The Geneseo field hockey team closed its season falling to SUNY Cortland on Nov. 2 by a slim margin of 1-0.
The Knights finished the season with a 12-6 record despite starting the season 1-3. While this game marked the end of the season for everyone, for some it marked the end of a collegiate career.
Senior Rachel Atkins and four other seniors participated in their final game of their college careers on Friday.
“My initial reaction was that I was really sad that it was over,” Atkins said. “But once I got over that initial reaction, I was so happy to have had such an awesome season and awesome career at Geneseo.”
The Clarence, N.Y. native began her Geneseo career in both field hockey and softball but opted to focus on field hockey due to the different team dynamic, which she described as a “once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
Atkins said she was particularly close with the other seniors, and she wanted to “thank [them] for an amazing four years.”
This year, Atkins took on a team leadership role after four years of dedication to the program.
“Being a leader on the team has made me a stronger person, not only in field hockey but in future careers and every aspect of my life. Field hockey has helped me become a better person,” Atkins said.
Although Atkins is graduating, she said she plans on following Geneseo field hockey at least in the coming year.
“I will be cheering them on to go as far as they want to go next year,” Atkins said. “I hope they go all the way. For the girls on the team who have not had that experience [of winning a championship] yet, I want them to all have that experience.”