Sitting in a hotel room in Maine, the three seniors on Cal's field hockey team prepare for Thursday's America East Tournament opener against Vermont. While doing so, they took a moment to look back at the tumultuous start to their careers. At the same time, they're preparing to cement their legacies on the program, with at least one game left to play.

Kiki de Bruijne, Claire Hind and Sabine Hommes showed up in Berkeley at the tail end of the Covid-19 pandemic. Their freshman season, which was supposed to take place in the fall of 2020, was pushed to the spring of 2021. The three were not allowed on campus until the spring semester of their freshman year and were not allowed to live in the dorms – they had to scramble to find an apartment to live in together.

It was in that first year that a mindset began to develop—one that has helped carry the Bears to their 9-7 record and return to the postseason.

"It was a unique year and you learn to appreciate things when you don't have them," de Bruijne said. "That year we didn't have anything; we couldn't socialize because we were in quarantine. So that semester was really about just focusing on the team. My main takeaway from that year was: Don't take things for granted. Everything you have today, from being close to people to having field hockey and school and socializing. Try to live in the present."

It is that ability to live in the present that has been a major turning point from the end of the 2022 campaign, in which the Bears finished one game out of a return to the America East Tournament, to this year.

"Our mentality was very different this year," de Bruijne said. "Last year, every time we lost we still had a feeling of 'next game, next game, next game.' This year our mentality was all about THIS GAME; we had the mentality of we have to win THIS game. Because we were focused on every single game and took every game as equally hard, that made us a better team and made us much more prepared for the tournament."

"Last year at the end of the season, it was pretty deflating," Hommes added. "I remember thinking 'I never want to feel this way again,' because we were so close to making the postseason. There was a consensus among the people returning that this wasn't going to happen again. Going into the tournament this time, especially on this high. We are in a good position, and our confidence is high and we believe in ourselves."

"It was a bit of a chaotic time, but I think the housing situation worked out to our benefit," Hind said. "We had the opportunity to spend more time together as a class, which in a way allowed us to build a unique bond."

"Claire made a really good point," Hommes added. "Since we did spend so much time together as the team, we got a really good team culture going, and throughout the years we've been able to carry that through. That's why heading into the tournament, I think we still embody that same team spirit and team culture that we made in COVID-19, and it's so nice seeing that transition having so many new girls join. Everyone buys into that mindset."

The Bears return to action Thursday in a single-elimination tournament. A win against Vermont and Cal will advance to play No. 1 seed and tournament host UMass-Lowell. Should the Bears win that contest they would play in the America East Championship on Sunday against the top remaining seed from the other bracket. Lose any of those contests and their season is done.

"It's really exciting. Every year you go in hoping that you'll be able to extend your season," Hind said on returning to the postseason. "It's nice as a team to have that validation of all the hard work that we put in."

With at least one game remaining in their Cal career, the trio all hope that the culture and inclusiveness they forged as a group during COVID remains. They also hope that their style of unselfish play remains.

"It's very much being a good teammate, over individual awards," de Bruijne said. "Our mindset is 'It's the team, teammate, self.' Shellie (Onstead, Cal's head coach) always says it and it's classic, but it is true and it's how we feel about the team."

"Programs have their ups and downs," Hommes added. "But coming to the field and being with everyone in the morning is a great way to start the day. Looking back, this time went fast – even though it felt slow at times. We've all learned to appreciate the present and being there, just appreciating the little things. Even if it's just enjoying a bus ride, or a team meeting, or having breakfast with a teammate because when they are gone, they are gone."

All three agreed one of the things they will miss the most is Stanford game days.

"How the team felt and how we got ready for those, and how I felt personally were the most exciting feelings I've had here at Cal." Said de Bruijne. "Also, Shellie made it such a big deal, but there's a big history behind it and it makes it fun."

"To add to that, you come in not really understanding the rivalry and not necessarily feeling it," Hind said. "Then you get to that first day and the whole team is so invested in it, and Shellie is so invested in it that you can't help but buy into it."

"It's so different from foreign field hockey too," de Bruijne concluded. "At first it feels so extra and that sounds negative, but in the end, it's very good for team culture."

Thursday's match against the Catamounts is scheduled for a 9 a.m. PT start time. Fans can follow the action live via live video on ESPN+, and there will also be an international stream on AE.tv for fans living outside of the US.

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