During the fall season, The Chronicle is polling its readers every week via its Sportswrap newsletter to highlight one Blue Devil athlete’s outstanding performance. This week’s spotlight goes to Alaina McVeigh of Duke field hockey:
This past weekend, Duke field hockey made its way to the West Coast to face off against both California and Stanford in a grueling double-header. The matchups were unusual, as both the Golden Bears and the Cardinal are new to the ACC. Despite the odd nature of the trip, Alaina McVeigh shined and achieved an important career milestone.
The junior reached 25 career goals, with her latest coming in nail-biting fashion against Stanford. This last-minute goal made McVeigh the 25th Duke field hockey player to reach 25 career goals throughout the team’s history, which began in 1971.
The 5-foot-10 Blue Devil had a rocky start to her collegiate career, missing the entirety of the 2022 season due to an injury. Nonetheless, Duke field hockey fans were not surprised at McVeigh’s ability to bounce back quickly and with confidence. During her 2023 campaign, McVeigh tallied one of the most impressive seasons for a Blue Devil field hockey player, starting all 23 games, racking up four game-winning goals and totalling 17 goals.
McVeigh’s inventive stick skill propelled Duke’s field hockey team to end the 2023 season with an 18-5 overall record, tying the Blue Devils for 12th in the NCAA rankings. McVeigh’s contribution to the Blue Devils is measurable when analyzing the field hockey team's success in past years. In the 2022 season without McVeigh, the Blue Devils fell short in making the playoffs, ending the season with an overall record of 7-11 and 0-6 in the ACC. With the addition of McVeigh, the team made the playoffs in 2023 and advanced to the Final Four of the NCAA tournament.
McVeigh has not only excelled on the field, but also simultaneously maintained a 3.95 grade point average last semester. Her dedication to succeeding in the classroom and on the field is recognized through her achievement of Division I All-American in the 2023 season.
McVeigh’s 25th goal represents only a small portion of what she can do this season. The Blue Devils are scheduled to play neighboring schools — Wake Forest and No. 1 North Carolina — at the start of November. Fans hope to see McVeigh continue to be a powerhouse, as well as work with her teammates to secure wins against the Demon Deacons and Tar Heels, to help Duke field hockey make the ACC Championship later this year.
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