NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — When Carrie Moura came over from Lynchburg to take the reins of Christopher Newport's field hockey team, she was just a young coach excited to have her own program.
"I just wanted to start something new and get everyone fired up," she recalled. “I knew we had time to build but I just wanted to get there as quickly as possible. I just recruited a bunch of kids and poured all my energy into it. They help bring it up and here we are.”
'Here,' refers to one of the most successful division III programs in the nation with nine NCAA berths, six trips to the Sweet 16 and one Final Four appearance in Moura's 20 years as head coach.
But one question remains for this perennial contender.
"Now it's like, 'okay, how do we get further than what we've done before,?' I think the energy they're bringing this season is to try to break what we've already established in the program which is winning the national championship.
And after a perfect 16-0 regular season that concluded with a win over Mary Washington over the weekend, that championship trophy isn’t too far out of reach for the Captains who will host the NCAA tournament this year.
"To be able to maybe play in a national championship at home, that's a once in a lifetime experience," said senior defender Chloe Thompson.
For Alexis Morales, who came to CNU after three years playing at Syracuse, hosting the tournament made it a no brainer to continue her collegiate career.
"After last year I wasn't sure if I was going to take my fifth year and then I found out we were hosting and that's just an opportunity you can't pass up," she explained.
So, while the program could add to the school’s already stella athletics resume, it would mark the first national title for field hockey.
"A national championship would mean the absolute world to this team, to this program and to this university," said All- American midfielder Abby Asuncion. "This university is dedicated to athletic success so to win a national championship would be an incredible opportunity."
As for what makes this program so special, it turns out the receipt for success is pretty simple.
"The team dynamic is so accepting. We're just a bunch of weirdos who enjoy playing field hockey and enjoy being together," said Moura. "I feel like this is what I was meant to do."