Alexa Hoover wraps up legendary field hockey career in national all-star game

You would think she would have had enough, right?

But then again, she is a legend.

For senior field hockey attack Alexa Hoover, her legendary career came to a close not on Penn’s Ellen Vagelos Field, but in Louisville, Ky. Hoover participated in the Division I National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Senior All-Star Game this past Friday.

“I was just sitting on the sidelines and just looking around like, ‘Wow, this is an amazing thing that I got selected for,” the team captain said. “To be able to play and represent Penn, and the Ivy League, it was just an amazing feeling. I just felt very lucky.”

Hoover, along with Dartmouth senior Sarah Tabeek, was one of two Ancient Eight representatives in the exclusive game. Hoover and the other participants were invited to watch the semifinal bouts of the NCAA Division I Field Hockey Championship tournament as well.

After watching the undefeated University of Connecticut win its semifinal match on its way to a title, the star seniors took the field. The players were separated into two teams — a “light” team and a “dark” team. 

Hoover, wearing Penn's grey uniform, was on the light team, which ended up falling short in a tight 4-3 contest. But if you ask the Collegeville, Pa. resident, there was more to the game than just the result.

“It was just really fun playing with these girls,” Penn's all-time leading goal scorer said. “These girls are all so amazing and such amazing players, and you can see that they really are the top. They are the elite girls; the shots these girls were taking, the defense, it was back and forth.”

Whenever you get players at this high of a level on the same field, the goal will always be to win. But in what will be many of these player’s last games in their school jerseys, there was a distinct levity to the game.

“It was very light-hearted on the field,” the senior attack said. “We were laughing on the field; we were joking because a lot of us know each other from either playing each other or just growing up.”

While it may be the end of competitive field hockey for most, Hoover, unsurprisingly, is setting her sights higher. The 2018 graduate plans to attend an open tryout for the US national team.

When asked, the four-time All-Ivy honoree spoke about wanting to keep the game in her life.

"20 years from now, I don't want to regret not at least trying out," she said. Field hockey has been a part of my life for 17 years, and I don't think I can just give it up just like that now that my college career is over. For now, I'm just going to keep training until then, and then fingers crossed!"

While not much is known with what the future holds for Hoover in competitive field hockey, her collegiate career has reached a fitting ending.