Tiger Field Hockey Announces Class Of 2027

The numbers, and even some of the hometowns and high schools, will be the same. The names will most definitely be different.

The six members of the Princeton field hockey class of 2027 come from familiar places — the Repton School, Sacred Heart of Greenwich — and will wear familiar numbers — 5, 6, 7, 16, 24. After that it all changes. Those numbers, by the way,

A team that graduated eight starters and will be without a ninth gets reinforcements from six incoming players. The six feature the usual TFH mix of American and international players, and it's a group that will compete for playing time immediately all over the field.

Among the players who are entering are Ottilie Sykes, who will wear the No. 6 that Autumn Brown did for the last four years and who comes from the same Repton School that produced the reigning Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year, Hannah Davey. There's also Hope Delaney, who will take over Davey's No. 7. There's also goalie Olivia Caponiti, came from Sacred Heart, the same high school that produced Beth Yeager, the two-time first-team All-American who is taking off this school year to compete with the U.S. National team in Olympic qualifying (Sacred Heart also produced current Princeton senior Ellie Manriquez).

Here are the six members of the Princeton Field Hockey Class of 2023:

Lydia Bills
No. 5 • F • 5-7 • Chester, England

At The King's School Chester
The King's School 1^st team hockey … Awarded full school colours and was a captain … the King's School 1^st team netball … Chester schools' senior netball tournament winner … the King's School Chester 1^st team. 2021 … Chester and District U19 Indoor hockey tournament winner 2021 … Chester and District U19 7's hockey tournament runner-up 2021 … Chester and Cheshire schools' indoor hockey champion 2023 … U19 Indoor hockey school's national finalist 2023 … The King's School Chester CAOKS girls sport achievement award 2017 … Physical Education subject prize year 11 … Physical Education subject prize year 10 … Appointed Head of House academic year 2022/23 … Appointed mental fitness ambassador 2022/23

Club and international experience
Field hockey
Chester Hockey Club 1^st team NW Women's premier league 2020, 2021 … Brooklands Hockey Club 1^st team Vitality Women's division 1 North 2022/23 … JAC county hockey squad 2016 … NW Tensworth National tournament 2017 … England Hockey Performance Centre U15 … England Hockey Performance Centre U17 … England Hockey U16 National Age Group training squad 2020/21 … England Hockey performance Centre Challenge Cup 2022 … England Hockey U18 girls club super 6's Indoor hockey National Finalist 2023

Netball
Chester Netball Club … Cheshire County netball squad age 14 and 15 … Cheshire County netball league champion 2017 … Manchester league junior netball champion 2017/18 … England netball NW Regional league runners-up 2017/18 … Pontins netball tournament winner 2018 … Chester netball tournament winner 2018 … Yendeys netball tournament winner 2018 …Boughton Belles netball tournament winner 2018

Personal
Daughter of Jane and Julian Bills. Both parents play hockey.

Merle Broex
No. 24 • F • 5-7 • Amsterdam, The Netherlands

St. Nicolaaslyceum Amsterdam
Played at HC Athena Amsterdam as a junior in the first senior ladies team in 2022/23 season … Earned MVP several times … scored seven goals and had 12 assists … Won gold medal with the school sports team in the national school competition with playing for the tennis squad.
Club experience
Played in first team (national league) for field hockey club Athena Amsterdam. Plays tennis and won the club singles championships twice and the doubles with her mother twice as well.
Personal
Daughter of Jules and Jolanda Broex … has one older sister who studies economics and business economics at Utrecht University. Her father is the chairman of the national curling federation.

Olivia Caponiti
No. 35 • G • 6-0 • Greenwich, Conn.

At Sacred Heart Greenwich (SHG)
Five-year varsity field hockey starter … senior captain … holds the school record in saves … won the Riley Athletic Award (given to the most valuable athlete at the school) … won 2022 FAA all-league award … member of the NFHCA High School Impact Senior Team … Max Prep Invitational all-tournament second team member … team won NEPSAC Class A Championship in 2019 … team won NEPSAC Class A Field Hockey Regular Season Champions in 2021 … team won FAA Tournament Champions in 2018 and 2021 … team won FAA Regular Season Champions in 2019 and 2021 … four-time varsity basketball and lacrosse player, president of high school

Club
Starting goalie at AGH Hockey Club … National Club Championship U14 Silver Medalists in 2019 … National Club Championship U16 Silver Medalists in 2021 … National Club Championship U19 Silver Medalists in 2022 … selected for in the National Futures Championship in 2019

