Ryleigh Heck

Last updated

Ryleigh Heck
Personal information
Born (2004-03-30) March 30, 2004 (age 20)
Height 5 ft 6 in (168 cm)
Playing position Forward
Club information
Current club North Carolina Tar Heels
National team
YearsTeamApps (Gls)
2022– United States 0
2023– U21 United States 9 (0)
2021– United States (indoor) 10 (7)
Medal record
Indoor hockey
Women's Indoor Pan American Cup
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2021 Spring City Team
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2024 Calgary Team
Flag of the United States.svg United States U-21
Field hockey
Women's Pan American Junior Championship
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2023 Santiago Team

Ryleigh Anne Heck (born March 30, 2004) is an American college field hockey player for the North Carolina Tar Heels. She has won two NCAA championships with the Tar Heels, in 2022 and 2023, and was recognized as the national player of the year in 2023.

Contents

High school career

Heck was a three-time All-American and three-time state champion at Eastern Regional High School in New Jersey. [1] She played alongside her senior sister Kara as a freshman in 2018, scoring 44 goals as the team became undefeated Tournament of Champions winners. [2] [3] She had been a center midfielder on her club team but was moved to center forward during her first season at Eastern. [4] She totaled 78 goals in 25 games as a sophomore in 2019, as the team finished runners-up in the Tournament of Champions. [2] She scored 76 goals in 14 games in the abbreviated 2020 season, when the state playoffs were not held. [5] [6] In her senior year in 2021, she broke the national single-season scoring record with 125 goals, with her last one being the game winner to claim her second Tournament of Champions. [7] [8] She was named the USA Today Field Hockey Player of the Year. [8]

College career

Heck started every game for the North Carolina Tar Heels as a freshman in 2022, receiving Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Freshman of the Year, first-team All-ACC, and second-team All-American honors. [9] She helped the team go undefeated en route to winning the 2022 NCAA championship, where she opened scoring in the final to help beat Northwestern 2–1. [10] As a sophomore in 2023, she led the team in scoring with 34 points on 13 goals and 8 assists, finishing the season with the winning goal of the title game penalty shootout in the 2023 NCAA tournament. [11] [12] She earned All-ACC and All-American first-team honors, the NFHCA National Player of the Year award, and the Honda Sports Award as the country's best player. [6] [9]

International career

Heck was first called up to camp with the United States senior national team in July 2022 ahead of the 2022–23 Women's FIH Pro League. [13] She won gold with the national under-21 team at the 2023 Women's Junior Pan American Championship and competed at the 2023 Women's FIH Hockey Junior World Cup. [14]

In indoor hockey, Heck represented the United States on the winning team at the 2021 and 2024 Women's Indoor Pan American Cup. [14]

Personal life

Heck was raised in Ocean City, New Jersey, the youngest of four children of Roy and Kerry Heck. [9] [15] Her father and her brother Jordan played college basketball at Stockton University; her mother played for James Madison's field hockey and lacrosse teams and coached Heck's last high school season; her brother Andrew played football at Ursinus College; and her sister, Kara, played field hockey at Boston College. [9] [15] Heck trained with the WC Eagles field hockey club. [1]

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References

  1. 1 2 Schmidt, Kaitlyn (August 14, 2022). "Ryleigh Heck and Ashley Sessa look to make immediate impact on UNC field hockey". The Daily Tar Heel . Retrieved May 15, 2024.
  2. 1 2 Lawrence, Ryan (December 5, 2019). "Heck-uva talent: Eastern's Ryleigh Heck, Field Hockey Player of the Year". The Sun Newspapers. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
  3. ↑ Slavit, Evan (November 30, 2018). "The final NJ.com Top 20: Eastern is the NJ.com Field Hockey Team of the Year for 2018". NJ.com . Archived from the original on May 15, 2024.
  4. ↑ Shinkle, Matthew (September 28, 2021). "Netfinder: High-powered Eastern offense led by senior Ryleigh Heck". The Sun Newspapers. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
  5. ↑ Rimback, Tom (December 16, 2020). "Ryleigh Heck, 2020 South Jersey Field Hockey Player of the Year". Burlington County Times . Archived from the original on May 15, 2024.
  6. 1 2 Koh, Michael (January 17, 2024). "UNC's Ryleigh Heck Wins Honda Sport Award for Field Hockey". Chapelboro.com . Retrieved May 15, 2024.
  7. ↑ Rimback, Tom (November 20, 2021). "Eastern wins ninth TOC field hockey crown on Ryleigh Heck goal after 0:00". Courier-Post . Archived from the original on May 15, 2024.
  8. 1 2 Clark, Douglas (April 4, 2022). "High School Sports Awards: Record-setting New Jersey field hockey star Ryleigh Heck embraces team-first approach". USA Today . Retrieved May 15, 2024.
    "2021–22 Winner Selections". USA Today. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
  9. 1 2 3 4 "Ryleigh Heck – Field Hockey". North Carolina Tar Heels . Retrieved May 15, 2024.
  10. ↑ "Matson, Tar Heels edge N'western for 10th field hockey title". Associated Press. November 20, 2022. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
  11. ↑ McGurk, Tom. "Eastern grad Ryleigh Heck earns National Field Hockey Player of the Year honor". Courier-Post . Archived from the original on May 15, 2024.
  12. ↑ "North Carolina wins 11th NCAA field hockey title in shootout". Associated Press. November 19, 2023. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
  13. ↑ Rimback, Tom (July 29, 2022). "Ryleigh Heck, Olivia Bent-Cole get the call to field hockey national team". Courier-Post . Archived from the original on May 15, 2024.
  14. 1 2 "Heck, Ryleigh". International Hockey Federation . Retrieved May 15, 2024.
  15. 1 2 Rimback, Tom (September 6, 2021). "Eastern senior Ryleigh Heck proves to be the best of the litter". Archived from the original on May 15, 2024.
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