By Emma Bynes
@emma_bynes4
Winning NEWMAC field hockey offensive player of the week in the first week of freshman year is easily the highlight of the season for most. However, field hockey athlete Rachel Simkewicz is aiming even higher than that — winning two consecutive awards from the NEWMAC to start her collegiate career.
Since scoring her first career goal on Sept. 9 against Eastern Connecticut State University, Simkewicz has been on an absolute tear. The first-year addition to Alden Street leads Springfield in minutes, goals and shots on goal. Her eight goals add up to second in the entire NEWMAC conference — something most players do not achieve, much less as a first-year. Staying true to the spirit of Springfield College, Simkewicz humbly defers a lot of her success to her teammates.
“This [winning NEWMAC field hockey offensive player of the week] meant a lot to me because I wanted to come in and make an impact on this team, and getting recognized for doing so showed how hard I’ve been working and the impact that I have been able to make on this team,” Simkewicz said. “I wouldn’t have been able to get that recognition without my teammates supporting and setting me up on the field, so it also showcased how successful we have been as a team.”
Head Coach Mia Olsen knew during Simkewicz’s recruiting process that the Westminster, Mass. native would be the right fit for both her squad and Springfield College as a whole.
“[Simkewicz’s] dad played baseball here, so I think she already had an interest in what Springfield is all about,” Olsen said. “I think it’s always special to have a player who has a connection to the school already — and once I was able to see her play at different recruiting events I noticed her speed, her quickness with the ball, and her ability to score.”
The interest was mutual from Simkewicz.
“I picked Springfield College because of the atmosphere on campus and within the team, and because it was a perfect fit for me both academically and athletically — specifically because of the PT program,” she said. “I was able to take the career path that I want and continue to compete at a high level athletically.”
After already having an inkling of Springfield College’s philosophy, the Oakmont Regional graduate was ready to commit to her father’s alma mater.
Not just Simkewicz, but the field hockey program as a whole is on a historic run to open this season. The Pride are off to one of their best starts since 2019 with a record of 5-2, and picked up an early conference win last weekend against Salve Regina. One of their losses came to a nationally-ranked Amherst team, and first-year goaltender Sam Orcutt only allowed two goals to the Mammoths. However, this isn’t unexpected from within the locker room in Springfield.
“I think this is just a testament to the work that they [the players] put in outside of the season,” Olsen beamed. “We talk as a team about clicking at the right time and make it the point to be playing our best by [the time] conference [play rolls around]. I think it’s been really exciting this season to see that we’re making such huge strides before we even make it to conference play.”
Despite being a first-year, Simkewicz knew that she wanted to “make an immediate impact” on her team, and firmly believed that she “needed to work hard to get to that point because [she is] at the bottom of the totem pole.” She’s done just that, and earned conference-wide attention, as well as the respect of her teammates and coaches.
Scoring goals is certainly a confidence booster, but it is Simkewicz’s teammates who have readily given the first-year the keys. She’s been not only spurred on, but encouraged by upperclassman teammates, such as last year’s leading scorer in junior captain Hailey Gaydos.
“Hailey is a leader on and off the field and demonstrates hard work, grit and selflessness,” Simkewicz said. “She also plays in the same position as me and gives me helpful hints throughout practice and games to make me a better player.”
Gaydos has four goals and four assists each to her name, with three of those assists going to Simkewicz. In Springfield’s win against Salve Regina, Gaydos set the tone for the Pride early by deferring to her wide-open teammate for the score.
The pair leading Springfield’s offense have clearly clicked, and will look to provide the Pride with a viable tandem attack for the next two years.
Simkewicz, Gaydos and the Pride have an away NEWMAC matchup against Worcester Polytechnic Institute on Saturday, before they can be found once again on Stagg Field next Wednesday versus the University of Hartford.
Photo by Emma Bynes/The Student