With 18 wins and only 5 losses, the Varsity Girls Field Hockey Team has made its mark once again with an outstanding season. The team has advanced to the playoffs, with just this weekend the girls beating Latin 4-2. The girls are now preparing to play Glenbrook South this week and plan to battle it out on the field hoping for a spot at state. 

Leading the team on and off the field, Captain Hannah Balmelli is a major asset to the Varsity team. Hannah was introduced to the sport of field hockey when she was six years old and has been playing ever since.

“Hannah is the best co-captain ever. She pushes everyone to work hard and is a great leader for the team,” said Captain Caroline Keil. 

This summer, Hannah announced that she would be committing to play field hockey at Duke University.

Hannah said that she chose to commit to Duke because of “the balance of excellent academics and athletics.” She is most looking forward to “meeting new people at Duke and developing lifelong bonds with future teammates.” 

While in high school, Hannah also gets the special opportunity to play field hockey alongside her older sister Devin Balmelli, a senior. 

“Hannah and I both played field hockey through Windy City for a long time, but because of our age groups, never got to play together until high school. This year, she stepped into her role as captain and controls the field. As a center mid, she has to connect passes and organize the field. I think she does this job well and contributes to almost every scoring opportunity,” said Devin.

Since Hannah is still a junior, she is excited to spend one more year with her beloved Scouts.

 So far, Hannah shares that her favorite memory with the team is “beating GBS in double overtime this season.” Hannah feels externally grateful for the many memories and friendships she has gained from her time on the team.

You can catch Hannah playing with her team Thursday at 7 p.m. against Glenbrook South at New Trier.