@chris_mellusi[/author_info] [/author]
EWING – When she was 18 years-old, Alicia Wagner looked around Towson’s field hockey facility and knew something wasn’t right. The Tigers had just gone 1-18 and her freshman field hockey season had vanished just like that. She had to change something.
Towards the end of the semester, she decided it was in her best interest to start researching schools and begin the transfer process. After deciding to eventually land at TCNJ, home of the Lions, she would soon realize her decision would lead to great accomplishments, ever lasting memories, and lifelong friends.
“The coaches were extremely helpful and supportive with my transition,” said Wagner. “I knew that TCNJ and the field hockey program would be the perfect fit for me.”
Wagner has had field hockey in her blood her entire life. Her mother, Sara Wagner, had played field hockey for the University of Michigan where she excelled for four years as a Wolverine.
“I started playing field hockey towards the end of elementary school, but not in anything recreational until middle school,” Alicia Wagner said. “Growing up, my brother and I were always outside playing with my mom and through that we found our niches: for me it was field hockey and for Brandon it was baseball.”
During her middle school years, Wagner continued to blossom as a field hockey player.
“Throughout middle school, I had amazing coaches and teammates,” Wagner said. “This left me with no question as to whether or not I would continue playing in high school.”
Wagner attended Hopewell Valley Central High School where she would go on to accomplish remarkable things in her four years there. During her tenure, she would lead the Bulldogs to multiple conference championships as well as a trip to the state tournament. She finished her career with 79 goals and 35 assists.
After the transfer to TCNJ, Wagner was ready to compete. Her sophomore season the Lions went 16-4. The season ended with a heartbreaking loss to what at that time was the nation’s top-ranked team, Montclair State, during the playoffs.
Despite the disappointing loss her sophomore season, junior year would stand out amongst the rest of Wagner’s collegiate years. The Lions dominated the competition going 23-1.
Wagner appeared in 14 games and scored a total of four goals. Scoring her first career goals for the Lions would not be the best memory of that year, however.
The Lions would become 2014 NCAA Division III National Champions for 11th time in the program’s history. This would confirm to Wagner that her decision to transfer to TCNJ was the best decision she could have ever made.
“My best memory would be winning the national championship,” Wagner said. “There’s nothing like it and there’s nothing we want more than to experience it again this year.”
Expectations for her senior year remain high. Alicia Wagner hopes to accomplish yet another title. The Lions are off to the perfect start in 2015, currently undefeated and looking to continue their dominance as they begin to reach the middle of the season.
“We continue to work hard, have fun and take it day by day,” Wagner said. “We still have good competition left on our schedule, which will only better prepare us in our efforts to reach our ultimate goal of becoming national champions.”
As she reaches the end of her final year as a Lion, she is hoping the team’s freshmen can learn to enjoy every second of college.
“Being a senior seemed so far away at the time, but now that it’s here, I wish I could go back and relive it,” Wagner said. “If I had anything to tell them it would be to enjoy every moment of college because once they’re seniors, they’ll also wonder where those four years went.”
Now, 21 year-old Alicia Wagner is thankful that she decided to make TCNJ her home three years ago. She has never looked back and is looking to accomplish yet another title for the TCNJ Lions.
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