University of North Carolina Athletics
Rising senior Katie Dixon has been selected to make her U.S. National Team debut in 2023-24.
Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati
Five Tar Heels Named To 2023-24 U.S. National Team
May 30, 2023 | Field Hockey
Five Tar Heels – including two current members of the current squad– have been named to the U.S. National Field Hockey Team for 2023-24, as announced on Tuesday by USA Field Hockey. Rising senior Katie Dixon has been selected for her National Team debut, and rising sophomore Ryleigh Heck has been named to the team for the second year in a row.
UNC alums Ashley Hoffman, Meredith Sholder and Cassie Sumfest, all National Team veterans, are also part of the 34-player U.S. roster for 2023-24.
Dixon, from Cary, N.C., is one of two athletes making a first appearance as part of the top U.S. squad. She played in all 21 games last season for the Tar Heels, who finished the 2022 campaign undefeated, and she also won gold with the U-21 team at the Junior Pan American Championships in April.
Heck, from Ocean City, N.J., was the 2022 ACC Freshman of the Year and earned spots on both the NCAA and ACC All-Tournament teams. She scored 18 goals as a freshman, second on the Tar Heel squad. Like Dixon, she was part of the U.S. JPAC team this spring.
Sholder was a senior on the 2022 team, earning All-America honors. She was the ACC Defensive Player of the Year and the ACC Tournament MVP.
Sumfest was a three-time NCAA Champion at UNC (2018, 2019, 2020), and Hoffman was part of the 2018 NCAA title squad and won the Honda Award as National Player of the Year that season.
All three of the UNC alums will be part of the 24-player traveling roster for the U.S. trip to Europe in June. There the squad will play eight matches in FIH Hockey Pro League competition.
For a look at the full National Team and FIH Hockey Pro League rosters, click here.
UNC alums Ashley Hoffman, Meredith Sholder and Cassie Sumfest, all National Team veterans, are also part of the 34-player U.S. roster for 2023-24.
Dixon, from Cary, N.C., is one of two athletes making a first appearance as part of the top U.S. squad. She played in all 21 games last season for the Tar Heels, who finished the 2022 campaign undefeated, and she also won gold with the U-21 team at the Junior Pan American Championships in April.
Heck, from Ocean City, N.J., was the 2022 ACC Freshman of the Year and earned spots on both the NCAA and ACC All-Tournament teams. She scored 18 goals as a freshman, second on the Tar Heel squad. Like Dixon, she was part of the U.S. JPAC team this spring.
Repping the U.S. 🇺🇸
Congrats to our 🖐️ Tar Heels named to the 2023-24 Women's National Team!
🔗 https://t.co/azuqA5KqeB#GoHeelsGoAmerica pic.twitter.com/Db4BRfJt8y
— UNC Field Hockey (@UNCFieldHockey) May 30, 2023
Sholder was a senior on the 2022 team, earning All-America honors. She was the ACC Defensive Player of the Year and the ACC Tournament MVP.
Sumfest was a three-time NCAA Champion at UNC (2018, 2019, 2020), and Hoffman was part of the 2018 NCAA title squad and won the Honda Award as National Player of the Year that season.
All three of the UNC alums will be part of the 24-player traveling roster for the U.S. trip to Europe in June. There the squad will play eight matches in FIH Hockey Pro League competition.
For a look at the full National Team and FIH Hockey Pro League rosters, click here.
Players Mentioned
Midfielder/Back
/ Field Hockey
Midfielder/Forward
/ Field HockeyUNC Softball: Barbee, Heels Walk Off Eagles in Game 2, 5-4
Saturday, February 28
UNC Softball: Tar Heels Walk Off Boston College, 10-9
Saturday, February 28
UNC Baseball: Hot Bats Hammer Le Moyne in Game 1, 16-3
Saturday, February 28
UNC Men's Lacrosse: Tar Heels Escape #19 Penn, 11-9
Saturday, February 28