NEW HAVEN, Conn. – The Yale field hockey team will add six first years to the roster as part of the Class of 2026. The incoming class comes from four countries: England, Germany, South Africa and the United States. It includes a forward, a midfielder, two forward/midfielders and two midfielder/backs.
The members of the Class of 2026 come from some highly successful programs, with four having won at least one championship at the national, regional, state or league level. They have also demonstrated leadership skills, as all six have been captains of teams.
The incomings have found multiple ways to contribute to society, volunteering with organizations such as PfefferminzGreen (which built an orphanage and a school in Sierra Leone) and raising money for causes such as period poverty.
The Class of 2026 will join a core group of 19 returnees for
Melissa Gonzalez, who enters her first year as Yale's Caroline Ruth Thompson '02 Head Coach of Field Hockey.
Here is a look at the newest Bulldogs:
Poppy Beales
#5
Forward
5-6
King's Lynn, Norfolk, England
Framlingham College
England Hockey: U18 England trialist 2021 … DISE England Girls Red 2020-2021 … England Hockey Performance Centre 2018-2020 … Played National League hockey for two years.
Framlingham College: National school Indoor Finals third place 2022 … Participated in athletics, golf, tennis and netball (captain) as well as hockey … Was deputy head of house in Victoria House.
Harleston Magpies Hockey Club: National outdoor semi-finals 2022 … Ladies 1
st team Young Player of the Season 2022 … National club outdoor finals second place 2021 … National club Indoor Finals second place 2020 … Ladies 2
nd team Player of the season 2020 … Ladies 2
nd top goal scorer 2019-20 … Ladies 1
st team top goal scorer 2021-22.
Pelicans Hockey Club: Player of the season 2019.
Notes: Has played golf for Hunstanton Golf Club and for Norfolk Ladies … Golf handicap is 4.
Why Yale? "The opportunity to study at Yale was one that I just couldn't miss and I can't wait to get on campus and be a part of the amazing community, both on the hockey pitch and in the classroom!"
Milly Crosby
#2
Midfield/Forward
5-8
High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England
Wellington College
Hockey England: Played for England Blue in 2021 UK School Games, and had trials for England U18 … Selected to England U18 Diploma in Sporting Excellence (DISE) program with Loughborough College … Played for Saxon Tigers U15s at Futures Cup (England Selection Camp) in 2018.
Wellington College: Played hockey for three years … Captain senior year … U18 Regional Champs indoor & outdoor …U16 Regional Champs outdoor … U15 Regional Champs indoor & outdoor …U14 Regional Champs indoor & outdoor … Also played rackets first pair; played at Queen's club in national school cup … Captain of the girls' cricket team, as well as, U14, U15, U16, U18 Indoor & Outdoor Hockey Captain (WC) … Earned "Lord Derby's Gift Award", awarded to an Upper Sixth pupil who should be distinguished for his or her industry and good conduct .. Head of house for her boarding house, as well as senior prefect for social life & co curricular …
Reading Hockey Club: Ladies 1
st XI Outdoor & Indoor Squad from 15 years of age; promoted to Premier League in 2021-22 … Earned Colt of the Year in 2017 at 113th annual Academy Awards … Scored winning goal at club national finals to secure bronze medal for U18 RHC squad … U18 Regional finalists (third) .. U16 captain; regional & national finalists (sixth) … U14 captain; national finalists … U12 captain; County Champions.
Notes: Fundraised £900 for period poverty selling t-shirts with her Welly Leaders Group … Fundraised more than £1000 by selling her own design of tracksuit bottoms to raise money for Reading Hockey Club and the Balcony Project … Selected to present "Lifetime Achievement Award" to Kate Richardson at Women's Sports Trust Awards … Competed at National Schools Cup at Queen's Club for rackets and won doubles plate … Played with Yale teammate
Colette Staadecker at Wellington College and with Reading Hockey Club.
Why Yale? "I chose Yale because as an international, the prospect that Yale offers exceeds any UK university, the standard of student-athletes is off the scale, but it also has an incredible balance with academics too; not to mention the once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. The standard of coaches is unbelievable and I can't wait to start the journey with Melissa and Kerry as our leaders."
Janina Rothenberger
#8
Midfield/Back
5-8
Frankfurt am Main, Hesse, Germany
Frankfurt International School
State Selection Team (Hessen): Has played for Hessen team since she was 12 … Team was champions in Germany twice.
Frankfurt International School: School did not have a field hockey team.
SC Frankfurt 1880: Began playing club field hockey when she was three years old … Led team in penalty corner goals … Played for older age bracket all years (and won two State Tournaments with this team) … One of team's captains … State Champion 2017, 2018, 2020 … Second place in State Championships 2019, 2021 … Second place in Southern German Indoor National Championship 2018; third place 2019 … Fourth place in German Championships 2018 … Played in final eight rounds of German Championships most seasons.
