Aspiring field hockey players are invited to join us for an insightful discussion with Helen Knull, Head Coach at leading NCAA D1 program Michigan State University, taking place on Thursday 23 January.
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Originally from Scotland, Helen played national level at U16s and U18s before earning a field hockey scholarship to Kent State University, where she enjoyed a glittering college career during her rime in Ohio. Helen was a four-year starter with the Golden Flashes, team captain for two years and two-time All-American, leading the team to an impressive four straight NCAA National Tournaments.
Serving as assistant head coach at Michigan State, she was promoted to the head coach role in 2010 and has never looked back. Now the Spartans longest-serving coach in the program’s history, she is now closing in on her 100th victory and has achieved legendary status both on and off the field.
In her time at Michigan State, the Spartans have continually produced not only standout athletes on the hockey field, but Knull has placed vast importance on developing well-rounded young women. In the spring of 2024, the program took an international training trip to South Africa, immersing the athletes and staff in several community outreach initiatives as well as training and playing highly competitive games.
Team members are among the athletic department’s highest achievers in the classroom and are at the forefront of several impactful community outreach initiatives. The field hockey program spearheads the on-campus “Be the Match” initiative, encouraging the community to sign up to enter the bone marrow or blood stem cells registry, which assists cancer patients suffering from leukaemia, lymphoma and other life-threatening blood diseases in finding a lifesaving donor.
At the conclusion of the spring 2024 semester, the field hockey program could boast its historical best cumulative grade-point average of 3.711, with 17 named to the Academic All-Big Ten team and 10 earning Big Ten Distinguished Scholar accolades.
Helen is one of the most experienced coaches in collegiate field hockey and will bring a wealth of knowledge and insights to our webinar for players considering the option of playing and studying in the States.
FirstPoint USA has a proud record of supporting talented field hockey athletes with securing scholarships to some of the best programs in the country, and we highlight some notable achievers from our field hockey alumni.
Ayeisha McFerran
University of Louisville
Ayeisha McFerran, from Larne in Northern Ireland, made history in becoming the first University of Louisville athlete to earn a spot in an Olympic Field Hockey roster when she represented Ireland in Tokyo. Having played for both Ulster and Ireland at all age group levels, she attracted the attention of a number of leading programs and working with the team at FirstPoint USA, she secured a scholarship to NCAA DI University of Louisville, crossing the Atlantic in 2015 to begin what was to be a hugely successful four-year student athlete career in the States. Ayeisha also helped Ireland to a silver medal in the 2018 Women’s Hockey World Cup and was named Goalkeeper of the Tournament. She continues to be a standout for the Irish national side while playing professionally for SV Kampong in the Netherlands, and is a Red Bull ambassador.
Imogen Davies
Yale University
Following a successful stint within the Scotland U16s squad, Imogen was called-up to join the national U18 team and found huge success as part of their winning run to the Tri-Nations tournament against Wales and Switzerland. Working with FirstPoint USA, she secured a place at prestigious Ivy League school Yale University, where she enjoyed a highly successful collegiate field hockey career.
In recognition of her astute on and off-field performances, Imogen was named as official team captain in the Spring of 2020, becoming just the second-ever internationalist to lead the team as skipper – before being re-elected for the following season. She was a four-year ever present, bagging an impressive 21 goals and 27 assists in 67 games.
Imogen graduated with a degree in European History and progressed onto a career in marketing, where she is now a Brand Manager with global consumer goods giant Proctor & Gamble.
Millie Forster
Saint Anselm College
FirstPoint alum Millie Forster was part of the Saint Anselm College field hockey team who recently secured the program’s first ever NCAA DII National Championship in 2024. The Hawks defeated Kutztown 1-0 in the final with a dramatic overtime winner, with Millie assisting with the winning goal. Their victory was all the more impressive having defeated three higher seeded opponents en route to the championship.
It was Saint Anselm College Athletics’ first ever National Championship in any sport, and to cap her success, Millie was also named on the National Championship’s All-Tournament team.
Prior to securing her field hockey scholarship, Mille attended Ellesmere College in England, and was part of the England Hockey Performance Pathway, trialling for the England National U18s team.
