Abigail Guenther '22 Recruiting Profile

My passion for field hockey began in middle school and my path toward playing in college has been challenging, yet rewarding. This is a bit long, but please read my unique story which demonstrates my dedication and ability to adapt well to change and adversity. While in middle school, my friends were playing their sports on club teams, but there were no field hockey club teams in my area. It was going to be a challenge to develop myself to be a great player. My goal was to be one of the few Freshmen to ever make the varsity team at my local high school.  To work toward that goal, I attended every field hockey camp I could find (St. Michaels College, the University of Vermont , and Dartmouth College) and I joined the USA Futures program. I even convinced my Dad to build an indoor turf field in our basement for year-round practice and a regulation size goal with a circle in our backyard!   I achieved my goal and was the only Freshman selected for my local high school's Varsity team.  

My teammates and I all wanted more playing time together, so I helped organize winter indoor and summer outdoor teams that played in an independent high school aged league (“Game On!”).  I joined Green Mountain Field Hockey Academy at the University of Vermont that provides additional training for college bound high school players.  I coordinated weekly small group sessions with the UVM assistant coach. In 2019, I joined the Element Field Hockey Club in Western Massachusetts which is a 3-hour drive each way from my home. I love my new club teammates, the coaching staff, the skill development, and the playing time.  Through Element, I was the only Vermont U16 player at the National Indoor Tournament in February of 2020.

Academically, I have always challenged myself and pushed my own limits. I completed three years' worth of honors-level math, and three years of honors-level science courses in just two years at Essex High, which is one of the top 50 STEM high schools in the country. Important to my story is the fact that the Essex head coach with 25+ years of experience retired from field hockey.  At the same time, I was planning my final high school courses and looking for more rigor in my general education classes. So, despite the pandemic and world uncertainty, I went ahead and applied for a transfer to South Burlington High School for my Junior/Senior years.  In addition to the AP courses I wanted, this has given me the opportunity to play for one of Vermont's most well-respected high school field hockey programs and another phenomenal coach with >20 years of experience.  In 2020, We had a short but very successful season! As demonstrated above, I am a very determined person. This unique high school transition, while challenging, has gone extremely well. I am grateful to my new coach and teammates, and to my former coaches, good friends and teammates, for their incredible support. 

I feel that I will be well prepared to achieve success both athletically and academically in college. I’m looking for a school that prepares me for a meaningful and successful career and helps me further develop great leadership and teamwork skills. I know playing field hockey in college will help me advance those goals. I am optimistic that my college experience will be exciting and challenging and memorable. I hope my unique experiences and background demonstrate that I am 100% committed to field hockey and will work hard to make myself a better player, teammate, and leader on and off the field. Thank you for considering me for your field hockey program.