Ireland women's hockey international
Zoe Wilson (born 15 February 1997) is an Ireland women's field hockey international. She was a member of the Ireland team that played in the 2018 Women's Hockey World Cup final. She was also a member of the Syracuse Orange field hockey team that won the 2015 NCAA Division I Field Hockey Championship. This was the first time a Syracuse Orange women's team won a national championship.
Early years, family and education
Wilson is the daughter of Debbie and Robert Wilson.[2][3] She attended Ballyclare High School[4][5][6][7] and Syracuse University and is currently studying nutrition at Ulster University at Coleraine.[8][9]
Club career
Ballyclare High School
Wilson, aged 14, scored the winning goal, a golden goal in extra time, for Ballyclare High School in the 2011–12 Ulster Senior Schoolgirls' Cup final as they defeated Lurgan College 2–1. A report in The News Letter declared "In the end, the result came down to a piece of sublime skill from Zoe Wilson who volleyed a chest high shot into the net, in the second period of extra-time." In October 2017 Wilson returned to Ballyclare as a volunteer coach.[4][5][10][11][12][13]
Randalstown
Wilson began playing for Randalstown first-team when she was 15.[14][15] On 26 December 2015, while on a break from Syracuse University, Wilson was a member of the Randalstown team that won the Ulster Shield. She also worked as an assistant coach with the team. In the final against Queen's University, Wilson scored a late equaliser. The game finished 2–2 before Randalstown eventually won 4–2 in a penalty shoot-out.[12][16][17] After returning from Syracuse University permanently, Wilson continued to play for Randalstown during the second half of the 2015–16 season.[18][19]
Syracuse Orange
In 2015 Wilson attended Syracuse University on a hockey scholarship.[14][20] She subsequently helped Syracuse Orange win the 2015 NCAA Division I Field Hockey Championship. This was the first time a Syracuse Orange women's team won a national championship. In the final against North Carolina, Wilson scored the third goal in a 4–2 win. She was subsequently included in the NCAA All-Tournament Team Selection.[3][16][17][21][22][23][24][25]
Harvestehuder THC
During the 2016–17 season, Wilson played for Harvestehuder THC in the Bundesliga.[8][10][26][27] Wilson scored on her debut for Harvestehuder in a 2–1 win over Berliner HC.[28]
Belfast Harlequins
In 2017 Wilson began playing for Belfast Harlequins in the Women's Irish Hockey League. Her teammates at Harlequins included Lizzie Colvin and Jenny McAuley.[8][9][10][27][29][30]
While playing for Harlequins, Wilson has also worked as a volunteer coach at both Ballyclare High School[5] and for Armagh Hockey Club.[31]
Ireland international
Wilson represented Ireland at Under-16, Under-18 and Under-21 levels before making her senior debut.[20] In July 2015 Wilson captained the Ireland U-18 team that won the EuroHockey Youth Championships II. She scored in final as Ireland defeated Poland 7–0. Elena Tice was also a member of the team.[3][10][32][33]
In January 2016 Wilson was included in a squad for a series of away friendlies against Spain.[16][17][34] On 15 January 2016 she made her senior debut in the opening game of series, a 3–0 win for Spain.[35] In the third game of the series, on 18 January, Wilson scored her first senior goal for Ireland. She scored a late winner, from a penalty corner, as Ireland came back from 2–0 down to win 3–2.[36][37][38] In January 2017 she was also a member of the Ireland team that won a 2016–17 Women's FIH Hockey World League Round 2 tournament in Kuala Lumpur. She scored in the final as Ireland defeated Malaysia 3–0 in the final.[11][39] Wilson won her 50th cap at the 2017 Women's EuroHockey Nations Championship.[5]
Wilson represented Ireland at the 2018 Women's Hockey World Cup and was a member of the team that won the silver medal.[7][40][9][41][42] She featured in all of Ireland's games throughout the tournament, including the pool games against the United States,[43] India,[44] and England,[45] the quarter-final against India,[46] the semi-final against Spain[47] and the final against the Netherlands.[48]
Honours
- Ireland
- Syracuse Orange
- Randalstown
- Ballyclare High School
References
External links
