” – Katie Fichtner
“This summer, I participated in the Bucks Go Pro 1.0 Program, an internship opportunity for underclassmen student-athletes at Ohio State. As a rising sophomore, I worked as a student administrative assistant at the Wexner Medical Center East Hospital and enhanced my professional development at the Schumaker Athletic Complex alongside my cohort. At East Hospital, I networked with professionals in various roles and shadowed nurses across multiple departments. Working in a small community hospital was an eye-opening experience that helped clarify my future career goals. On the professional development side, I connected with many professionals across Ohio State, including athlete alumni. I also had the opportunity to present a group project to the entire Athletic Department and compete for a top prize in the BOSS (Best Of Student Startups) entrepreneurship competition. This internship provided invaluable experiences and knowledge, and I’m eager to apply my new skills and continue developing them in the professional world!” – Emily Barker
“I was the social media + content intern for Teamworks this summer. Teamworks “Operating System for Sports™” has the best-in-class products for each stage of the athlete lifecycle. It's one complete app that connects, focuses, and empowers support staff and athletes to drive team performance. We use Teamworks everyday at Ohio State so being able to be on the inside of the company was an amazing opportunity. I did lots of marketing and networked with a bunch of amazing new people!” - Hanna Killeen
“This summer I had the opportunity to intern at Keenan Center of Entrepreneurship. During my time there I gained valuable professional skills such as event planning, content creation, and professional networking. I also competed in the BOSS Student Athlete Finale, where we presented our business pitch, Scarlet Locker, to a panel of judges. Although we didn’t win the prize, the experience was incredibly rewarding and provided invaluable learning opportunities. Lastly, I had the opportunity to present my Bucks Go Pro 1.0 final presentation discussing the expansion and enhancement in the NIL space at Ohio State. It was an incredible experience!” - Ellen Ford
Buckeye Nation
Anyone interested in attending alumni weekend this fall should contact Megan Anderson at anderson.2809@osu.edu
Congratulations to our graduates!
Not pictured: Delaney Lawler graduated with a master's degree in sport coaching.
Meet the NewCOMERS
Welcome 2024 Buckeyes – read below to get to know some new faces!
Maddie Bogle // Lansdale, Pa.
Madeline Bogle will begin her journey as an Ohio State field hockey player later this summer. She arrives in Columbus after a career at Gwynedd Mercy Academy in the suburbs of Philadelphia that saw her achieve both individual and team success.
In her senior season last fall, Bogle was a team captain and helped lead the squad to a state semifinal appearance. Along the way, she garnered just about every individual accolade one can earn – first team all-state, team MVP and Times Herald/Montgomery Media Field Hockey Athlete of the Year.
Grace Dixon // Virginia Beach, Va.
The list of on and off field accomplishments for Grace Dixon is long, and she'll enter her freshman season at Ohio State primed to make an impact at the next level.
Dixon, from Virginia Beach, Va., was a three-year letterwinner at First Colonial High School where she was a two-time all-state honoree and as a senior was a second team All-American. But, it doesn't end there. She was also her high school's female athlete of the year and the most valuable player at the Hampton Roads Senior Game. On the international stage, Dixon has been a member of the U21 women's national team.
Sienna Golden // Berwyn, Pa.
When it came time for Sienna Golden to choose a college, she didn't have to search very far to see an example of what the Ohio State experience could look like. All she had to do was ask her mom.
Golden's mother, Deanna, was an all-region player in the late 1990s for the Buckeyes and went on to coach her daughter at Archbishop Carroll High School in Radnor, Pa. Sienna will carry on the family legacy this fall when she puts on the scarlet and gray for the first time.
A two-sport athlete in high school, Golden was a four-year letterwinner in both field hockey and lacrosse. As a field hockey player, her resume is long: Golden was a four-time all-league selection, earning Most Valuable Player honors as a senior. She broke the school record for goals scored and also led the team in assists. Not surprisingly, that also led to a lot of team success: Archbishop Carroll won four consecutive league titles during her career and played in one state championship game.
Ava Hershberger // Harrison City, Pa.
Among the many things that Ava Hershberger is brining with her from Penn Trafford High School, a winning attitude is near the top of the list.
That's because in her four-year varsity career at the school, Hershberger was part of four WPIAL conference championships. And along the way, she did a lot of goal scoring.
Hershberger broke the school's single-season goals record not once – not twice – but three times. She originally set it as a sophomore and then topped it as a junior and then again as a senior. She was the team's leading scorer all four years of her career as well as an all-WPIAL selection.
Victoria Kutz // Hummelstown, Pa.
In a family full of athletes, Victoria Kutz will begin her Ohio State journey this fall hoping to follow in the footsteps of her parents and two older siblings.
Kutz, a graduate of Lower Dauphin High School, had more than made a name for herself on the field hockey field. A four-year varsity letterwinner, she led her team to a state championship as a junior in 2022 and twice earned all-state recognition. As a senior, her accolades included being chosen as a team captain, NFHCA Academic Team recognition and PIAA 3A first team all-state laurels.
Kari Melberger // West Pittston, Pa.
