NEW HAVEN, Conn. -- The Yale field hockey team took a big step forward last season, improving dramatically both in goals scored and goals allowed compared to the previous season (41 goals scored and 21 goals allowed in 2024; 23 goals scored and 34 goals allowed in 2023). Still, there is work to be done.
The past two seasons have ended with Yale on the precipice of making the Ivy League Tournament, with one-goal losses in the regular season finale in each year keeping the Bulldogs from that achievement. For 2025, the Bulldogs will look to take that next step – and more – as they return a core group of 14 players. That includes five returning 2024 All-Ivy League honorees, tied for second-most in the league. The Bulldogs augment that group with seven talented first-years.
Melissa Gonzalez, Yale's Caroline Ruth Thompson '02 Head Coach of Field Hockey, and assistant coach
Kerry Kiddoo enter their fourth season leading the Bulldogs. Assistant
Belle Bressler returns for her second season. Senior forward
Poppy Beales (King's Lynn, Norfolk, England) is the team captain.
Here is a look at the team, by position:
Forward
7 players (2 seniors, 1 junior, 3 sophomores, 1 first-year)
2 returning players who started nine or more games last season (Beales, Picciafuoco)
Senior
Poppy Beales, Yale's captain, is coming off a 2024 season in which she earned first team NFHCA All-Mideast Region and first team All-Ivy League honors for the second time. She led the Bulldogs in goals (six) and tied for third on the team in points (6-2-14). Her knack for scoring big goals remained on display: her overtime game-winning goal against Penn was the fifth game-winner of her career – and fourth in overtime.
Senior
Lauren Venter, who could also play midfield, has developed into a key part of the Yale attack. She tied for the team lead in goals last season with six, adding two assists. She appeared in a career-high 16 games.
Junior
Tabs Collier, who could also play back or midfield, appeared in a career-high nine games last season and registered her first career assist.
Sophomore
Gigi Caldero, who could also play midfield or back, appeared in five games last season and moved to forward this past spring. She has been selected for the Nexus program every year since 2021.
Sophomore
Ymre Massée, who could also play back or midfield, appeared in 13 games and scored four goals, tied for second-most among the team's first-years last year.
Sophomore
Chiara Picciafuoco made an immediate impact in her first season, earning second team All-America honors from the NFHCA and Rookie of the Year honors from the Ivy League. She was a first team NFHCA All-Mideast Region and first team All-Ivy League honoree. She tied for the team lead in goals and finished second in points (6-3-15, ninth in the Ivy League).
First-year
Ella Ou (Houston, Texas), who could also play midfield, brings impressive credentials. She has been selected to the Nexus Championships for five years in a row and was ranked as one of the top 150 players in the Class of 2025 by MAX Field Hockey.
Midfield
5 players (0 seniors, 1 junior, 2 sophomores, 2 first-years)
1 returning player who started nine or more games last season (Collee)
Junior
Emma Ramsey has earned All-Ivy League honors in each year of her career – honorable mention last season and first team in 2023. In her first season she was a second team NFHCA All-Mideast Region selection. Ramsey is coming off a summer in which she was once again selected for USA Field Hockey's Nexus Championship, her second year in a row earning selection at the Senior level.
Two talented sophomores,
Kaitlyn Chang and
Victoria Collee, figure prominently in the midfield.
Chang earned the team's Senior Award last year, awarded by the senior class to a first-year team member who reflects positive contribution to the team's philosophy and whose individual character encourages the future direction and excellence of Yale Field Hockey. She appeared in a total of 14 games, including two starts. Earlier this year she was a part of USA Field Hockey's U-21 Junior Women's National Team Selection Camp.
Collee quickly became one of Yale's top playmakers, appearing in all 16 games and starting 14. She totaled four goals and three assists, earning second team NFHCA All-Mideast Region and second team All-Ivy League recognition.
The first-year class includes a pair of talented midfielders in
Carys Donahoe (Annapolis, Md.) and
Emma Mueller (Barrington, R.I.). Donahoe has been selected to the Nexus Championships three times. She was named to MAX Field Hockey's Top 100 for the Class of 2025. Mueller has been selected for the Nexus program for five years in a row. She was a three-time Rhode Island Player of the Year nominee and four-time all-state selection.
Back
6 players (2 seniors, 1 junior, 1 sophomore, 2 first-years)
2 returning players who started nine or more games last season (Baileff, Whittington)
Senior
CC Wolf, who could also play midfield, provides depth in the backfield and appeared in a pair of games last year. Classmate
Maddy Zavalick earned the team's Amanda Walton Award last year for demonstrating the ability to confront challenges, displaying the courage to overcome them, while inspiring teammates with her work ethic and unselfish attitude. She has appeared in 21 career games, including 12 starts.
Junior
Hettie Whittington could play back or midfield. She enjoyed a breakthrough season last year, earning first team All-Mideast Region and first team All-Ivy League along with Yale's Player of the Year Award. She started all 16 games, finishing with five goals and seven assists for a team-best 17 points.
Sophomore
Issy Baileff appeared in 15 games, starting nine (third among the team's first-years last year).
First-years
Carys Isherwood (London England) and
Lore Laniyan (Houston, Texas) bolster Yale's defensive depth. Isherwood could also play midfield, while Laniyan could also play forward. Isherwood has been a member of the U18 England squad, while Laniyan was part of a pair of Southwest Preparatory Conference 4A championships for St. John's School.
Goalkeeper
3 players (0 seniors, 0 juniors, 1 sophomore, 2 first-years)
0 returning players who started nine or more games last season
Sophomore
Fev Barinova, the lone returning goalkeeper, brings international and domestic experience. She was a U-21 National Team Training Squad member for Lithuania and was Goalkeeper of the Year for Cheltenham Ladies' College. She also played at Deerfield Academy.
The Bulldogs welcome a pair of international first-year goalies.
Amelie Schwarzkopf (Berlin, Germany) has played for the German U18 team along with playing for 1.Damen (the women's senior team) in 1.Bundesliga (the highest league) last year.
Maddie Shepherd (Edinburgh, Scotland) has played for the Scotland U18 team.
Schedule Notes
- The 16 game regular season slate starts Friday, Sept. 5 at 5:00 p.m. vs. Long Island.
- In addition to the seven Ivy League games -- starting Sept. 20 at Brown -- the Bulldogs have nine non-league games.
- Alumnae Weekend is Sept. 12-14.
- Senior Day is Friday, Oct. 17 against Dartmouth (5:00 p.m.).
- The Ivy League Field Hockey Tournament, which determines the recipient of the league's automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament, takes place at the site of the No. 1 seed and includes the top four teams in the regular season standings. Semifinals take place Friday Nov. 9 and the tournament championship game is Sunday Nov. 11.
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