VIRGINIA BEACH — A quartet of William & Mary field hockey student-athletes were selected to compete in the 2024 Senior Nexus Championship (NXC), presented by Osaka Hockey, USA Field Hockey announced last week. The multi-day event will be held at the Virginia Beach Regional Training Center in Virginia Beach, Va., from July 14-16.
Graduate student Maddie George, senior Pyper Friedman, junior Emme Schwartz , and sophomore Josie Mae Gruendel among 144 elite collegiate and post-collegiate athletes selected to take part in the annual event. The action starts with a team training session on Sunday, July 14 and games begin on Monday, July 15.
During the spring and early summer, athletes trialed and trained at one of the seven USA Field Hockey High Performance Centers throughout the country for an opportunity to be selected to the Senior NXC. All athletes that were previously named to the U.S. U-18, U-21, and Development Women’s National Teams were also included within the selection.
A step along the Olympic Development Pathway program, the Senior NXC serves as a selection opportunity for the 2024-25 U.S. U-21 Women’s National Team Selection Camps, Junior USWNT Selection Camps, U.S. Women’s National Development Squad and U.S. Women’s National Team.
George enters her fifth season at W&M as one of the program’s top all-time goalkeepers. She is seventh in Tribe history in shutouts (9), ninth in wins (23), 11th in saves (210), 16th in Save % (.712) and 17th in goals against average (1.87). George capped last season with a career-high and program NCAA Tournament record 16 saves against eventual national champion North Carolina.
Friedman was named an All-American last season after posting 24 points and eight goals and eight assists. She was named to the All-CAA and NFHCA All-South Region First Teams.
Schwartz started 20 of the Tribe’s 21 games last season as a sophomore. Gruendel started 15 of 21 matches last season was named to the CAA All-Rookie Team.
Last season, the Tribe won the program’s second CAA title, behind a 3-2 double overtime win over Monmouth. W&M finished the season at 12-9 in 2023, including an NCAA Opening Round victory over MAAC Champion Sacred Heart.
