The players line up with their field hockey sticks for the face-off, waiting for the game to begin. As soon as soon as the ball is in play, junior Lia Arevalo follows its movement and makes herself available for a pass. Boxing out the other player, she continues to make her way towards the goal, scoring a goal for the team. After celebrating her success, Arevalo clears her head and prepares to do it all over again.
Arevalo’s drive and dedication to field hockey have resulted in her commitment to St. Anselm’s College, located in Manchester, NH, where she will be playing for the D1 field hockey team. She hopes to explore the field of psychology.
Arevalo’s earliest memories of field hockey were at nine years old, when her aunt hosted a small clinic for field hockey skills. This clinic was what helped Arevalo’s love for field hockey and her decision to stick with the sport as it gave her an introduction to the sport.
Ever since her sophomore year, Arevalo has been a part of the WA Varsity Field Hockey team. This year, she has started on the midfield position every game and scored goals for the team. During her high school career, the field hockey team has made it to the State Tournament for the two years she has been on varsity.
Her teammates have also helped her develop confidence while playing a vital role in creating an encouraging environment. Arevalo believes that her teammates have helped improve her confidence. This feeling of a warm and welcoming community has contributed to her desire to play in college.
“My teammates are some of my best friends, and they’ve also helped me gain confidence. I think I’ll probably become [close] friends [with my future teammates]. Especially at [a] Division II league there’s more practice time so you spend more time together,” Arevalo said.
During the off-season, Arevalo plays for a competitive field hockey club called the Strikers, a team that has made Nationals twice. Here, she developed her skill and a flair for the competitiveness and fast-paced nature of the sport. In the winter, the club moves to an indoor setting and goes back outside to practice in the spring. The competitive nature of club teams is similar to a preview of collegiate games, requiring athletes to think on their feet and have quick reaction times. Being on the Strikers has shaped her performance on the turf while also playing on her high school team.
“I’m very competitive and I really like to win, so trying to encourage the team to want that [competitive atmosphere] as well […] really brings the energy up,” Arevalo said.
As a result of Arevalo’s commitment to her sport, she will be one of three captains of the 2025-2026 varsity field hockey team. She looks forward to the leadership aspect of the role. This includes organizing team activities to reinforce skills, running captain’s practices, and communicating effectively with her teammates.
Arevalo knew that she wanted to play field hockey in college since her freshman year. This past summer, she attended a lineup camp, involving Division I, II, and III schools. This gave Arevalo the opportunity to look at different schools and to take note of those that she was interested in. When looking at St. Anselm’s camp, she connected with the coach and began to learn more about the school.
When searching for colleges, Arevalo was looking for a competitive environment where she would be challenged and grow as a player, while also getting involved in the field of psychology. She also wanted a smaller school that is closer to home. Other schools at the Division II level that she looked at included St. Michael’s College in Vermont and Assumption University in New Hampshire. Ultimately, Arevalo ended up choosing St. Anselm because she could see herself in both the team and the academic setting.
Because field hockey has been a part of her life for so long, Arevalo feels that many of her characteristics on the turf also help her outside of the turf. Being on the field has developed confidence in her abilities, and as a result, taught her about using her voice to help lead and contribute to her team’s environment.
Arevalo is excited to lead the WA team as well as become a part of the St. Anselm Hawks in the fall of 2026. The Hawks have recently acquired a championship in the national Division II level, which speaks to the competitive sentiment of the team.
“I’m excited for the speed, and to get to experience the college atmosphere and playing against other skilled players,” Arevalo said, “The championship shows how competitive and skilled they are, and I’m excited to join their team to learn to play with [the team] and become more skilled.
