Annika Dyczkowski ’25
Sports Editor
A top ten preseason national ranking, players named to the National Field Hockey Coaches Association Watchlist, and an iconic retiring head coach- the Bantam Field Hockey players and fans have a highly anticipated 2023 season on the clock.
Trinity’s field hockey team began the 2023 season last Thursday with a shutout win away at the Smith Pioneers. Last season’s starting goalie Olivia McMichael ’24 incurred minimal action in the striking circle, defending her team against two Pioneer shots compared to twenty shots by the Bantams overwhelming offense. Goal scorers for the Bantams include forward/midfielder Katrina Winfield ’24 and forward Ashley Zigler ’25 for a final score of 2-0.
Prior to the start of their season, the field hockey team attained a No. 9 national ranking in the NFHCA DIII Preseason Coaches Poll. USA Field Hockey also named the Bantams as a top five team to watch this season. In addition to collective accomplishments, the team has a pair of players named to the NFHCA Watch List. Midfielder Jackie Frank ’24 was nominated, having been named All-NESCAC Second Team and tallied 13 total points for the 2022 season. Olivia McMichael is also a player of interest this season, having fell just short of 100 saves and earning All-American First-Team and All-NESCAC First-Team titles last season.
This is the group’s first season without Anne Parmenter, 22-year head coach of Bantam field hockey. Parmenter has left an iconic mark on the Trinity field hockey team, yielding an overall winning record in her 22 years at Trinity. Parmenter broke a top 25 ranking among active NCAA field hockey coaches and 12th among active DIII field hockey coaches in wins. Parmenter also has an endless list of impressive accolades that extend past field hockey, like climbing Mount Everest twice and running the Hartford Marathon.
Replacing Parmenter as a head coach is Jessica Bergen, hired last winter. Bergen previously coached at Westfield State University in the Little East Conference. She is deemed a top 50 goal scorer of all-time at her alma mater, Skidmore College. Senior Captain Molly King agrees that the coaching change is significant, but positive. “Anne was the backbone of NESCAC field hockey, but everyone loves our new coaching staff”, she affirms. “We’re all excited to see how we do this season.”
In the past, the team has voiced its concerns on Title IX inequities concerning field and stadium renovations. In response, President Berger-Sweeney issued “A Message About Trinity College Facilities” in fall 2021 on issues of gender equity displayed throughout our athletic facilities. In addition to other facility upgrades, she delineated that renovations would “permanently increase bleacher height and capacity” on Robin L. Sheppard Field, a field shared by the field hockey and women’s lacrosse team. This season, the field has seen some drastic improvements. New bleachers have been installed, which are up to par with what the team was expecting previous renovations to accomplish. The field additionally received a new press box. King also gives a shoutout to Dean Joe DiChristina, Trinity’s Vice President for Student Success and Enrollment Management. “He was the biggest advocate for renovations.” King echoes her team’s satisfaction with the remodel, “it’s been a long time coming, but it looks great.”
Field hockey’s next game is this evening at 7pm against Worchester Polytechnic Institute; their first home game is this Saturday at 11am vs. Colby College. Be at Robin L. Sheppard on Saturday to support your Bantams on new bleachers!
+ There are no comments
Add yours