After four years and over 50 games played, Kari Melberger decided that she hadn't yet had enough of college field hockey. And she also determined that the best place for her to have one last season was at Ohio State.
Melberger played in 53 games with 50 starts as a member of the team at Bucknell University. She arrives in Columbus with 11 career points on four goals and three assists, but perhaps even more importantly she also brings the experience of being a team leader. In 2023, as a senior, she was a team captain at Bucknell. In her freshman season, Melberger scored the game-tying goal in the fourth quarter vs. Boston U. in a Patriot League Championship win; Bucknell would go on to play Michigan in the NCAA Tournament.
Philippa Schipper // Rotterdam, Netherlands
Philippa Schipper's journey from the Netherlands to Ohio State covers just over 4,000 miles, which for most people would be a distance that seems far to great to travel. But the culture she's coming to, combined with her field hockey background, makes it an instant match.
Schipper competed most recently with GU18-1, one of the top club teams in the Netherlands. In the last three years, her team has been the Dutch champions once and the runners-up twice. A center back, she was the quarterback of the defense, and her play in 2023 helped HC Rotterdam GU 16-1 to a 4-0 win in the Dutch championship game.
Maya Walker // Greenwich, Conn.
Maya Walker's transition into Ohio State as a graduate transfer will be slightly different than most others.
That's because she'll have an inside source helping her along the way – her brother, Miles, who is in his second year as an offensive lineman on Ohio State's football team.
Maya fills an important need for the Buckeye field hockey team: she's highly experienced after four years at Columbia where she played in 49 games over her three-year career and started 46 times. A three-time All-Ivy League selection and all-region choice, Walker had 27 points in her career and scored eight goals.
Summer Field Hockey
Anne Marie Krebs, Makenna Webster and Katie Fichtner represented the scarlet and gray this summer at the 2024 Senior Nexus Championship. The Senior NXC features 144 elite collegiate and post-collegiate athletes. During the spring and early summer, athletes trialed and trained at one of the seven USA Field Hockey High Performance Centers throughout the country for an opportunity to be selected to the Senior NXC. All athletes that were previously named to the U.S. U18, U21, and Development Women's National Teams were also included within the selection.
“This summer I was able to compete at the Senior Nexus tournament and it was very memorable. I had an amazing experience and learned a lot from my coaches and teammates. I made many new friends in the process. Being able to play with and against the best players in the country to a great way to prepare for the season!” - Makena Webster
“Senior Nexus is a tournament that is a great way to get my stick in my hands during the summer. The competition is always great and it's a great way to meet new people. There are always times to grow as a player and learn new things!” – Katie Fichtner
“I had the opportunity to participate in the USA pathway by competing in the senior nexus championship in Virginia Beach. This experience allowed me to play with the best talent of the U-21 age group and learn from both the highest level coaches and skilled players. I hope to continue learning and growing through this program so I can bring it to our team and contribute to our victories.” - Anne Marie Krebs
“Going to the Olympics was a really cool experience because I got to experience watching many different field hockey cultures. It was an amazing opportunity to see field hockey on such a high level. The Olympics itself was crazy because of how many people gathered to experience this event.” – Lucy Osherow
Ohio State assistant coach Patrick Cota traveled to Zagreb, Croatia to coach the United States U-18 men's national team. The team's schedule included a week of international competition beginning on Monday, July 15 and continued through Saturday, July 20.
Cota's squad played a total of four times – once each on Monday, July 15, Wednesday, July 17, Thursday, July 18 and Saturday, July 20. In June, he selected the 16-person roster after participating in a three-day camp in early May, then competing in the California Cup in Moorpark, Calif. over Memorial Day weekend.
Patrick Cota was among five members of the 2024 Hall of Fame induction class by USA Field Hockey. The inductees officially went the hall of fame on Memorial Day Weekend, alongside the prestigious California Cup in Moorpark, Calif. The Hall of Fame celebration took place on Friday, May 24, 2024.
Along with Cota, the other members of the class are: Kelly Doton, Katelyn (Falgowski) Ginolfi, Amy (Hassick) Baxter and the late Dr. Christine Grant.
Cota recently completed his second season as an assistant coach for the Buckeyes. His coaching resume is extensive and includes 11 seasons (2010-21) at Stanford. In his final season with the Cardinals in the spring of 2021, Cota was part of a staff that was named the West Region Staff of the Year by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA). Stanford finished that season with an overall record of 11-3, its fourth conference title in five years and a trip to the quarterfinal round of the NCAA Tournament.
Fall Clinic Info
The clinic, scheduled for Sept. 28, is open to anyone in grades 6-12. This clinic will look to develop elite level skills and tactics ranging from individual to team strategies, goal scoring and small games. Goal keepers will have specialized training for personal development. This clinic will be held at Buckeye Varsity Field, Home of the Ohio State Field Hockey team.
Scarlet Strong Campaign
Your support is more important than ever as we look to strengthen and improve the foundation for Ohio State field hockey both now and for years to come. Our goal is to provide a championship-caliber experience in every way - as athletes, as students and as people. We thank you for your time, talent and treasure!