Ohio Field Hockey Set for 75th Anniversary Season
8/26/2026 5:00:00 PM | Field Hockey
ATHENS, Ohio- With the athletic calendar already underway for Ohio, another start of a fall sport season is on the horizon as the Ohio Field Hockey team gets the ball rolling on its 75th season on August 28th against Michigan State.Â
The Bobcats will be starting their season at home, welcoming both Michigan State and Saint Louis to Athens to start the season.Â
"Last year we had nine (freshmen) coming in, and this year we have two," Johnstone said. "It's a continuation of the spring and everything we talked about last year and what we can do better."
After the Spartans and Billikens come to town, Ohio will hit the road for two away games in North Carolina, with the first coming against Queens and the second being against Wake Forest.
"75 years is pretty crazy," Johnstone said. "This is the 75th team to compete for OU field hockey. I think that's just so incredible. I'm really excited."
Some of that excitement comes from having so many contributors from last season back, such as last season's top goal-scorer in sophomore forward Tiana Nhamoinesu and sophomore midfielder Katie Cole.Â
"She's incredibly creative," Johnstone said of Nhamoinesu. "She's super handy, really speedy. We have a lot of speedy forwards, and that's tough to play against."
Other returners include sophomore back Ava Florence and senior forward Natalie LaFleur. The Bobcats will have experience in the net as well, as graduate goalkeeper Gwen Hershberger is back after allowing just 2.85 goals per game last season.Â
Following a 5-13 campaign last season, Johnstone has a veteran group, which is a change for her and her coaching staff. One of the biggest advantages of having experience in the team is the increased leadership within the team.Â
Accountability as a unit has created a strong bond within the team throughout the spring, and the returning players are pushing each other at practice to become a high-level team.Â
"I think that's something we worked on all spring, (it) was not so much having one person take control of the leadership in certain ways, It's more of collectively working together on holding each other accountable," Johnstone said. "They all get along really well, and they were worried about messing up any friendships. But they've realized that they become stronger, they become closer when they hold each other accountable and push each other to be better hockey players."
#OUohyeah
