A very strong junior and senior class in terms of skill and leadership welcomed Jomara Coghlan to The College of Wooster field hockey program last year. The veteran NCAA Div. III head coach has noticed a "higher energy level" surrounding the entire program as it heads into the 2023 season. That, plus a highly skilled and deep midfield core, has the Fighting Scots poised for rapid improvement within the North Coast Athletic Conference.

"Our senior group is really strong," summed up Coghlan, when highlighting program mainstays Delaney Gross, Olivia Nengel, Ciara O'Connor, and Maddie Peek. "This quartet is amazing with the leadership they bring every day and their work ethic. They are hoping to really drive through the culture of the program and make sure everyone is following through with that and being onboard."

Gross and Peek are among the headliners of the midfield core, and both saw more two-way action in 2022, something that projects to carry over to this fall. For Gross, it was an expanded offensive role, serving as a penalty corner inserter and being a higher contributor near the cage, which resulted in her first collegiate goal against now-NCAC competitor Transylvania University. Peek's elevated play culminated in all-conference honors, and she was second on the team with 11 points after becoming an offensive focal point.

Elsewhere, Nengel is an experienced back as a three-year starter, and helped anchor a defensive side that allowed just over two goals per game in 2022. O'Connor's sights are set on bouncing back from a near-yearlong injury for a strong senior season. Coghlan has liked "the things Ciara has been showing me at back in preseason," hinting towards a possible position change to best maximize team and individual skillsets.

"Growth" is a theme Coghlan's consistently echoing heading into 2023, specifically as it relates to "skill, confidence, and work ethic," three areas where the sophomore class has really stepped up upon settling into the college setting. Natalie Katzenmeyer, one of the team's leading offensive players, evidenced by top-three rankings in goals and points, provides Coghlan versatility to use in either a forward or midfield role. Same goes for classmate Lizzie Hardy, whose speed make her a candidate to play midfield or forward interchangeably, depending on game situations, per Coghlan.

Goalkeeping is an area of strength this fall, per Coghlan. Sophomore Cate Barkdoll is the returning starter at the position, while overall, the goalkeepers are showcasing some of the "scrappiness and aggressiveness" necessary to succeed at the position, drawing praise from the former collegiate goalkeeper.

"You can definitely tell Cate's confidence level has jumped since last year," said Coghlan. "Cate is definitely taking more control back there and talking more. She is in a great place right now for us."

Sophomore Mary Johnson, who scored in the game where Wooster became the 12th NCAA Div. III program to hit the 600-win milestone, headlines the offense. Johnson instantly impacted Wooster's forward line with a team-leading seven goals. Other field players in the sophomore class include Joey Beckerman and Coco Rodríguez. Beckerman has made "tremendous gains since coming in," per Coghlan, and is looked at as being on the forward line this fall, per Wooster's coach. Rodríguez is another one of the very versatile players on the team, and is a "utility player," per Wooster's staff. Rodríguez played high back for most of last year, and is "really someone who can float in terms of position."

Ashley Reynolds is Wooster's lone junior. The forward-turned-back is a key returning starter who helped the team to four shutouts last fall.

Seven first-years join the program this fall, a group Coghlan has been impressed by their "effort, hard work, and ability to follow in the footsteps of the upperclass players."

At least a top-five placement within the NCAC is a goal Coghlan has set out for the team this year. More "dimension and dynamic" is in store for field hockey specifically once conference play starts with a 4:30 p.m. home game against Denison University on September 13. Eleven teams are in the league in field hockey, with the core membership, plus four affiliate members. Wooster opens its season on the road with a noon game at Nazareth University on September 2.