Wyoming Area’s Ella Campenni brings in a corner against Susquenita in the first quarter of their game on Nov. 9, 2024.
Fred Adams file photo | for Sunday Dispatch
Wyoming Area sophomore field hockey player Ella Campenni learned Thursday that she had made it through the tryout process and has been selected to the U.S. Under 16 Women’s National Team.
The selection of team members was announced Thursday.
Campenni earned the spot through multiple steps in the USA Field Hockey Nexus program, formerly the Futures Program, culminating in the Selection Camp Jan. 9-11 in Charlotte, N.C. She will head back to Charlotte Feb. 13-15 for training camp.
Along the way, Campenni played in the Nexus National Championships in Virginia Beach where her performance got her into the Selection Camps in December and ultimately earlier this month.
“It was definitely a goal, but I always thought it was a little out of reach,” Campenni said of making the national team. “These girls are so high level and it was obviously going to grow my game.
“The goal was me at the beginning was just to make the championship. (The national team) was more of a subtle goal.”
The U-16 team will reconvene March 20-22 for Tour Preparation Camp. From there, two rosters will be selected for international competition. One group will head to Valkenswaard, Netherlands for the Four Nations Tournament March 30-April 7. Another group will compete in a Six Nations Tournament in England.
Campenni was one of 16 Pennsylvanians among the 51 players chosen to the U-16 Team. Emma Ey from Wallenpaupack was the only other Wyoming Valley Conference player selected.
With so many offensively skilled players in camp, Campenni, who usually plays center midfielder for Wyoming Area, one of the state’s top small school programs, was quick to present herself as a defensive player.
As the field of players was narrowed in the selection process, Campenni was placed by coaches at center back on the last day of the December session.
Campenni, already a first-team Class A all-state player during the fall, can see her game improving through the way she sees the field more creatively and makes decisions accordingly.
“I can just tell even just from December to January, I’ve been seeing the field so well, and I have gotten faster making plays,” she said. “ … I’m seeing how I need to get faster with my stick and my speed in general just to be able to keep up with these girls.”
Ella Campenni joined her older sister, Lucia Campenni, a senior who is headed to Temple University on a field hockey scholarship after leading the team in scoring, as a first-team, all-staters.
Working with her sister, Ella said, was a big part of preparing her to get through the selection process.
“Lucia put so much work into helping me,” Ella said. “She pushes me every day to become the player that I am, and I would never be here without her.”
In the aftermath of her big announcement, Ella Campenni said there were others she needed to thank.
“All of my coaches from my club, Electric Surge, and Wyoming Area,” she said. “And, my family is there to support me every game.
“Even if I didn’t make it, I know they would still be there to support me.”
