Saint Gertrude Field Hockey Ascends, Tabbed a "Force in the Area"

The excitement began in late August, shortly after the team had gathered for grueling practices in the late summer heat under new coach Carsyn Poppa. And the excitement continued throughout the season, as the Saint Gertrude field hockey team revealed themselves to be playing at a higher level – and a legitimate threat for any opponent, capable of advancing deep into the League of Independent Schools post season tournament.

On August 26, the Richmond Times-Dispatch came out with their pre-season preview and poll, written by sportswriter Savannah Reger. In the “Players to watch during the 2025 high school field hockey season” article, one of our captains, Ella Massie ’26, was singled out. Reger wrote, “A senior captain, Massie is key as the Gators embark on a new field hockey chapter. She has helped with the transition to a new coaching staff and is expected to have a big year. Keep an eye on Massie and the Gators.”

In the accompanying “Who are the top high school field hockey teams entering the season?” article, Reger listed her Top 5 Richmond area teams. The Gators were noted as a program to watch, listed at #4. Reger wrote, “The Gators are young this year but have lots of experience, returning all 11 starters from 2024. It's Carsyn Poppa's first year as head coach of the Gators' program, and she says the team has emphasized flexibility. Captains this year include Ella Massie, Coplan Jones and Quinn Cury, all of whom have helped the team through the coaching transition. Massie is a key senior returner and will play defense and midfield this fall. The team is still young, with a big sophomore class getting lots of minutes. The Gators play a tough LIS schedule but will be a force in the area.”

 

New coach Carsyn Poppa brought new energy and focus to a program on the cusp of advancement. “I would say I came in at a great time,” Poppa remarked, “when I was fresh off of playing collegiate field hockey and the team was hungry and wanting to be pushed. I gave that to them and continued to raise my expectations throughout the season, and they never failed to meet me halfway. Our captains Ella, Coplan, and Quinn have done a phenomenal job of bonding the team and encouraging them to play for a greater purpose than ourselves, for our school name and for God. I foresee the program only continuing to grow, especially with as much underclassmen talent as we have. Our offensive corners and defensive unit are some of our biggest strengths on the field, but the team's overall drive and competitiveness have been key factors in propelling them forward.”

One victory early in the season really stood out for the program. Poppa noted, “Our win against STAB was huge as Saint Gertrude hadn't secured a win against them in over 10 years. STAB is a tough, athletic team, but the Gator's newfound chemistry set us apart in this match. Our offensive corner unit secured two goals this game while our defense (Willa Holmes '27, Campbell Kincaid '27, Hannah Bernier '27, and Rylan Moody '28) held strong, only allowing one goal.” Poppa added that Abby Agostino '27 was a key player on offense, and “led us in points for the season with 14 goals.” 

Captain Ella Massie ’26 shares Poppa’s viewpoint that the field hockey program is on the rise, notching key victories and serving notice. “With the majority of the team returning from last year and the transition into new coaching staff,” Massie explained, “our team has experienced a significant amount of growth. It is evident that our girls ‘put in the work’ during the off season and were ready to attack from Day 1. Key players from both the sophomore and junior classes have played a particularly strong role in our success as we are ‘closing the gap’ in the tough LIS division that we compete in. Securing the dub against St. Anne's Belfield was critical for our program and has allowed other teams to recognize our progress.”

Fellow captain Coplan Jones ’26 shares Massie’s view. “This season has been amazing and one of the best field hockey seasons SGHS has seen,” Jones added. “Every player on the team has given their all to building it up. This year has shown everyone how strong the SGHS Field Hockey team really is.”

Saint Gertrude’s success continued into the post season. They traveled to Covenant, taking down the higher seed in a closely fought match, and earned the right to face second seed Collegiate. It was the first time in over a decade that Saint Gertrude field hockey had reached the semifinals of the ultra competitive LIS field hockey tournament. On a blustery day that threatened rain, Saint Gertrude were strong out of the gate and showed that they belonged, holding Collegiate scoreless until 3:43 was left in the second period. Saint Gertrude’s stalwart defense also shut out the Cougars in the fourth quarter, but their season ended there. There was no shame in the loss, only pride – for Collegiate ended up ranked #8 nationally, per MaxPreps on 11/13/25, and Saint Gertrude had held their own for much of the contest. 

After the season’s conclusion, a couple of our players were singled out by the LIS and VISAA for their distinctive talent and achievement. Earning All Conference honors were Claire Miller ‘28 and Rylan Moody ‘28. Additionally, Moody was named 2nd team All State. 

Director of Athletics Fran Pochily weighed in on the great strides the field hockey program took this year. “We are so excited for the success of the field hockey team this year,” Pochily began. “Under Coach Poppa's leadership, the Gators came together and grew so much as a team over the season. They competed with the best teams in the state with confidence because they had a belief in themselves and each other. Our coaches and players love field hockey and love each other, and it showed on the field. The positive energy has continued into the off season and I know Coach Poppa and the Gators cannot wait to keep building on this great year in the years to come!”  

Poppa is indeed excited after this watershed season, and her remarks reflect her gratitude, pride and optimism at what lies ahead for Saint Gertrude field hockey: “I couldn't be happier with the team. They really gave it their all these past few months and their hard work paid off in a lot of ways. The goal for next year is to go even farther! I learned a lot from this season as a first time coach and the team learned a lot about each other. I think we established a new team culture this year that prioritized sisterhood and discipline, which really translated on the field. I get very excited thinking about the future of SGHS field hockey. Next season we will be twice as disciplined and work twice as hard!”