VILLANOVA, Pa. – The 2022-2023 academic year marked the 50th anniversary of field hockey at Villanova. The program has grown by leaps and bounds throughout the past semicentennial, winning a BIG EAST championship and numerous trips to the postseason tournament.

The Wildcats first made their appearance as a collegiate team in 1972-1973 academic year, finishing the season with a 6-5-1 record. From 1973 to 1980, Villanova competed in the Eastern Region of the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) which allowed women to compete and perform at the collegiate level on the heels of Title IX. In 1982, the NCAA officially recognized women's college sports, leading most colleges and universities to switch over and leave the AIAW behind.

In 1990 the Wildcats made their first documented appearance in the BIG EAST Conference. Villanova had a strong debut, winning the conference title and going 10-11. The Wildcats defeated Syracuse 2-1 in the conference semifinals and went on to take down Providence 2-1. Since then, Villanova has appeared in the postseason 13 times, playing in the championship game on three occasions.

The 1999 team holds the record for most goals in a single season with 77, ending their year with a 13-8 record and going 2-3 in league action. The group also made it to the conference semifinals but fell to UConn 4-1.

The 2005 squad set the program record with 15 wins in one season and still sits second for most goals in a single season at 70. This unit concluded the year with a 15-5 record and made it to the conference championship, suffering a heartbreaking 3-2 overtime loss to UConn.

Recent years have brought growth, building off the success and culture of the past. The Wildcats concluded their 2022 season with a solid 11-6 record going 3-4 in conference play. Head coach Joanie Milhous' team picked up notable victories, including a 3-2 double overtime home win over Temple and a 2-1 overtime win at Penn.

"The whole culture of the program is what drew me to it and just everything about Villanova. It really is a family here, both the team and the whole Villanova community," said 2022 senior captain Shannon Drakeley. "I liked its proximity to my house so that my parents would be able to come and watch the games and support me. And I just loved everything about Villanova since I stepped on campus."

Another senior leader, forward Maggie Mick, was also drawn in by the closeness of the Wildcat family.

"The environment is what drew me to the field hockey program. When I came to camp and the clinics here, I loved how close the girls on the team were," said Mick. "They seemed like a family, and I wanted that for my experience. Everyone was so welcoming and had great energy and I loved that about it."

Over the COVID-19 abbreviated season in 2020, the field hockey staff and players used the time to their advantage to revamp the program's core values and standards to create a new culture. Drakeley explained that their new values, created in her sophomore year, focused on passion, growth and accountability which has made a difference on and off the field. As a captain, she helped facilitate the changes in the program with her fellow leaders.

"I was really excited to take on the role as a captain for the team alongside Hannah [Barsky] and Meghan [Mitchell]. They are two great leaders and the three of us together have really been strong in leading the team. We've held each other accountable and had more passion this year than ever before. Everybody has a winning mentality, has been buying into the core standards and values, and has been really present while putting the work in, going the extra mile to get to where we want to be," Drakeley said. "That's what's really shown in games, especially this season. We've come back in games that we were down in and continued to fight to win. That is a testament to the passion on our team which was hard for us in the past. This year we've really been attacking and pushing forward, which has allowed us to have a much more successful season."

For Mick, the relationships she shares with her teammates have been a defining part of her experience throughout her time at Villanova.

"Our bond with each other is what makes us so special. We are a very close team, and I can count on anyone to be there for me when I need them. From making Tik Tok's, to arguing whether swimming to Europe or eating a whole grocery store is better, I will truly miss everything about VUFH," said Mick. "This has been an experience filled with ups and downs for sure, but I would not change anything about it. I have learned so much and met so many people that I consider my family, I will cherish my time here for years to come."

As her time on the field has come to a close, Mick is excited to become an alum of the historic program and see where the future of Villanova field hockey goes.

"I look forward to watching my teammates this spring and next year and seeing them do amazing things. I can't wait to cheer them on from the sidelines and be their biggest cheerleader. I know that they are going to go places next year and I am so jealous that I can't be out there doing it again with them," said Mick. "Being a Wildcat means pride. Villanova is so special, and I cannot imagine having gone anywhere else. I am so glad to have gotten the opportunity to be a Wildcat and I will be forever grateful for my whole experience here. I would tell future Wildcats to cherish every moment, good and bad. It goes by so fast and before you know it, you'll be a senior and will be laughing over everything you thought was 'too hard'. Enjoy everything and know that it is okay to make mistakes. Just work your hardest and everything will work out."

Drakeley will be returning to the field as a fifth year and is excited to continue the legacy that so many Wildcats before her have created.
"Fifty years of Villanova field hockey really excites me; it's just amazing to think that it's only been 50 years but has also been a long 50 years," said Drakeley. "Thinking about how much more the program can grow in years to come, it's super exciting to think about, especially with our new culture that we've developed with our core values and standards, this program's really going to continue to take off and flourish for another 50 years to come."

There has been a lot to celebrate and look back on over the past 50 years and so much more to look forward to in the future of Villanova field hockey.