Field hockey captain Charlotte MacDonald, ‘16, was selected to play in the National Field Hockey Coaches Association Senior Game on Nov. 21.

The senior forward was one of only 30 players nationwide to be selected for the game.

“I’m really excited about it, it’s a big honor,” MacDonald said. “I was actually really surprised to be selected.”

MacDonald presents something of an unlikely figure to be selected, as she has had to overcome numerous obstacles to reach the level of play she has attained during her time on the field at W&L.

“This has been a bit of a tougher season for me,” MacDonald said. “I missed preseason with a concussion, so I had to put in a lot of work outside of practice to try to get back in shape and get back to game play.”

Yet, the challenges of being injured have been far outweighed by a different struggle most college athletes do not have to deal with.

It was only as a senior in high school that MacDonald played her very first season of field hockey. After filling in for her younger sister, defender Lilly MacDonald, ‘18, during a high school tournament, MacDonald picked up the sport and played the remainder of her senior year.

The following year, MacDonald arrived at W&L for field hockey preseason with the intent of trying to walk on. She competed for a place on the team alongside girls who had been playing the sport for many years and despite some doubts, made the cut.

“For me playing in college was actually a really big deal and really exciting,” MacDonald said. “I felt that there was definitely a skill gap my freshman year, but I really worked hard to close that.”

Now, as a captain, she’s holding her ticket to go play alongside the nation’s premier Division III field hockey players.

In only a year, she was able to elevate herself to a collegiate level of play. In only two more, she was able to rise to the head of her team and achieve national recognition.

“Whenever I say it now people are shocked. Even my sophomore year people were shocked to hear I had only started playing my senior year of high school,” MacDonald said. “I think that’s been my biggest personal success, the work that I’ve put in, and just that it’s shown and I was selected for this.”

MacDonald’s play throughout her collegiate career has backed up her accolades. In only her second season playing the sport, she was tied for most goals scored on the year with four goals. She has continued to find herself among the team’s top goal scorers and is one of only eight players in program history to record a hat trick.

The NFHCA Senior Game will take place at the W&L Turf Field on Nov. 21 at 4 p.m. It is being held in tandem with the NCAA Division-III Championship, which will also be held at W&L.

“This is the last chance I’ll get to play field hockey,” MacDonald said. “I’ve spent a lot of time on our field in practices and games, so getting to retire on it will be nice.”