Will the 4x NCAA Champion Make a Comeback to USA Field Hockey After Team’s Triumphant Qualification for the 2024 Paris Olympics?

As the 2024 Paris Olympics is only a few months apart, Olympic berths are being finalized for many sports. Along similar lines, the Women’s hockey team has kept with the expectations as it ensured its comeback to the Olympic arena. The team will take part in the Paris Olympic Games after missing out on the Tokyo Games. 

Along the same lines, the USA’s women’s hockey team is making a storm these days not only for their exceptional performance but also for their unmatched roster. However, the major reason for the social media storm these days is not the player on the roaster but the 4 times NCAA champion, who is expected to participate in the upcoming games.

Will Erin Matson come back on the Field?

As the USA’s hockey time clinched a berth at the upcoming Paris Olympics games, the team USA took to their Twitter account and posted a picture of them celebrating with a heartfelt message. Along with the pictures, they penned, “Back on the Olympic stage, The women of @USAFieldHockey have punched their ticket to @Paris2024!” With this announcement, the focus shifts to Erin Matson.

Erin Matson, if not the most, will be one of the most famous players currently in the USA’s field hockey team. She boosts the experience of winning four NCAA Championship titles. Besides this, she has been the NCAA Player of the Year, extending from 2018 to 2022 three times. Eventually, she molded her path toward coaching students and was named as the head coach in 2023. Even in this field, she is passing with flying colors, as she is one of the youngest head coaches in the history of the NCAA across all the sports who has also won a national title.

Interestingly, Erin took up coaching as a career when she was defeated at an international event by team India. Even though she was first confused about pursuing a career in hockey or taking up coaching, she decided to opt for coaching after making up her mind.

In an interview with Olympics.com, Erin Matson said, reflecting on her international career, “I don’t know if I would use the word regret just because I’m not someone (who would) get stuck in the past…But definitely, it’s been a goal of mine since I was nine to represent the U.S. at the Olympics.“She added, “That’s why this decision to kind of hit pause for a little bit wasn’t made hastefully, and it wasn’t easy, but it just made sense.”

Erin is only 23. Therefore, it is not a wild thought to anticipate her comeback to realize her childhood dream. However, Erin is yet to speak about it. Meanwhile, the USA team’s morale is high after their staunch display in the qualifiers.

USA’s hockey team topples top teams on its way to Paris

USA’s women’s hockey team made its way to secure a spot at the 12-team tournament after defeating Japan by 2-1 in the semi-finals of last-chance qualifiers. After playing exceptionally in the qualifiers, team USA was awarded the Olympic berth along with two other top three nations. Now the team USA is ranked at the 12th position across the globe and went 4-0 by defeating the three higher-ranking teams- India (No. 6), Japan (9), and New Zealand.

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This year, the USA’s hockey team will be witnessing its first Olympic games as no athletes on the roster have prior experience of playing at the Olympics. Consequently, the team is also required to pour their heart and soul into the game to keep up with the expectations of spectators. Will Team USA be able to overcome intense competition to finish better than 5th rank at the Olympics?

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