Ashley Sessa, an Episcopal Academy grad, wins an NCAA title with UNC. Her focus now? The U.S. national team

Ashley Sessa could barely feel her fingers during the University of North Carolina’s NCAA championship game against Northwestern. But when the freshman starter got a stick to the nose midway through, the cold took away the initial pain since she couldn’t feel her face.

“It was freezing, and I’m from Pennsylvania, so I know the cold. I played in the cold my whole life,” said Sessa, who grew up in Schwenksville. “But it was so cold that my face was numb. All I felt was the initial burst of the hit.

“I knew the quicker I got off [the field], the quicker I could come back in the game. I changed my jersey number because there was blood on it, and then I just got a bandage put on and I went back in after.”

Sessa, an Episcopal Academy graduate, was determined to help her team win a title (even if it meant getting gashed in the face by an opponent), and that’s exactly what she did. UNC earned its 10th NCAA Division I field hockey championship by beating defending champion Northwestern, 2-1.

Veteran head coach Karen Shelton’s motto all season was to take it one game at a time. The West Chester alumna’s words seemed to come in handy as the Tar Heels went undefeated in their 21 games. Sessa also felt the success of the team came from the similar style of play, since 13 players are from Pennsylvania and South Jersey.

“It always helps having a familiar face, because it’s kind of like a sense that you’re still at home a bit since you grew up with them and then you see them every day,” Sessa said.

“We’re all very fast, we love to go forward, we like to challenge opponents, and we always have each other’s back on the field. It’s selfless leading.”

It made for an easier transition process as well for the 5-foot-3 forward/midfielder. Making an immediate impact, Sessa started every game and finished the season third in scoring with nine goals, quite an accomplishment for a freshman. But her main focus was to work on her defensive skills.

During her high school and club field hockey career at WC Eagles, Sessa was known as a dominant attacker. However, with the USA national team, with which she has played since 2021, Sessa has worked more on the defensive side and wants to continue to improve in those areas as a midfielder.

“I think that’s really helped with my game to open up my skills,” Sessa said. “Have a variety of skills and not just focus on attack, but also focus on defense. My defense has grown a lot, and it teaches me to be patient, so when I do go forward, I’m not, like, rushing to score.”

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There were a few bumps in the road along the way in her first collegiate season, like nerves about playing at a higher level. Then, halfway through the season, Sessa caught herself overanalyzing the game, which affected the way she played.

While her teammates offered her support on how to overcome mistakes or pregame jitters, Sessa also brought back some of the warmup rituals she went through in high school.

“I was going back to how I used to play, whether it’s singing in warmups or just dancing,” Sessa said. “That’s when I put on my best, when I don’t think, so I just go out there and have fun and remind myself why I love the game so much and go back to that and then it really shows.”

With her freshman season at a successful end, Sessa is shifting her focus to the national team. She plans to go to Chula Vista, Calif., in January for two to three weeks to train and try out for the International Hockey Federation pro league.

“I’m really going to shift my focus to USA now,” Sessa said. “Continue growing as a player, mindset, and skill-wise.”