Jaimie Orrico is fully aware of how far she has come.
She recalls her first game in a Northwestern uniform: her comfort zone had disappeared, the game moved too quickly and the playing field seemed foreign. As was customary, the Wildcats lost 3-0 at Northeastern in their 2008 opener en route to a disappointing 7-13-1 season.
Orrico is part of a senior class that has profoundly impacted a once-dormant program. Along with Kaylee Pohlmeyer, Regan Mooney, Megan Jamieson and Claire Thompson, she has witnessed NU’s rise from afterthought to powerhouse.
“We’re now the team everyone is afraid to play,” Orrico said.
After three consecutive losses, No. 20 NU (10-6, 1-3 Big Ten) will lean on its seniors once again to help regain momentum. With signature wins against then-undefeated New Hampshire and defending national champion Maryland this season, the Wildcats are confident in their ability to recover from any setback.
“We used to be surprised to win,” Mooney said. “Now, our attitude has shifted.”
Much of that transformation can be attributed to the arrival of coach Tracey Fuchs in 2009. Commonly referred to as the “Michael Jordan of field hockey,” Fuchs immediately focused on restoring team confidence.
“She came in preaching to us about winning championships,” Jamieson said. “We felt like we could compete with the best teams.”
Orrico said it was a difficult concept to grasp at first.
“This is a completely new culture,” she said. “We were initially confused but transitioned quite well.”
The results were immediately visible. NU earned a national ranking in 2009 and won 10 of its first 14 games the following year. The Cats ended both of those campaigns mired in losing streaks and hope that this season will end on a more positive note.
Junior Chelsea Armstrong receives a great deal of recognition, but the emergence of senior talent has also factored into the Cats’ success. Jamieson, a fifth-year senior, scored her first career goal in a recent win over St. Louis. Mooney, whose contagious intensity motivates her team, has been excellent in penalty corner situations. Thompson provided a breakthrough performance in NU’s win over New Hampshire. But it is their combined characteristic leadership that may lift NU out of its recent slump.
“Chelsea holds us all accountable,” Mooney said, “but our entire senior class has stepped up.”
Orrico noted because the seniors play various positions, underclassmen are comfortable to approach them for advice, regardless of their role on the team. Knowing how much she has improved on and off the field, Jamieson has become a leader for the next generation of players.
“My skill set inevitably grew after five years,” she said. “I’ve had 30 to 40 different teammates. I learned how to work with them and pull together as one unit.”
The Cats look to rediscover their winning ways on a weekend home stand. They enter as heavy favorites Friday against Pacific (2-10, 0-5 Northern Pacific Conference) in what should be a tune-up before a must-win conference battle with No. 12 Iowa (11-3, 3-2 Big Ten). Iowa has won its past three games, including victories over Big Ten foes Ohio State (9-7, 2-2) and Indiana (8-5, 2-3).
The senior class has one last chance to realize a goal that once seemed unrealistic: to hoist a Big Ten Championship banner.
