Northwestern redshirt senior Maddie Zimmer had an inkling, but her nervousness didn’t dissipate until the official announcement on June 11: Zimmer was going to be an Olympian.
Along with Northwestern teammate Ashley Sessa, Zimmer was named to the 16-person Team USA Olympic women’s field hockey roster. It was a moment of vindication for Zimmer, who redshirted her senior season to help the United States qualify for Paris.
With a decorated resume, this latest achievement isn’t surprising: Zimmer is a former Big Ten Freshman of the Year, 2021 Most Outstanding Player and a three-time All-American.
But being named an Olympian has a different cache because the dream seemed so far-fetched. Her decorated resume didn’t matter as much in the selection process as she competed with a litany of other players.
“It’s almost like being a professional athlete,” said Tracey Fuchs, Zimmer’s coach at Northwestern and on Team USA. “But the main difference is you’re almost always in a selection period. You’re getting selected for tournaments. You’re getting selected for Olympic qualifiers. Every time you turn around, there’s a selection. There’s always pressure.”
Zimmer’s elusive goal made it easy for her to take a redshirt year for the 2023 season and delay her senior season.
“It’s always been a dream that I’ve had since I started playing hockey,” Zimmer said. “But it isn’t something that I thought was like a real, tangible goal until last year [when she trained with the United States team].”
Zimmer’s field hockey exploits began when she was seven years old. Her mother, Erin Zimmer, was an All-American in field hockey and lacrosse at William and Mary, and her dad, Scott Zimmer, was an All-American in soccer at the University of Richmond.
Growing up, Zimmer would pick up her mother’s old wooden sticks, roughly the size of her body. Her mother would assist her as the toddler tried to practice the sport.
During the nascent stages of her field hockey career, Zimmer said she wasn’t a huge fan of the sport, but her mother encouraged her to stick with it and was instrumental in Zimmer’s development with her support and tips.
As Zimmer stuck with the sport, her confidence and skill only grew, leading her to the precipice of her dream. Her progression led her to commit to Northwestern and eventually win a national championship in 2021. Her well-rounded game — she can play defense and attack—suits her well on the international stage. Zimmer registered her 50th cap on May 26, signaling her number of appearances in an international match.
Along with Fuchs, a former field hockey player who played played for Team USA at the 1996 Olympics, Zimmer has refined her game. Fuchs said she’s seen the improvement from Zimmer in her mentality. Having that edge enhanced her physical aptitude.
“She’s just such a dynamic player and can do it all,” Fuchs said. “She’s moving quickly to becoming one of the better players — not only for the U.S. — but I’m sure other teams, when they’re doing their scouting reports, mention her name.”
Team USA’s first game is on July 27. Once the games commence, the hysteria will wane as the competitive juices take over. But Zimmer is accustomed to the big stages and said she’s ready to compete with other top athletes in Paris. She and her Team USA teammates will try to medal for the first time since 1984.
“It’s such a big stage for us to be able to play on, especially for hockey, which is a pretty popular sport outside the U.S., and we’re trying to grow it here,” Zimmer said. “I’m looking forward to the atmosphere of having all of these athletes who are the best at their sport from around the world.
“It’s such an amazing cultural and personal experience.”