FHOC Stars Set For Showcase Event
Jun 17 | Field Hockey
By Frank Kineavy
ScarletKnights.com
PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- The momentum built by Rutgers field hockey during its first Big Ten season last year won't have to wait until the fall to continue again.
Devon Freshnock and Elyse Broderick will see to that.
The Scarlet Knights' rising junior defenders have been invited to participate in the 2015 Young Women's National Championship in Lancaster, Pa., June 22-26, and both intend to make the most of the prestigious opportunity.
The Young Women's National Championship serves as the selection venue for the 2015-16 U.S. Women's Under-21 National Team.
"I really want to take full advantage of this opportunity and try to make an impact out on the field," said Freshnock, who starred at Middletown North (N.J.) High School before coming to Rutgers. "I am hoping to improve in all aspects of the game and be part of the selection process for the U-21 National Team.
"This opportunity means the world to me. Being able to play beyond just my college career has always been a dream of mine and this tournament takes me one step closer to achieving that dream."
Broderick, from Southern Regional High School in Manahawkin, N.J., earned her invitation after making a noticeable impact on defense a year ago, starting all 19 games for the Scarlet Knights. She views the coming showcase of the nation's best young players as a reward for the work she has put in.
"It's a great privilege to be selected for the USA Field Hockey Young Women's National Championship and to have the opportunity to compete with and against other elite players," Broderick said. "This opportunity has given me an optimistic outlook on my field hockey career beyond Rutgers and has enabled me to take my performance to the national level."
Freshnock is particularly pleased to represent Rutgers next week because of what it means to her family. Both of her parents graduated from Rutgers, as did her older sister, who also played field hockey for the Scarlet Knights. She has been immersed in Rutgers athletics for as long as she can remember.
"My earliest Rutgers memory is going to a Rutgers football game when I was around 12 years old," she said. "But I got to see firsthand what Rutgers had to offer through my sister, Danielle, so I think it definitely weighed in on my decision. I wanted to be part of a family at school and I knew Rutgers was the best fit."
Broderick was well aware of Rutgers and the field hockey program as a youngster, and when it came time to choose a college there was only one school that truly felt like home.
"I chose Rutgers because it felt like the perfect fit for me. I wanted a big school, challenging academics, and to be a member of a Division 1 athletic program, which is everything Rutgers offers and more," Broderick said. "I also saw the Rutgers field hockey program on the rise and wanted to be a part of its admission into the Big Ten Conference.
"However, the team and coaching staff were what stood out most for me. They made me feel comfortable and I knew it was a family I would love to be a part of."
With the school's entrance into the Big Ten, Broderick saw also the opportunity to flourish at the sport's highest collegiate level with her family being just a short drive away.
"Being this close to home allows my parents to attend more games, which are often the only times I get to see them during season," she said.
After adjusting to life as a Division 1 student-athlete, Freshnock's sophomore season a year ago came with a new comfort level, which allowed her to relax and settle in.
"Although I had a lot of experience under my belt going into last season, I think the Big Ten had some serious competition to offer," Freshnock said. "It was an awesome experience being able to play in the Big Ten Tournament our very first season in the conference. It was hard work competing with some of the best teams in the country and next season we are even more excited to work our way back into the Tournament and achieve our goal of bringing home the Big Ten Tournament Championship title."
With Freshnock and Broderick anchoring the Rutgers' defense, the 2015 fall campaign is offers plenty of promise. The two have a common goal for next season.
"To make it back to the Big Ten championship," Broderick says.
Freshnock echoed those sentiments, and took it one step further.
"We want to win the Big Ten," she said.
