USA Women’s Field Hockey Head Coach David Passmore on Nations Cup roster: ‘Squad has grown significantly’

The USA Women’s Field Hockey team has been in a long training block, but returns to international competition in the 2026 FIH Nations Cup. Photo: USA Field Hockey, USA vs Ireland series in 2025.

The No. 12 USA Women’s National field hockey travel team selected to compete in the 2026 FIH Hockey Nations Cup was announced Thursday.

The Nations Cup runs June 14 to 21 in Auckland, New Zealand. In its fourth year, the winner qualifies for next season’s FIH Hockey Pro League.

It features elite talent that isn’t currently playing in the Pro League.

The States — over the course of a long training block this Spring — have focused on “fitness” and specific “hockey” areas, head coach David Passmore said in a USA Field Hockey statement.

He noted that the “squad has grown significantly.”

“The four scrimmages we had to select the group were nicely competitive and many of the athletes who missed out can consider themselves unlucky as selection was very tight and came down to the slimmest of margins,” he said. “Our aim is to win the Nations Cup tournament, as we feel the team is ready to be competitive in FIH Hockey Pro League again and the athletes are hungry to play at that level again. This won’t be easy with the level of opponents, but the ambition is there within the group and everyone in the squad knows their form needs to remain strong given the depth we now have moving towards the World Cup in August.”

Here are the athletes, who have selected:

Lucy Adams

Kelsey Bing (GK)

Leah Crouse

Claire Danahy

Reese D’Ariano

Emma DeBerdine

Katie Dixon

Phia Gladieux

Ryleigh Heck

Ashley Hoffman

Caroline Ramsey

Jenny Rizzo (GK)

Mia Schoenbeck

Ashley Sessa

Meredith Sholder

Abby Tamer

Megan Valzonis

Lauren Wadas

Beth Yeager

Maddie Zimmer

The traveling reserves round out and improve an already deep roster. They include Bethany Dykema, Dani Mendez, Makenna Webster, and Jillian Wolgemuth.

Before the Nations Cup, USA is set to compete in four friendlies against No. 8 Australia. The team departs for Perth on May 25.

The States are in Pool A with No. 9 India, No. 15 Japan, and No. 17 Uruguay. Pool B is No. 10 New Zealand, No. 11 Chile, No. 16 France, and No. 18 Korea.

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