Last year, the Michigan field hockey team had only one senior — one lone member of the class of 2013. This would spell disaster for many teams, but Michigan coach Marcia Pankratz saw a great opportunity to develop the young talent she had recruited. She took the team’s 11 freshmen and threw them into the fire, and they responded by showing that they belong at Michigan.
“Last year, it was almost like they didn’t even know they were supposed to be nervous,” Pankratz said. “They held their own and really solidified some question marks we had.”
These freshmen were thrown into starting roles from the first game of the season, with many expected to be key contributors on a team that lacked upperclassmen. At any time during the year, it was possible that freshmen made up more than half of the team on the field. This was made possible by the confidence that Pankratz had in the class.
“I wasn’t nervous,” Pankratz said. “That’s why we recruited them. They’re Michigan women, and they can handle anything outside their comfort zone and adversity.”
Handling the pressure was not a problem for Lauren Thomas, who is now a sophomore. Thomas is from Aylesbury, England, where she already had a lot of experience playing against top-notch competition in a country where field hockey is much more popular. She admitted she felt comfortable in a Michigan uniform from day one and has used that sense of belonging to help herself and her team this year.
“It’s just really nice to take that experience from freshman year and give that to the freshmen that have been thrown into the fire this year,” Thomas said.
Sophomore Shannon Scavelli was also expected to be a major contributor early last year, but she took a little longer to get comfortable.
“Every day was just such a new experience,” Scavelli said. “It was a privilege to wear the block ‘M’ and towards the end of the season, I started to relax a little more and just go out there and play.”
Now, as sophomores, Thomas, Scavelli, Caroline Chromik, Jaime Dean and Taryn Mark have a season of experience that most players their age don’t. They’ve started every game for the Wolverines this year, which has proven to be a distinct advantage, adding depth to the team. With an experienced sophomore class, Pankratz is often able to use around 20 players per game and rotate often. This allows them to stay fresh and gives them an advantage over teams with fewer players to rotate in.
“They play like upperclassmen already,” Pankratz said. “So it bodes well.”
Added Scavelli: “It was great to have that experience last year, but now it’s time to really get on the field and your teammates and coaches and myself expect a lot out of one another because we have been through it already.”
This group of sophomores isn’t just making things happen on the field — they have also grown to be a very tight group. After being in the same situation together last year, they grew closer through the adversity of being freshmen playing key roles on the team.
“If we were homesick at the same time, we were able to talk to each other, or on the field if we had any problems, you were able to talk it out,” Scavelli said. “You didn’t feel alone and always had people to lean on.”
This bond has become stronger this year and has started to spill over to the rest of the team.
With a young core that already knows what it means to play field hockey in a Michigan uniform and great team chemistry, there is no telling how much this team can accomplish. They have their sights set on a Big Ten Championship, and that isn’t too far out of reach.