Flashes Field Hockey Finalize Incoming Class
7/28/2022 9:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
KENT, OHIO... Fresh off a share of the 2021 MAC regular season title, the Kent State field hockey team has reloaded for the upcoming season, adding ten new members to their 2022 squad.
The incoming class will add much-needed depth to all positions, featuring an even spread of backs, midfielders, and forwards.
"We are incredibly excited to have this new group of Flashes join us," Kent State head coach Kyle DeSandes-Moyer said. "This is a very special group with a lot of experience and we are looking forward to seeing how they help us achieve our goals. They are all very well-rounded young women who we can't wait to see the impact they have on our program and the Kent State athletics community."
#10 Iris Bekker- Back/Midfielder
Zuidlaren, Netherlands
Club: GHHC Groningen
Bekker comes to Kent State by way of the Netherlands where she competed for GHHC Groningen in the Elite National League. In addition to her club contributions, Bekker has competed on the Dutch U18 team and was the captain of her U16 squad at Groningen.
#26 Lauren Conroy- Back
Mount Laurel, New Jersey
Club: Spirit of the USA
Conroy comes to Kent State following a healthy dose of success with Spirit of the USA. The Club was classified fifth in the under-19 national rankings and the team placed first in the 2022 RCCs. The Lenape High School product will major in nursing while playing for the Flashes.
#97 Hayley Gable- Goalkeeper
Gilbertsville, Pennsylvania
Club: X-Calibur
As a member of the prestigious Hill School, Gable helped her high school squad to three MAPL Championships and two runner-up finishes at state. She has experience with two top-notch club teams in the state of Pennsylvania, competing for both the WC Eagles and X-Calibur, and was named as an All-Mercury Honorable Mention twice throughout her career.
#20 Arden Goddard-Despot- Back/Midfielder
North Vancouver, Canada
A transfer from the University of Guelph, Goddard-Despot has spent the last two years representing her country as both a member of the 2022 Junior World Cup team and as a reserve in the 2021 Pan Am Games. The former two-time Rookie of the Year was also named the All-Canadian National University Field Hockey Player at Guelph.
#18 Naomi Kagna- Midfielder
West Vancouver, Canada
Club: Rob Short Academy
Naomi Kagna will add some depth to the Flashes midfield, hoping to translate the success she found at Rockridge Secondary school where she was named MVP of her team. She was also named as a First-Team North Shore Secondary School All-Star. During her time at Kent State, Kagna will study Early Childhood Education.
#7 Emma Rolston- Forward
Newport, Pennsylvania
Club: Central Penn FH
As a four-time letter winner, Rolston left her mark on multiple programs at Greenwood High School throughout her time as a Wildcat, finishing her field hockey career with the sixth most goals (65) and the eighth most points (156) in the history of Perry County. Rolston was named First Team Tri-Valley in both her junior and senior years and was honored as the Tri-Valley MVP at the conclusion of her senior season. She also left her mark on the track, and holds the Greenwood school record in the high jump at 5-4.
#28 Maia Sarrabayrouse- Back/Midfielder
Cataluña, Spain
Club: Junior FC
Sarrabayrouse brings a championship pedigree with her from Spain. The Catalan has been a part of four championship-winning teams already, collecting titles in the U16 Spanish Indoor Championship in 2019, the U18 Indoor Catalan Championship in 2021, and both the U18 Catalan and Spanish Championships in 2022. She will study international business while attending Kent State.
#3 Emma Seger- Forward
Louisville, Kentucky
Club: IFHCK
A product of Assumption High School, Seger was a key member of the Rocket's State Championship winning team during her sophomore year, landing her Second Team All-Kentucky Honors. She followed that performance with another second-team nomination the following year on the way to her fourth and final varsity letter.
#17 Patricia Strunk- Forward/Midfielder
Neuss, Germany
Club: Düsseldorfer Hockey Club
A member of the prestigious Düsseldorfer Hockey Club, Strunk helped her team to three German Championships during her career overseas, taking two indoor titles from 2018-2020 and adding an outdoor title before the pandemic. She was named to the West German State Selection Team and was a member of Germany's U16 Junior National Team in 2018 and 2019. As a Bundesliga athlete, Struck brings experience from the highest division of German hockey to the MAC.
#24 Emma Yeager- Midfielder
Middletown, Pennsylvania
Club: Nook
Another four-time letter winner, Yeager helped Lower Dauphin High School to four consecutive conference championships, finishing runner up at state in three of those years. The former defender was named to the All-Conference First Team her junior year and brings the leadership of a former team captain.
The Flashes will kick off their 2022 campaign in Bloomington Indiana as they prepare to take on the Hoosiers on August 26. For more on the Kent State field hockey team stay tuned to KentStatesports.com.
