FH New Brief: Week of Feb 24
Nations Cup Pool Stages, East Coast Conference Adds Field Hockey, NFHS Rule Changes, and more!
International
Nations Cup Pool Stages Conclude
Image from the FIH Website
The United States finished 2nd in Pool A, with wins against Canada and Japan, and lost to Chile.
In the semifinals, Ireland will take on the United States and Chile will take on New Zealand. Japan will face Korea and Scotland will face Canada for the 5th-8th Place portion of the bracket.
NCAA
East Coast Conference add Field Hockey
The ECC (D2) will be adding Field Hockey, with the inaugural championship in 2026. The conference members will be D’Youville, Mercy, Molloy, Roberts Wesleyan, St. Thomas Aquinas, and Dominican, a new program, that will join as the 6th team in 2026.
Mercy, Molloy, and STAC were previously members of the NE10, while D’Youville and Roberts were independent.
Million-Dollar Donor Baffled After Cornell Destroys Namesake Field
We discussed the delays in renovation to Cornell’s field a few weeks back, leaving them potentially homeless for the upcoming season. The Cornell Sun released a new article saying that Marsha Dobson, the namesake of Marsha Dobson Field, was not told about the “renovations” from the university but rather another alumnus.
Dobson has donated more than 1 million dollars to Cornell Women’s Athletics, primarily to field hockey, tennis, and softball.
Full Article
Former Wake Forest Coach To Be Inducted into North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame
Nora Lynn Finch coached 4 sports at Wake Forest including field hockey through the first 2 years of Women’s Sports inclusion in NCAA Athletics. In her two seasons at the helm of Wake Hockey, she went 6-5-2.
Olympian Megan Valzonis Added as an Assistant Coach at Belmont Abbey
No press release or further information was announced. Belmont Abbey is a Division II program located in Belmont, NC.
USA Club/High School
NFHS Rule Changes for 2025 Announced
Home Teams are now allowed to wear dark uniforms that showcase the team’s primary colors
Cage-style penalty corner masks are now permitted
If a goalkeeper is suspended for a jersey violation, a field player may be removed for the entirety of the match rather than playing with no goalkeeper
If a stroke is awarded at the end of the match, the stroke must be played out