COLLEGE PARK, MD -Leah Crouse,
Brooke DeBerdine,
Emma DeBerdine, and
Kelee Lepage are four of 16 athletes representing the United States in the Paris 2024 Olympics. Current assistant coach,
Jenny Rizzo, was named a provisional athlete and will travel to Paris with the team. The United States is in Pool B, made up of Australia, Argentina, Great Britain, Spain and South Africa. The U.S. will open play against Argentina on July 27 followed by a contest with Spain on July 29. They will close July against Australia on July 31. The U.S. will continue pool play against Great Britain on August 1 and finish with South Africa on August 3. The women's semifinal rounds will take place on Wednesday, August 7. The gold-medal game takes place on Friday, August 9. All games throughout the Olympics will be available to stream live on Peacock.
After missing out on qualifying for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, the U.S. Women's National Team is back in the 2024 Paris Olympics. At the FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifier in Ranchi, India, the No. 15 United Eagles went into the tournament as one of the lowest ranked teams. In the first pool match they upset host, No. 6 India, (1-0) and then beat No. 19 Italy (2-0). They defeated No. 10 New Zealand (1-0) in their final pool game to secure a spot in the semifinals. After trailing No. 9 Japan, the United Eagles led a triumphant rally to score two goals in the fourth quarter to win, 2-1, and qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Argentina vs United States
July 27, 2024
Stade Yves-du-Manoir
1:45 PM ET
Peacock
Argentina is the second ranked team in the world heading to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. "Las Leoanas" have been known as one of the world's most fearsome attacking teams and the 14-time Pan American continental champions have won two World Cups, seven Champions Trophy titles and one FIH Hockey Pro League.
Watch here
Spain vs United States
July 29, 2024
Stade Yves-du-Manoir
7:15 AM ET
Peacock
Spain has enjoyed a successful 2024, starting off with their successful qualification for the Olympic Games on their home soil in Valencia to start out the year. "The Red Sticks" earned a gold medal back in June at the FIH Hockey Women's Nations Cup which is a promotion for next season's FIH Hockey Pro League.
Watch here
Australia vs United States
July 31, 2024
Stade Yves-du-Manoir
7:15 AM ET
Peacock
With three Olympic titles and top six finishes at every Olympic Games since debuting at Los Angeles 1984, "The Hockeyroos" will head to Paris with the opportunity to make another deep Olympic run.
Watch here
Great Britain vs United States
August 1, 2024
Stade Yves-du-Manoir
11:00 AM ET
Peacock
Securing Olympic gold at Rio in 2016 and bronze medals at both London 2012 and Tokyo 2020, Great Britain's women field hockey has shared a lot of recent Olympic success. Heading into the Olympics, Great Britain has only won three of their 16 Pro League matches.
Watch here
South Africa vs United States
August 3, 2024
Stade Yves-du-Manoir
7:15 AM ET
Peacock
South Africa's women field hockey roster will feature six returning athletes from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The team is coached by Giles Bonnet, who represented South Africa as a player in the 1994 Men's Women Cup. South Africa will head to Paris with both the oldest and youngest players in the tournament. 37-year-old Dirkie Chamberlain and 17-year-old Paris-Gail Isaacs are both set to represent South Africa on the world's biggest stage.
Watch here
success at college park
- Crouse was a standout athlete during her time at Maryland. The graduate transfer started all 22 games for the Terps, totaling 25 points from ten goals and five assists. She was named NFHCA All Mid-Atlantic First Team and All-Big Ten Second Team. Crouse led the Terps in game-winning goals with five.
- B. DeBerdine, the 2022 Big Ten Medal of Honor recipient, was the first Terrapin to start in 100 career games and owns the program record with 104 starts. During her career in College Park, DeBerdine was a standout midfielder and two-time captain. DeBerdine was recognized as the NFHCA Mid-Atlantic Region Player of the Year and Honda Award Finalist for her performance in 2021. She is a two-time All-American, two-time All-Big Ten honoree and two-time NCAA All-Tournament Team selection.
- E. DeBerdine, a two-time All-American, spent her undergraduate career as a Terp with plans to return to College Park and use her remaining year of eligibility for the 2024 season. The Lancaster, Pennsylvania native, started in 75 of the 76 games she played in, tallying 69 points from 23 goals and 23 assists. DeBerdine has multiple accolades during her undergraduate career, including two NFHCA All-American honors and two All-Big Ten recognitions.
