Field Hockey Welcomes Three Freshmen
Aug 09 | Field Hockey
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers field hockey made a final roster announcement in welcoming three freshmen join the squad this fall. Olivia Beattie, Olivia Fraticelli and Abbie Zacchini will make up the freshman class.
Olivia Beattie joins the Scarlet Knights from Greenisland, Northern Ireland. She played First X1 hockey at Belfast Royal Academy for five seasons, where she was a team captain in 2022-23 and won the Ulster Schools Cup in 2020. She was awarded the 2021-22 Young Player of the Year for the Belfast Harlequins Senior Ladies First Team. She played with the Ulster Hockey U-16, U-18 and U-21 teams, winning the Under-16 and Under-18 Tournament and the 2021 UK School Games Finals with the U-18. She also played for Ireland's Under-18 team at the Five Nations Tournament. Daughter of James and Michelle Beattie, she has an older brother, Lewis.
"Olivia is a versatile defender who can play in both the back and midfield," head coach Meredith Civico said. "She is a total competitor who will do all it takes to win. Dynamic and forward-thinking, she will add another dimension to our backfield."
Olivia Fraticelli is an elite scorer from Toms River, N.J. The product of Toms River North, she was the 2022 national scoring champion with 89 goals as a senior and was first among active players in the nation in 2022 with 223 career goals. She added 56 assists for 502 points. Fraticelli is sixth all-time in national history for career goals, eighth all-time for goals in a single season (the 89 goals in 2022) and was the fourth all-time leading scorer in New Jersey, being the 4th in NJ state history to reach 200 career goals. She was the APP.com and NJ.com Shore Conference Player of the Year, holding the Shore Conference all-time record for goals and points and single-season points record. She is also her school's all-time leading scorer. Fraticelli was named to the 2022 USA Today High School Sports Award National Player of the Year Watch List. She was a two-time First Team All-Group 4 selection, four-time First Team All-Conference, three-time All-Shore and a Second Team All-State selection. She was an all-Region pick in 2021 and 2022, a four-time team MVP and a two-time Divisional Player of the Year. She was a two-time team captain in leading her team to back-to-back divisional titles and a state sectional final. A member of the National Honor Society, she earned high honor roll honors every marking period in high school. The daughter of two collegiate athletes in New Jersey, her mom, Kathleen, played field hockey at Rider, while her dad, Kenneth, was a swimmer at Rider. She has a younger brother, Vincent.
"Olivia is a natural goal scorer," head coach Meredith Civico said. "She is that rare player who has an uncanny ability to put the ball in the goal. She broke records at high school and although Big Ten hockey is a huge step up, I wouldn't put it past Olivia to break some records here too."
Abbie Zacchini comes to RU from Bolton, Mass. A product of Nashoba Regional, she was a four-year varsity starter and team captain in 2022. She was named to the 2022-2023 USA Today HSSA (High School Sports Award) Field Hockey Team Top 50 National Watch List. Zacchini was the 2021 USA Today Central Mass High School Field Hockey Player of the Year and a 2021 NFHCA High School All-Region selection. A member of the 2022 NFHCA All American Preseason Watch List, she was named to the 2021 NFHCA High School National Academic Squad. An All-Star First Team Conference selection, she was named to the Telegram & Gazette Super Team All-Star team three times. She scored 46 points on 22 goals and led her team to the 2021 Nashoba State finals, an undefeated season and conference championship in 2020, and a District championship in 2019. She earned the Nashoba Regional High School Outstanding Contributor Award and was on the 2021 New England All-Region Team.
One of the Max Field Hockey Class of 2023 Top 100 Players, she was a Max Field Hockey High School Regional Players to Watch. A five-year Nexus/Futures Championship Selection, she won four national club championships.
"A defender with outstanding situational awareness, I believe Abbie has a bright future with Rutgers Field Hockey," head coach Meredith Civico said. "She is always ready to step in front and always wants to play forward. Her attitude and temperament is perfectly suited to our program and we are so happy she is with us."
These three freshmen join three other previously announced newcomers for next season. RU has added Paulina Niklaus, Wake Forest transfer Ava Clickavage, and Temple transfer Julianne Kopec. The team has reported back for training camp and will begin regular season play on August 25 with a trip to California. UC Davis is the season opener.
