Fairy tale endings are rare in real life, but a player and coach duo will walk into the sunset having written the ideal final chapter to their field hockey careers at the University of Victoria.
The Vikes women鈥檚 field hockey team captured their fourth consecutive U SPORTS Women鈥檚 Field Hockey National Championship in a 2-0 series sweep over the York University Lions on the UVic Field Hockey Turf on Saturday (Nov 5).
The are your 2022 U SPORTS Women's Field Hockey Champions.!!!!!
鈥� U SPORTS FH (@USPORTS_FH)
Les sont vos champions de hockey sur gazon de U SPORTS 2022!!!!!
The story鈥檚 unique hook transcends generations as the legendary Lynne Beecroft, nicknamed Buzz, tied the bow on a 39-year coaching career by winning her 15th national title. UVic has never won a national field hockey title without Beecroft at the helm.
Beecroft watched as U SPORTS Player of the Year Anne Mollenhauer donned her Vikes uniform for the last time. Her collegiate career in turn reached a crescendo when she received tournament MVP honours while scoring one of the two key goals in UVic鈥檚 2-1 win.
鈥淗onestly, it鈥檚 kind of surreal,鈥� said Mollenhauer. 鈥淚t鈥檚 hard to put into words the emotions I鈥檓 feeling right now 鈥� I don鈥檛 think that it鈥檚 really hit me yet. It feels amazing to be able to help Buzz finish her career by winning a championship at home. This is such a great team and group of girls who are all like sisters to me, it鈥檚 special.鈥�
This isn鈥檛 the first time Beecroft has reached the top with a Mollenhauer. She won a championship with Anne鈥檚 mom Nancy in 1984.
鈥淭his feels very special because I knew it was my last year, so it鈥檚 a great way to finish,鈥� said Beecroft. 鈥淚 started my coaching career winning a championship with Nancy Mollenhauer (Charlton) in 1984 and now I鈥檓 ending my coaching career winning a championship with Anna Mollenhauer 鈥� it鈥檚 a perfect ending.鈥�
A second mother-daughter combination was also celebrated as former Vike Kolette Cristante saw her daughter Judy claim the national title.
鈥淣ot many people get the experience of sharing the same university coach with their mom, so I think that makes this extra special,鈥� said Mollenhauer. 鈥淏uzz is a legend it鈥檚 hard to believe she is retiring.鈥�
ALSO READ:
Do you have a story tip? Email: vnc.editorial@blackpress.ca.
Follow us on and and like us on