- Lepage was a standout defender for the Terps for all four seasons. The Honey Brook, Pennsylvania native, started in 70 of the 91 games she played in for the Terps. Lepage added 43 points from 11 goals and 21 assists and three game-winning goals during her time in College Park. She was recognized on the NFHCA All-Region squad after her senior season in 2019.
- Rizzo joined the Maryland staff as an assistant coach and goalkeeper coordinator in March 2024. She served as a volunteer assistant with Davidson during the 2019 season and then served as an assistant coach at Davidson and Lafayette College before coming to College Park. As a player, Rizzo was a standout goalkeeper for Penn State, starting in 79 games. She tallied more than 5,400 minutes in the cage and posted a .749 career saves percentage. She helped the Nittany Lions to three NCAA Tournament bids (2016-18), the 2016 Big Ten Tournament title and was named to the All-Big Ten Second Team in 2017 and 2018.
Two-time All-American
Emma DeBerdine will use her remaining year of eligibility and return to College Park for the 2024 season.
olympic success
- Maryland will be well represented on Team USA with the most players from any school on the roster.
- 11 of head coach Missy Meharg's players have gone on to make Olympic rosters - Kate Kauffman Beach, Lauren Powley, Dina Rizzo, Sarah Silvetti, Keli Smith Puzo, Katie O'Donnell Bam, Jill Witmer, and now Crouse, B. DeBerdine, E. DeBerdine and Lepage.
- Meharg was an assistant coach with the U.S. national team at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.
- All four Terp players have had 184 combined appearances in international play for the United States national team.
Missy Meharg has coached 15 athletes at Maryland that have gone on to play in the Olympics.
Terps on team Germany & team Great britain
- Former Terp, Nike Lorenz will represent Team Germany in Paris this year.
- Lorenz helped lead the 2018 Maryland Field Hockey team win the Big Ten regular season and tournament titles and helped the Terps reach the NCAA National Championship. She was named NFHCA National Scholar Athlete of the Year and earned NFHCA Second Team All-American and All-Big Second Team honors during her lone season as a Terp. Lorenz helped Germany earn a Bronze medal in the 2016 Olympics in Rio.
- Germany is in Pool A, made up of Netherlands, Belgium, Japan, China and France. Germany will open play against Japan on July 28 at 4:30 a.m. EST (Watch here), followed by a contest with Netherlands on July 29 at 1:45 p.m.(Watch here). They will close July against France on July 31 at 6:45 a.m. (Watch here). Germany will continue pool play against China on August 2 at 4:00 a.m. (Watch here). and finish with Belgium on August 3 at 1:45 p.m. (Watch here). The women's semifinal rounds will take place on Wednesday, August 7. The gold-medal game takes place on Friday, August 9. All games will be streamed via Peacock.
- Grace Balsdon was announced as a reserve for Team Great Britain this year.
- Balsdon was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in 2016 and earned All-Big Ten First Team honors (2016) while starting in all 23 games. Balsdon proved that she is one of the best penalty corner shooters in the world as she scored three times at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and has played in 68 career caps. Balsdon helped Great Britian earn a Bronze medal in the 2020 Summer Olympics. Balsdon earned her undergraduate degree in the United Kingdom at Canterbury Chris Church University before finishing her career at Maryland.
- Great Britian is in Pool B, made up of Australia, Argentina, United States, Spain and South Africa. Great Britian will open play against Spain on July 28 followed by a contest with Australia on July 29. They will close July against South Africa on July 31. Great Britain will continue pool play against the United States on August 1 and finish with Argentina on August 3. The women's semifinal rounds will take place on Wednesday, August 7. The gold-medal game takes place on Friday, August 9.
Nike Lorenz helped Maryland win a Big Ten regular season and tournament championship in 2018.
Venue information
- The field hockey venue for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games will be at the historic Yves-du-Manoir Stadium, located in a suburb outside of Paris.
- Designed by architect Louis Faure-Dujarric, the stadium was the main arena for the VIII Olympaid in 1924, hosting the Opening Ceremony and several athletic events.
- Following a 50-year decline, the Yves-du-Manoir Stadium underwent a two-year renovation and revitalization project.
- The stadium now seats 15,000 spectators and will host both the men's and women's competition.
Yves-du-Manoir Stadium played host to the Opening Ceremony for the 1924 Olympic Games.