Personal
Daughter of Meghan and Michael Caponiti … mother went to Villanova University; father went to Boston College … older sister Madeleine graduated from Boston College … older sister Isabella graduated from Wake Forest University … older brother Harrison played football and lacrosse at Princeton and graduated in 2023 … older brother Henry plays lacrosse at Georgetown University

Ella Cashman
No. 16 • M/D • 5-4 • Surbiton, England

At The Tiffin Girls' School

Club/International experience
Won player of the season at Surrey U15 … Played for Weybridge PC at U17 … Played for Surbiton Hockey Club … 2017 U12 Junior Club third place … 2019 captained U14 Junior Club Champions and U14 EuroHockey Club Championship runners up … 2020 U16 Indoor National Club Semi-finalists … 2023 Indoor National Club runners up ... 2022 and 2023 U18 Junior Club Champions … 2023 Junior Club player of the Year

Personal
Daughter of Hayley and Tony Cashman … mother played field hockey for county and East England … two older sisters, Ro and Jo, and one younger sister, Jess

Hope Delaney
No. 7 • D • 5-8 • Radnor, Pa.

At Radnor High School
All-Central Athletic League First Team as a junior and senior… All Main Line first team… All Delco first team … USA Today HSSA Field Hockey Player of the Year nominee … Member of National Honor Society.

Club/International experience
Played club for WC Eagles … MAX Field Hockey Top 10 Player for Class of 2022 … National Indoor Tournament Champions X9 … National Club Champions X4 … USAFH Futures/Nexus … Played for Repton Hockey Club, England 2022.

Ottilie Sykes
No. 6 • D • 5-9 • Milton, England

At Repton School
Academic Scholar … Field Hockey Scholar … awarded a CB Fry All Rounder Scholarship …
School Prefect … House Prefect … first XI Field Hockey Captain and first VI Indoor Hockey Captain … 2022/23 - Captained U18 1^st XI Squad to winning England Hockey Tier 1 National Schools Championships 2023. Captained U18 1^st VI Squad to winning England Hockey Super 6s National Schools Indoor Championships 2023. 2021/22 - Player in the U18 1^st XI Squad who won England Hockey Tier 1 National Schools Championships 2022 and U18 1^st VI England Hockey Super 6s National Schools Indoor Championships 2022. 2019/20 - Player in both U16 Squads who won England Hockey Tier 1 National Schools Championships 2020 and were Runners Up of England Hockey Super 6s National Schools Indoor Championships 2020. 2018/19 - Player in the U14 Squad who won England Hockey Tier 1 National Schools Championships 2019 and the U16 Indoor Squad who were Runners Up of the England Hockey Super 6s National Schools Indoor Championships 2019. 1^st XI Squad toured Argentina and Chile in August 2022, playing Chile U21s, U19 Regional Selection Team of Buenos Aires, Club Italiano and the Jockey Club de Rosario amongst others. Played 1^st XI Girls Cricket and also represented school in athletics, tennis and netball.

Club experience
Played for Loughborough University Hockey Club 1^st XI Squad in the England Hockey Premier League 2022/23 under Coach Jamie Cachia. Played for Birmingham University Hockey Club 2^nd XI Squad in the England Hockey Midlands Conference League 2022 under Coach Jamie Cachia. Played for Repton Hockey Club 2018 – 2022 under Coach Martin Jones: Played in Ladies 1^st VI in England Hockey Indoor Premier League Super 6s 2022. Captained U18 1^st VI Indoor Squad to 5^th at England Hockey National Super 6s Club Championships 2022. Semi Finalist in U16 England Hockey Tier 1 National Club Championships 2021. Runners Up in the U18 England Hockey Tier 1 National Club Championships 2020. Finalist in the U16 England Hockey Tier 1 National Club Championships 2020 and winners of England Hockey U16 National Super 6s Indoor Championships 2020. Finalist in the England Hockey U14 National Club Championships 2019 and Runners Up in the England Hockey U16 National Super 6s Indoor Championships 2019.

International experience
2023 - Selected into Great Britain Elite Development Programme, which incorporates the England U21 Squad. Co-Captain of England U18s 2022/23. Selected into England U18 Squads for 2022/23 and 2021/22, achieving 19 caps so far. Player of the Match v Scotland at 8 Nations Tournament in Terrassa 2022. Selected into England Hockey U16 Squads for 2020/21 and 2019/20, achieving 8 caps over a period disrupted by covid restrictions. Represented Derbyshire in Athletics and Somerset in Cricket.

Personal
Daughter of Michael and Victoria, father serves in the British Army. Has 2 older brothers: Jacob and Oliver.

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Autumn Brown

Hannah Davey

Ellie Manriquez

Beth Yeager

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