On international field time

It might have been the toughest challenge of Olivia Bent-Cole’s career.

The Camden Catholic High School rising senior had been on the radar of USA Field Hockey for quite some time. Olivia’s mother, Dawn, received a text late at night and told her daughter to remain calm.

“She said, ‘Don’t scream,’ and was like, ‘OK why?’” Bent-Cole said. “She showed me the message, and I didn’t even know how to react. I was so stunned.”

Bent-Cole had been asked to travel overseas and join the USA Women’s National Field Hockey Team in competition. She would be playing alongside American field hockey icons.

Did she scream?

“I almost did,” she said with a laugh. “But there were other people in the house, and my mom said, ‘Please do not wake anyone else up.’ So I kept quiet.”

Once the secret was out, Bent-Cole traveled with USA Field Hockey to Germany and the Netherlands in March to compete against each country’s women’s national teams. Both countries are ranked in the top five in the world in women’s field hockey. She played in three of four Team USA games on the trip. It was an eye-opening experience for Bent-Cole, as she is just 17 and was playing with – and against – adults. She was one of only three athletes who were asked to join the national team to complete a roster of 22 total traveling players. 

“It was a very difficult transition for me just because all of them are so much older and more experienced,” Bent-Cole said. “But they made the transition so amazing. It was my biggest fear to be the oddball, but I didn’t feel like that at all. They were so welcoming.”

Bent-Cole said she was greeted by USA team captain Amanda Magadan, who has played more than 100 international games.

“She was very welcoming and so sweet and kind,” Bent-Cole said. “Lauren Moyer, anytime I had a question, she was there to answer. Cassie Sumfest, who played at [the University of North Carolina], and all of them in their different ways wanted to relate to me. It was really amazing.”

Once that part of excitement was done, Bent-Cole joined up with USA’s Under-21 team, once again playing against older competition. In June, the team traveled to Dublin to compete in the UNIPHAR 5-Nations Tournament against Ireland, India, Ukraine and the Netherlands. The U.S. went 2-2, and Bent-Cole scored a goal on the trip.

“Anything you can do to lead up to a goal is just so incredible when it’s for your country,” she said.

On both trips, Bent-Cole took in the sights. Although across the ocean, she still communicated with her biggest supporter, her sister Averi Bent.

“Even with the time difference, she was always texting me good luck,” Bent-Cole said. “She is always there to call me about anything. It’s so nice having someone who is always there for you.”

Averi Bent played field hockey at the University of Virginia and passed down some of her skills to her sister, despite being more than six years apart in age. Bent is helping her sister prepare for college, as Bent-Cole is committed to play at Northwestern University on a full scholarship. Bent-Cole said she is undecided on a major, but wants to pursue law in some capacity.

She said she learned work ethic from her older sister, but took it to a whole new level about four years ago. “At age 13, that’s when I feel like I really upped my game,” Bent-Cole said.

She arrived at Camden Catholic a year later and became an instant star, scoring 23 goals in her freshman year. She’s amassed 90 goals in her first three years and has the 100 goal milestone easily within reach. She’s more focused on team success and unfinished business. Camden Catholic fell just short in the state championship game last year in a 4-1 loss to Oak Knoll.

“I’m so excited,” Bent-Cole said. “That’s all me and [teammate] Ava [Moore] can talk about. It’s coming up so fast.”

Moore is also in the USA Field Hockey program, selected to the USA RISE Women’s National Team earlier this year. Her younger sister, Bella Moore, and goaltender Emily Nicholls made the U16 Women’s National Team. 

Along with a talented group of underclassmen, they are hoping they can put it all together this fall. After a crazy summer of USA hockey and college only a year away, Bent-Cole takes it one day at a time.

“I try to live in the moment,” she said. “When I think of all that stuff, I can get overwhelmed when there’s no reason to be. I have people always supporting me. When I’m able to open up to my teammates, it makes it that much better.”