U.S. Masters Athletes Lead Efforts to Reinstate Stanford Program

Photo Courtesy of Stanford Athletics & Lyndsay Radnedge/isiphotos.com

On July 8, 2020, Stanford University announced plans to cut their varsity field hockey program, along with 10 other nationally ranked, Olympian-producing teams, citing “no pathway to excellence” or other viable financial solutions to support them. This decision impacted 22 current field hockey student-athletes, including U.S. Women’s National Team members Kelsey Bing and Corinne Zanolli, as well as coaches and recruits with aspirations to play for the Cardinal. The decision also impacted more than 400 Stanford alumni including Alison Smith and Melissa Weiss, both active U.S. Masters players who competed in the 2018 EXIN Masters World Cup in Teressa, Spain. Smith and Weiss are collaborating with other alumni to restore field hockey at Stanford and have provided a glimmer of hope for the possible reinstatement of the program.