Princeton University Athletics
Photo by: Beverly Schaefer
Introducing The Tiger Field Hockey Class Of 2026
June 15, 2022 | Field Hockey
A group of six athletes who grew up in distances ranging from a short car ride to a long plane ride from Princeton make up the Tiger field hockey Class of 2026. This group, which features two forwards, one midfielder, two defenders and a goalie, joins a hungry team that is looking to regain the Ivy League championship and return to the NCAA tournament after missing out on both of those prizes by the slimmest of margins a year ago.
The six players feature one from Mercer County, the same county as Princeton University, and another from Monmouth County, which borders Mercer. Of the other four, three come from Europe and one comes from South Africa.
"We're excited to have these six join our program," says Princeton head coach Carla Tagliente. "Their presence will create greater competition for positions and playing time and make our entire team better. The returning players will be energized by this new group, which makes us deeper and stronger. We cannot wait for practice to begin."
Here are the six members of the Princeton field hockey Class of 2026:
Ava Dempsey
Chester, England • The Queens School • Defense
Club/National Experience: National/Club: Played for Wales at the U21 2022 Junior World Cup in South Africa at 17 years old, the youngest player in the team, started all games, coach's player of the match vs Zimbabwe ... Played for Wales U17 in the Futures Cup 2021, tournament top goal scorer and coach's player of the tournament ... Played for Wales U18 in 2021 School Games, placing 2nd ... Won U18 national championship in 2021 with Bowdon Hockey Club ... Played in U18 indoor national championship 2022 with Bowdon Hockey Club ... Won Cheshire Cup with Bowdon 1st team The Queen's School: Head Girl ... School's top academic scholar ... Won subject prizes in Maths, Physics, Chemistry, Latin and Geography ... Part of the school 1st XI ... Won U16 Tier 2 national championship in 2019 and 2020 ... Played at U16 indoor national championship 2019 and 2020 ... Reached the last 8 of the U18 SMILE Independent School Cup 2022
Personal: Daughter of Justin Dempsey and Nyree Whitley ... Has a sister, Tilly
Helena Große
Berlin, Germany • Werner-von-Siemens Gymnasium • Midfield
Club/ National Experience
Berliner Hockey Club (2019-2022) Team won the regional Championship several times. In the years 2019 and 2021 became Berlin Champion four times. They were East-German and North-East-German Champion in 2019 and 2021. Furthermore, the club team successfully competed in German National Championships U16 and U18 and got vice champion in 2019 and 2021. She had her debut for the club woman's team which is part of the first division in Germany.
Zehlendorfer Wespen (2009-2019) : Began playing field hockey at the age of five. Together with her U12 club team she became Berlin Champion/ "B-Cup winner" in 2014. Their U14 team placed second in the Berlin Championship in 2015 and 2016 and third in 2017. Due to her outstanding performance she competed as part of the team above her age class and was even allowed to train with the woman's team. Since the age of ten, she was part of the State Selection Team of Berlin which contains the city's best players. Together with the U16 state selection team she placed 3rd at the National Indoor Championship and the National Outdoor Championship in 2018. In 2019 they became 4th Place in the German Indoor Championship and gained the German National Champion title outdoor. Moreover, Helena was captain of the Berlin State Selection team and her performance during the National Championship in 2019 was highlighted by the national coach. She also was part of the German National Team.
Personal
The daughter of Michael and Ursula Große. Her father was an excellent hockey player who performed in the first division in Germany and was part of the German Junior National team. He won the Junior World Cup. Both of her older siblings, Nicola and Johannes Große, played for the German National team and her brother is now part of the German men's team and went to the Olympic Olympic Games in Tokyo. He also participated in World Cups and European Championships. Her sister later was part of the Austrian National Team.
Ella Hampson
Cheshire, England • Manchester High School • Defense
Was first selected for Manchester County team at 11 and later picked for teams such Tensworth (Northwest Squad), and the UK Lions, (an unofficial UK team). Captained team against club squads from around the world, including the US, Belgium and Spain. After being selected for Manchester Performance Centre at the age of 14, played in the Futures Cup for Pennine Pumas, who came in second (national runner up), after being defeated in a very close shootout. Following this competition, was selected for the England National Age Group Squad, staying with this team from 2018-2021, given the privilege of Captaining the squad in the final game of the Home Nations tournament, where the team won the championship. Started playing at Brooklands Poynton Hockey Club at the age of 10, quickly progressing through the club to debuting for the Ladies first team at the age of 14. In 2020-2022 seasons, was named Captain of the U18 squad, winning the award for their u18 player of the season in 2021. While playing for her age group, also played for the Ladies XI, winning the award for 'Young Player of the Season' in 2022.
Personal:
Daughter of Paula and Edward Hampson, and sister to James and Katie Hampson.
Grace Ann McCooey
Rumson, N.J. • Rumson-Fair Haven High School • Forward
Before Princeton: National Club Champions two times... Max Field Hockey Class of 2022 Player Rankings- Top 50... 2019 Selected for Class A Central, Shore Conference All Division First Team... three times NJSIAA North Jersey Section 2, Group 2 Champions... 2019 Junior Olympic team selection... Most Valuable Player for Eurotour U16 Elite Camp in Amsterdam...Alpine Ski Racing - U-14 National Team 2x Medalist... Peer Leader... National Honor society member and scholarship winner... Wesleyan University Book Award... Science Fair Winner
Personal: Daughter of Amy and Tim McCooey... Has a younger Brother Timmy...and younger Sister, MaryHelen
Talia Schenk
Lawrenceville, N.J., Lawrence High School • Forward
Lawrence High School: 244 career goals (4th All-Time in Nation)…1st NJ player to score 100+ goals in a season (113 goals)...Top 50 Player Class of 2022 (Max F.H.)…3rd Team All-American (Max F.H.)…1st Team All-Region (Max F.H.)…2021-22 All-USA Today Field HSSA Field Hockey Team…1st Team All-State (NJ.com)…3x Player of the Year (Times of Trenton)…3x Colonial Valley Conference Player of the Year (NJ.com and Trentonian)…3x 1st Team Central Jersey Field Hockey Coaches Association…4x All-Area Team (Times of Trenton)…4x All-CVC Team (Times of Trenton)…4x All-CVC 1st Team (Trentonian)… 2x Varsity Captain…4x Team MVP…Class Historian…National Honor Society…NFHCA Scholar of Distinction…Peer Leadership.
USA Field Hockey (Futures/Nexus): Multiple Futures/Nexus Championship selections…Junior National Camp (2019).
Personal: Daughter of Janice and Gary Schenck…Has two older brothers, Gavin and Reece.
Ella Thorburn
Johanesburg, South Africa, St. Anne's Diocesan College • Goalie
Club/National: Played for u16A provincial side in the national tournament… Selected for u16 South African High Performance Squad… Selected for provincial u18A side two years in a row… Worked with the South African u17 side remotely during the pandemic… Played for Riverside Ladies 1st XI in the Durban Premier League... Helped open provincial side win silver in the national indoor tournament…
St Anne's Diocesan College: Started in all games since 2019… Helped team to rank top 10 nationally… Nominated as vice-captain in final year… Awarded goalkeeper of the tournament at the Tuks high performance camp… Awarded goalkeeper of the tournament in the PSI Midlands league… Awarded the school Sportsmanship and Leadership in Sport awards in final year… Top achiever in geography at the college and within the top 1% nationally… Head of Sport at the college…
Personal: Daughter of Andrew and Amanda Thorburn… Has a brother, Nicholas…
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Field Hockey Senior Day 2022
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