– Brittany Romano and Jim Davis
Some seasons are just… different. For New Trier Field Hockey, the 2025 season fits in that category. It began with ambition, grew through adversity, and ended with a finish that will be retold in the history of New Trier Field Hockey.
Momentum from the previous year placed the program on a national radar. The reigning Illinois State Champs were ranked 14th nationally and received invitations to compete against respected programs around the country. St. John’s out of Texas. Saint Ignatius from California. And then an unexpected message from Max Field Hockey with a question that shifted the entire summer: Would New Trier compete against the number one team in the nation?
When national recognition arrives, doubt can follow. Could this roster truly compete with the best programs in the country? The answer became the quiet launching point for the season. The opportunity would be accepted. The team would play The Hill School out of Pennsylvania.
That decision rippled through the program as a mix of excitement and nerves, but no player asked to avoid the challenge. Let’s do it. The tone for the season had been set.
Defining the Standard
Throughout the summer, the roster began to reveal its identity. Individual talent was obvious, but something deeper began forming. Players connected. Work habits sharpened. They ran, they lifted, they trained. The seniors embraced the responsibility to shape the team’s culture. Seven very different personalities became a unified leadership core. Their goal was never small. They wanted to defend a state title and become one of the best teams in the nation.
With every passing week, the team’s potential became more obvious. Freshmen brought energy. Sophomores added poise. Juniors added personality. Seniors added direction. The pieces began to fit. By the first preseason sessions, it became clear this team was unique. The level of play, the depth of talent, and the competitive rhythm elevated the entire environment. It looked and felt like a top program in the country, even if those words were not spoken aloud.
An early-season tournament in St. Louis (The Gateway Classic) became the group’s first test. As always, it delivered lessons: goals conceded, mistakes made, communication sharpened. The Pool A Championship came home once again, but the more important outcome was the continued formation of team identity. Bonding took place on the field, on the bus, at Wally’s, and in every shared laugh. The group played well, but more importantly, it enjoyed playing together. Joy became part of its competitive formula.
Warmups often turned into dance breaks. “Cotton Eyed Joe” and “Bunny Bunny” became rituals. The looseness was not a distraction. It was a reminder that high performance and fun can go hand in hand.
Living Up to Expectations
The national schedule brought pressure. The preseason rankings featured The Hill School with a full breakdown of its roster and commitments. That coverage created a twinge of uncertainty. Then, an early-season loss to Glenbrook North added more. But in late September New Trier traveled to Pennsylvania and defeated The Hill School in a 3-2 battle – the spark of belief had officially ignited. That win confirmed what had been sensed for months. The group could compete with anyone.
History was made that day. New Trier Field Hockey had never beaten a number one team before. The door to a historic season swung wide open.
Seasons can be long. October delivered what every championship season eventually encounters. Injuries piled up. Energy faded. Two consecutive losses occurred, something that had not happened since 2017. The rhythm of the season wobbled, and with it came a familiar enemy: doubt.
The coaching staff shifted the focus. Practices incorporated mental workshops. Powerful messages included the idea that pressure is a privilege and challenging moments are part of the journey. No team becomes great without being tested.
That period became a turning point. Players learned to steady themselves. They learned to rely on each other. They learned that talent means little without resilience…
The New Trier Trevians would need to be resilient. One of their leaders, and one of the best players in the state, had a significant injury late in the season. The team rallied, played together, and welcomed her back just in time for the State Semifinal. There, the Trevs knocked off crosstown rival Loyola Academy and they were heading to the State Championship.
The matchup could not have been more perfect. Glenbrook North was also a top-ranked team in Illinois, and handed New Trier its only in-state losses during the regular season. The bracket seedings created a rematch – this time with a State Championship on the line.
A score from GBN put New Trier behind early. The sideline was tense. The Trevs never lost hope, but could not seem to find a goal. Halftime arrived and uncertainty – for the first time in a long time – was in the air.
But something different happened in the locker room. Coaches did not scramble for a trick play. There was no anxious reconsideration of what to do or how to do it – the Trevians had deliberately cultivated intention, identity, and a high standard. So, without panic, a senior captain reminded the group to enjoy the moment. Players stood together, took each other’s hands, and allowed themselves a moment of connection. Smiles emerged. Tension faded. The team walked back onto the field united.
It was a battle. The Trevs finally found the net to tie the game 1-1. The sideline erupted. But GBN responded quickly to retake the lead at 2-1.
The Trevians could not be broken. With time winding down on the game clock, the Trevs answered once again, knotting the score 2-2 and sending the game to overtime.
In overtime, the group that had been tested all year played its most composed minutes of the season.
They played together – as they had all season – finished strong, and found a hard-fought goal to take home the Illinois State Championship by a score of 3-2.
Legacy
The 2025 New Trier Field Hockey team was special. Their story is safely embedded as New Trier legacy. The lessons it taught will last… Talent created potential, but character created the outcome. Ability matters, but demonstrating that ability in the most challenging environments (on the road versus the top-ranked team in Nation, an overtime championship game versus a team they had previously lost to, battling through injuries, and more) is what distinguishes a group of talented player from great teams. This team was great.
The team grew through every phase. It embraced national competition. It danced through warmups. It endured injuries. It learned from losses. It trusted in its seniors. It stayed together when doubt could have separated it.
The final chapter reflected everything the season had taught. Work hard. Play free. Win together. Post-season rankings have the 2025 New Trier Field Hockey team as #1 in the State and one of the top teams in the Nation. It earned its place among the best in program history not only because of the championship, but the journey that defined it.