Notes: Played club tennis for Frankfurter TC Palmengarten and Frankfurt city selection team … Has been involved in a charity organization called PfefferminzGreen, which built an orphanage and a school in Sierra Leone; her dream is to teach field hockey to the children there … Was also involved in a local women's shelter … Coached U10-boys teams at her club … Mother is an Ivy Leaguer; attended Cornell … Three siblings all play field hockey … Cousin (Sönke Rothenberger) was a gold medalist at Rio Olympics in equestrian … Uncle (Sven Rothenberger) placed second at Atlanta Olympics in equestrian.
Why Yale? "When researching universities, it seemed like Yale was everything I had been looking for: the field hockey program, the Yale Field Hockey Association, the academics, the residential colleges. I had visited New Haven the summer after my sophomore year and loved the vibe of the campus. Meeting the team and watching them play a game definitely confirmed that I wanted to be a part of this incredible community."
Lauren Venter
#20
Forward/Midfield
5-7
Knysna, Western Cape, South Africa
Somerset College
Somerset College: Field hockey team captain 2021 … School First Team 2018-2021 … Top goal scorer in school first team 2018, 2019, 2021 … 23 goals in 38 games 2019 (scored 23 out of 100 goals total) … 13 goals in 43 games 2018 (scored 13 out of 53 goals total) … Cape Town Premier League (third installment) Team Captain 2021 … Cape Town Premier League member 2020-21 (vice captain 2021) … Player of the tournament at Fairmont Belgotex Tournament 2021 … Top goal scorer at Fairmont Belgotex Tournament 2021 … School team won gold medal at Fairmont Belgotex Tournament 2021 …School touring team to Holland, Germany and Belgium 2018 … Also played water polo and went on a school tour to Hungary … Member of school Prefect board 2021 … Eco Committee member 2019-2021.
Somerset West Hockey Club: Ladies 1st team … Placed third overall in 2021.
Boland Provincial Team: Boland U18A IPT Hockey Team 2021 … Gold medal at IPT 2021 … Boland Foxes u18A Indoor Team (vice captain) 2020 … Boland U16 IPT B 2019; Vice captain … Gold medal at IPT B 2019 … Top goal scorer IPT 2019; scored 9 goals in 7 games … Bronze medal IPT B 2018 … Boland U16A Indoor side 2018 … Boland U14A 2017 … Silver medal IPT 2017.
Notes: Fundraised R30,000 with school team in 2020 for a local children's home during the pandemic … Hobbies include piano playing, cooking, reading and hiking.
Why Yale? "Since I come from a small town in South Africa, Yale was something I'd only ever seen on television or the news. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd ever get the opportunity to play for Yale. I visited the United States when I was only nine years old and ever since then I knew where I wanted to end up. I have faith Yale will provide the perfect environment for me to thrive, both academically and on the sports field."
CC Wolf
#21
Midfield
5-3
Short Hills, N.J.
Kent Place
Kent Place School: Field hockey captain 2021 … MVP 2021 … NFHCA High School Impact Senior Team 2021 … New Jersey All-Non-Public Field Hockey First Team 2020 … Union-Essex County Conference Field Hockey White Division First Team 2020 … Coaches' Award 2020 … Union-Essex County Conference Field Hockey White Division Honorable Mention 2019 … Sportsmanship Award 2019 … Played four years of varsity field hockey … Team Won NJ Prep A title and made it to NJ UTC Finals … Also played basketball (three years JV, one year varsity), earning Coaches' Award … Captained JV basketball team in her junior year … Also played three years of lacrosse, earning Sportsmanship Award.
Notes: Likes to bake and read as hobbies … Has a pet hedgehog … Loves to ski in the winter and enjoys playing the occasional basketball game … Selected for Under Armour Select Game in 2020 and 2021.
Why Yale? "Yale's field hockey program excited me because of the players' amazing camaraderie, their love for the sport, and the dedication they had both on and off the field. Yale and the school's campus were somewhere I very quickly came to imagine myself for the next four years."
Maddy Zavalick
#17
Midfield/Back
5-3
Newington, Conn.
Deerfield Academy
Deerfield Academy: Field hockey captain 2021 … NFHCA All-Region 2021 … Western New England Prep School Field Hockey Association All-Star 2021 … All-NEPSAC Class A 2021 … Winner of Deerfield Field Hockey Cup 2021 … Class A NEPSAC tournament 2018 and 2019
… Four-year starter … Only freshman to make Deerfield varsity field hockey 2018 … JV ice hockey captain … Also played lacrosse … Participated in theater.
HTC Field Hockey Club: U-16 National Club Championship appearance 2019 … U-14 National Club Championship appearance 2017.
Notes: Selected for Under Armour Select Game during 2019 College Connection Tournament at UMass … Enjoys rollerblading, hiking, acting, drawing/painting … Older sister Leah played field hockey at Brown and was a captain her senior year (graduated in 2017) … Older brother Zach played lacrosse at Wesleyan, where he won an NCAA Championship in 2018 (graduated in 2020).
Why Yale? "Yale is more than just a place, it's a community, and it's where I've wanted to go since the moment I stepped foot on campus. This past fall, I had the opportunity to speak to a few Yale students; each one of them was kind, encouraging, and welcoming. After attending many Yale field hockey games and meeting some of the players, the overall team chemistry felt more like a family, and it's a family I look forward to being a part of."
