Fall Athletics Spotlight: Women’s Field Hockey
What’s the women’s field hockey team most excited about? Growing their program – and post-game pickles. We caught up with defender Zoë Coleman ’23, a Communications major with an associate degree in Sport Management, center back Madison Gilbert ’25, a Criminal Justice and Homeland Security major, midfielder Jada Fields ’23, a Business Management and Sport Management double major, and goalkeepers Mackenzie Fillion ’24 and Gabbie Taynor ’24, both Biology majors, to learn more about their experiences on the team.
Q: What is your favorite thing about being on the women’s field hockey team?
Zoë: “Getting to spend time with my teammates and making memories (like post-game pickles!).”
Madison: “Always looking forward to seeing my teammates and playing with them on the field every game and practice!”
Jada: “My favorite thing about being on the team is post-game pickles :)”
Mackenzie: “Knowing that I always have a ‘home away from home.’ I know that if I’m having a hard day, I always have a supportive team to turn to.”
Gabbie: “My team. I love each and every one of them. They are all so amazing, and they really make me want to push myself every day to be there for them.”
Q: How has being a student-athlete shaped your Dean experience?
Zoë: “Being a student-athlete at Dean has opened my eyes to all of the opportunities that are out there for student-athletes. It has motivated me in the classroom to keep my grades up, and try and stay on the President’s List. If I wasn’t a student-athlete, I wouldn’t have been given all of the opportunities I have been so far, or accomplished what I have, like being a member of the GNAC’s Commissioner’s Council, along with getting the chance to attend and speak at the upcoming NCAA convention this winter.”
Madison: “Being a student-athlete has helped me create more friendships and has made the process of starting college so much easier.”
Jada: “Being a student-athlete at Dean has helped me build better time-management skills, as well as made me a better team player on and off the field.”
Mackenzie: “It has completely shaped my experience at Dean. It has helped me to make new friends, improve my time-management skills and stay active while on campus. Field hockey has been a huge part of my life and being able to continue the sport while furthering my education is something I’m extremely grateful for.”
Gabbie: “This experience has really given me a different outlook on life and I’m grateful for this opportunity to be a student-athlete.”
Q: What is your favorite thing about Dean?
Zoë: “My favorite thing about Dean would have to be the close-knit community and how supportive everyone is of one another! Being on a small campus really allows us to connect and grow as one unit, which you can’t really find anywhere else.”
Madison: “I love the welcoming atmosphere, and meeting all the wonderful people and the classes so far have been awesome.”
Jada: “Meeting new people and making connections.”
Mackenzie: “The relationships that I am able to form in and out of the classroom. Everyone is so friendly and uplifting, always offering a helping hand.”
Gabbie: “The small community. It really feels like home here.”
Q: What are you most excited about this season?
Zoë: “I am most excited to grow as a team, but also get into conference play. Not getting the chance to play last year and be together on the field really took a toll on us as a team, since we are still a young program. We are improving at each practice and game, and I am most excited to see how far we will grow, and how much stronger we will become as a program in the near future.”
Madison: “I am really excited to be able to be part of a team that is growing. I can see the team getting stronger and stronger every day!
Jada: “I am excited to be on the field, since last year we couldn’t be!”
Mackenzie: “I am most excited to see how much my team improves from the start of our season along with all the goals we will complete in the process.”
Gabbie: “For this season, I am most excited to watch this program grow and develop.”
We’re excited to see where this season takes you, Bulldogs! Learn more about women’s field hockey and stay up-to-date on the latest news and game-day schedules at Dean College Athletics.
We’ll be featuring each of our athletic teams throughout the Fall 2021 season. Check back regularly to meet some of our student-athletes and learn more about their experiences as Bulldogs.