Olivia Beattie joins the Scarlet Knights from Greenisland, Northern Ireland. She played First X1 hockey at Belfast Royal Academy for five seasons, where she was a team captain in 2022-23 and won the Ulster Schools Cup in 2020. She was awarded the 2021-22 Young Player of the Year for the Belfast Harlequins Senior Ladies First Team. She played with the Ulster Hockey U-16, U-18 and U-21 teams, winning the Under-16 and Under-18 Tournament and the 2021 UK School Games Finals with the U-18. She also played for Ireland's Under-18 team at the Five Nations Tournament. Daughter of James and Michelle Beattie, she has an older brother, Lewis.
"Olivia is a versatile defender who can play in both the back and midfield," head coach Meredith Civico said. "She is a total competitor who will do all it takes to win. Dynamic and forward-thinking, she will add another dimension to our backfield."
Olivia Fraticelli is an elite scorer from Toms River, N.J. The product of Toms River North, she was the 2022 national scoring champion with 89 goals as a senior and was first among active players in the nation in 2022 with 223 career goals. She added 56 assists for 502 points. Fraticelli is sixth all-time in national history for career goals, eighth all-time for goals in a single season (the 89 goals in 2022) and was the fourth all-time leading scorer in New Jersey, being the 4th in NJ state history to reach 200 career goals. She was the APP.com and NJ.com Shore Conference Player of the Year, holding the Shore Conference all-time record for goals and points and single-season points record. She is also her school's all-time leading scorer. Fraticelli was named to the 2022 USA Today High School Sports Award National Player of the Year Watch List. She was a two-time First Team All-Group 4 selection, four-time First Team All-Conference, three-time All-Shore and a Second Team All-State selection. She was an all-Region pick in 2021 and 2022, a four-time team MVP and a two-time Divisional Player of the Year. She was a two-time team captain in leading her team to back-to-back divisional titles and a state sectional final. A member of the National Honor Society, she earned high honor roll honors every marking period in high school. The daughter of two collegiate athletes in New Jersey, her mom, Kathleen, played field hockey at Rider, while her dad, Kenneth, was a swimmer at Rider. She has a younger brother, Vincent.
"Olivia is a natural goal scorer," head coach Meredith Civico said. "She is that rare player who has an uncanny ability to put the ball in the goal. She broke records at high school and although Big Ten hockey is a huge step up, I wouldn't put it past Olivia to break some records here too."
Abbie Zacchini comes to RU from Bolton, Mass. A product of Nashoba Regional, she was a four-year varsity starter and team captain in 2022. She was named to the 2022-2023 USA Today HSSA (High School Sports Award) Field Hockey Team Top 50 National Watch List. Zacchini was the 2021 USA Today Central Mass High School Field Hockey Player of the Year and a 2021 NFHCA High School All-Region selection. A member of the 2022 NFHCA All American Preseason Watch List, she was named to the 2021 NFHCA High School National Academic Squad. An All-Star First Team Conference selection, she was named to the Telegram & Gazette Super Team All-Star team three times. She scored 46 points on 22 goals and led her team to the 2021 Nashoba State finals, an undefeated season and conference championship in 2020, and a District championship in 2019. She earned the Nashoba Regional High School Outstanding Contributor Award and was on the 2021 New England All-Region Team.
One of the Max Field Hockey Class of 2023 Top 100 Players, she was a Max Field Hockey High School Regional Players to Watch. A five-year Nexus/Futures Championship Selection, she won four national club championships.
"A defender with outstanding situational awareness, I believe Abbie has a bright future with Rutgers Field Hockey," head coach Meredith Civico said. "She is always ready to step in front and always wants to play forward. Her attitude and temperament is perfectly suited to our program and we are so happy she is with us."
These three freshmen join three other previously announced newcomers for next season. RU has added Paulina Niklaus, Wake Forest transfer Ava Clickavage, and Temple transfer Julianne Kopec. The team has reported back for training camp and will begin regular season play on August 25 with a trip to California. UC Davis is the season opener.
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