Hockey in America has become increasingly popular with Dutch girls in recent years. More and more talented hockey players choose to shape their career during a college period in America. To be able to combine their hockey with a study in this way.
But where do these girls go when they’re done in America? Will they continue to play hockey at a high level? And then where? In this article we tell you more about it and we highlight some of the girls who currently play in the Hoofd- and Promotieklasse in the Netherlands.
Pien Dicke
Club: SCHC
College: University of Virginia (UVA)
In 2017, Pien left the Netherlands for the University of Virginia in (you guessed it) the state of Virginia to play hockey there for a semester. To say she made an impression there is an understatement. She has won multiple awards such as ACC Rookie of the Year and First Team All-American. Check out this article to read how our girls did last year.
After Pien returned to the Netherlands, she ended up at SCHC via HDM, where she is now a permanent fixture. Her good game in recent years has also been rewarded with selection for the Dutch national team.
Ayeisha McFerran
Club: Kampong
College: University of Louisville
This Ireland international has defended the goal of the Louisville Cardinals from 2015-2018. As an unmissable final item, she has earned an All-American honor every year.
After her college career, Ayeisha has become a permanent fixture in the Irish National team and has been making the Dutch hockey fields unsafe for a while now as a goalkeeper at Kampong.
Eva van ‘t Hoog
Club: HDM
College: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (UNC)
In 2015, Eva moved from HDM youth to the UNC college team. With Eva as a creative midfielder, UNC even became national champion in her last year! A great achievement. Fun fact: our own hockey specialist Eva (Smolenaars) played with her in the team at UNC for two years.
Eva (van ‘t Hoog) also managed to add another championship to her CV last weekend: World Indoor Hockey Champion.
Loes Stijntjes
Club: HGC
College: James Madison University (JMU)
Loes decided to leave everything in Belgium behind in 2012 to strengthen the JMU hockey team. In Harrisonburg, Virginia, Loes quickly grew into a strong player and leader of her team.
She has managed to continue this in the Netherlands, because she has been part of the HGC team for years and has recently even worn the captain’s armband here.
Fusine Govaert
Club: Klein Zwitserland
College: Boston College
Fusine’s story is a very special one: she left for America with her family as a young girl. From high school she was selected for the college field hockey team of Boston College, where she grew into a supporting player and also managed to collect a number of great awards.
Fusine now even has an American passport and can play for the American National team!
Since this year, she also has been lined up for Klein Switzerland in the Dutch Hoofdklasse.
Eva Nunnink
Club: Victoria
College: Duke University
Of course Eva Nunnink should not be missing in this overview! After obtaining her bachelor’s degree in the Netherlands, Eva left for North Carolina in 2020 to become part of Duke Field Hockey for two years in combination with obtaining a master’s degree. The Blue Devils soon realized what a topper they had brought in, during her second season Eva was even appointed captain.
Back in the Netherlands, Eva started another master’s degree in Rotterdam. She also started playing hockey there with Victoria, who had just been relegated from the Hoofdklasse.
Honorable Mention
But as we said at the beginning, the above six girls are just a small selection of all former college field hockey players who currently play hockey in the Hoofd- and Promotieklasse in the Netherlands. Below you will find many more girls, including the club they are currently active in and the university they played for in the past.
Kiki Rozemeijer – Pinoké, Duke
Amber Ezechiels – Pinoké, UVA
Ashley Hoffman – HDM, UNC
Margot van Hecking Colenbrander – HDM, Uconn
Lisa Lejeune – HGC, JMU
Bibi Donraadt – Klein Switzerland, Maryland
Sietske Brüning – Klein Switzerland, UNC
Veerle Lubbers – Victoria , Michigan
Daphne Voormolen – Victoria, Albany
Ireen Frenken – Were Di, Monmouth
Bodil Keus – Laren, Maryland
Lotte de Koning – HIC, Delaware
Ymke Rose Gote – HIC, Boston College
Roos Weers – HIC, Syracuse
Freeke van Dongen – Push, Saint Joseph’s
Extra Honorable Mention
And of course we can’t forget our own hockey specialist Marle in this list! After her adventure in America (together with her sisters), she ended up at Were Di and played hockey there for 9 years in the Overgangsklasse/Promotie klasse. Without all the training hours and the hockey intensity of American college hockey, she would not have succeeded. Check out her whole story here.
Do you want to know whether playing hockey and studying in America is the right way for you to become a top Dutch hockey player? Then contact one of our hockey specialists soon. They like to think along with you.
