Oley Valley grad Sophia Gladieux added to United States women's field hockey team
Feb. 15—Oley Valley graduate Sophia Gladieux, a senior field hockey player at Penn State, has been added to the U.S. women's national team's centralized training squad ahead of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
Gladieux was one of four new players added to the training team by USWNT head coach David Passmore on Wednesday. Players were selected based on their individual performances during the NCAA season and FIH Hockey Women's Junior World Cup.
Gladieux had 21 goals and three assists in 17 games for the Nittany Lions this season and was named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year for the second straight season. In addition, she is a four-time All-American, a four-time All-Big Ten honoree, a one-time Big Ten Player of the Year and the reigning Penn State Female Athlete of the Year (2022-23).
Over her college career, Gladieux has 158 career points with 74 goals and 10 assists.
Gladieux will take leave from Penn State to join national team training in Charlotte next month.
The centralized training squad now consists of 28 players. Gladieux will join three other Berks high school grads on the national team: Twin Valley's Ashley Hoffman and Kelee Lepage and Hamburg graduate Karlie Kisha.
The senior national team is currently competing in FIH Pro League play in Rourkela, India. The 12th-ranked Americans are 0-6 in the mini-tournament against top-ranked Netherlands, No. 2 Australia, No. 8 China and No. 9 India.
The final U.S. women's roster for the Olympics will be announced in June from the expanded pool of athletes. It will consist of 16 athletes, plus three provisional (traveling reserve) athletes.
The Paris Olympics will be held from July 27 to August 9.
