Field hockey team nominated for Wanamaker Award alongside Super Bowl champs
The St. Joe’s field hockey team was among the nominees for this year’s John Wanamaker Athletic Award which was presented this afternoon to the Eagles for bringing the Super Bowl trophy to Philadelphia for the first time in the city’s history.
On Hawk Hill, the St. Joe’s field hockey squad had their own head-turning season. The program secured their first Atlantic 10 title in 22 years en route to their first ever NCAA Tournament berth.
Junior back Joely Helder noted the similarity between the St. Joe’s field hockey team and the Eagles.
“We had a lot of passion and we were seen as underdogs,” Helder said. “We had similarities to the Eagles in that way which was cool to see.”
Along with their team success, St. Joe’s also had impressive individual performances. Junior forward Anna Willocks and sophomore goalkeeper Victoria Kammerinke were both named All Americans. Prior to the 2017 season, the team only had two All Americans since the program began in 1975.
St. Joe’s field hockey head coach Lynn Farquhar recognized the Eagles impact on the city when she joined the championship parade alongside the St. Joe’s players listening to the passion and adversity that the Eagles spoke of on the art museum steps.
“For Saint Joseph’s field hockey to be nominated with such an altruistic, humble, and driven team as the Eagles is an honor,” Farquhar said in a press release from St. Joe’s Athletics. “Our players group portrays and lives by similar character traits. Our performance as individuals only strengthen our collective group; we are Hawks.”
Eagles Head Coach Doug Pederson, who received the award on behalf of the Eagles, spoke of his team’s resilience and teamwork.
“I said to the team after Carson went down, ‘One man can make a difference on the football team, but it’s the team that makes that true miracle’.”
For the city of Philadelphia, the miracle became a reality. Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney said he burst into tears during the closing minutes of Super Bowl LII.
“That’s how much this team means to us,” Kenney said. “It’s in our DNA.”
Pederson said that he’s thankful for the fans and people of Philadelphia.
“We’re no longer the underdogs,” Pederson said. “The masks can come off. [This award] is an honor to ourselves and the entire organization.”
St. Joe’s field hockey too proved the power of Philadelphia grit, having never been regarded as a top program, when they made their way through the season defeating ranked teams and ultimately hoisting the A10 trophy.
“We had a lot of passion and we were seen as the underdogs,” Helder said. “We were never the UMass and we weren’t the Richmond who were always the top dogs. For us to have a name now is an awesome experience. It’s really cool for people to know our name and look up to us now.”
All eyes are now on the next season. At the award ceremony, Coach Pederson rushed off stage with the glimmering Lombardi Trophy in hand to head back to training camp. For the St. Joe’s field hockey players, it’s not long before they’ll be back on Hawk Hill where they too will be working for a shot at another title.
