Courtesu of Clarus Multimedia
Camel of the Edition is a series that seeks to highlight extraordinary Connecticut College athletes who have stood out from the herd due to their recent performances or as a leader on campus or on their team.
Elizabeth Bonner ‘28 is a forward on the Connecticut College Field Hockey team who has provided the roster with sparks of offensive dominance over the past two seasons. The sophomore from Westfield, N.J., was a massive contributor to last year’s team that made it to the NESCAC Championship for the first time since 2012.
Recently, The College Voice caught up with Bonner to talk about how she found a love for field hockey, how historic 2024 was for the program, and her ambitions for the team going forward.
Can you please introduce yourself?
I’m Elizabeth Bonner. I use she/her [pronouns]. I’m planning on majoring in Economics, maybe throwing Psychology in there as either a minor or a major, and a minor in Finance. I’m part of Caring Camels, I play field hockey and ice hockey, and I’m a Student Advisor [SA].
Tell me about your sporting journey, and when did Field Hockey become your focus?
Field hockey started in my sophomore year [of high school] before I transferred to boarding school. I went to my private day school from third grade to my sophomore year. Starting my sophomore year, my coach took me under her wing and really had a lot of faith in me. I continued it when I went to boarding school. I originally went to boarding school to focus on hockey, and I learned to love field hockey, and I [thought], ‘Why not do it in college as well?
What was your recruitment process like, and why did you end up choosing Conn?
The recruitment process was very stressful. It got to a point where I was like, ‘Am I going to end up in college?’ I was looking at all of the NESCACs, and Conn really popped out. I saw the campus and I spoke to both the coaches. My calls with both coaches to commit were hours apart, and feeling wanted was a big thing. I really felt wanted [at Conn], I didn’t want to go to a place where they kind of wanted me or I wasn’t going to play. I think Conn had a lot of faith in me, and I have a lot of faith in Conn. I [also] like our programs and what the academics are all about.
As a Forward, can you talk about your responsibilities and what makes the position so attractive to you?
It’s actually kind of funny because I play defense in hockey, but I play forward in field hockey. I don’t know if I ever really tried any other position, but I went to forward, and I liked the idea of scoring goals and being in all the action. The responsibilities are to do whatever you can for your team to get the ball in the back of the net. I think I’ve definitely been working on that and trying to do more for my team in doing so. [I] don’t want to disappoint, because it will come down to the wire for a lot of the NESCAC matchups — it’s a game of inches.
Last season, you were third on the team in points while only starting 2/3 of the games. This season, you have started every game thus far and are now second on the team in points. How have you been able to handle this new offensive responsibility going into your second season?
I didn’t start the last half [of the season] because I broke my hand. I never missed a hockey game, never missed a field hockey game because of my hand, [I just] played with my broken hand. I definitely put a lot of pressure on myself and I think the person who puts the most pressure on me is myself, because I want to get the ball in the back of the net and I want to do that for my team. It’s not just for the stats, it’s to win games and to make it to the [NCAA] tournament because that’s the big goal at the end. But it is a process, as my coach does say, you have to trust the process, and with a new coaching staff, it’s all new. It’s a new year.
Conn has rarely had an offensive duo as dominant as you and teammate Bridget McGann ‘26 have been thus far this season. Projecting both of your current statistics out, you guys are on pace for a combined 18 goals on the season, which is the most in the past 13+ years. What does it feel like being part of such a dominant duo as you continue to develop your collegiate game?
I love that question because I love to work with her and I look up to her like she’s the greatest thing in the world, because she knows how to put the ball in the back of the net and I want to be just like her. It puts a lot of pressure on me too, because once she’s gone, who’s going to do that? I really want to step into that role and be able to do that. But with her IQ and my speed, we’re unstoppable in the front and it’s a lot of fun to see what we can do.
These past two seasons, you have been top two in shots on goal percentage on the team (for players with more than five attempted shots). How have you developed such an efficient game, and do you see space for even further improvement in that metric?
I like to emphasize in my head, and also to my teammates, that you have to do everything with a purpose. You don’t force a pass. You don’t just shoot to shoot. You have to shoot for the right shot. I mean, sometimes you just have to put the ball in it and magic will happen, but I say move the ball with purpose for sure. I just think [I’ve developed] from last year, I’ve improved for sure. The new coaches have helped so much, and my teammates around me [as well]. I learned so much from Bridget. The way she shoots, when, and the time. It’s all about timing; when the goalie goes down or not. There’s so much that goes into it.
Last season, Conn went to their first NESCAC Championship since 2012, showing major improvements from years past. What was the feeling in the locker room playing in the championship and as the team prepares to potentially return this season, what has the experience done for you and the team’s confidence?
It was really fun making it to the playoffs for the first time in 12 years. I mean, we made history that season. We hadn’t beaten Hamilton since 2016, and then we hadn’t beaten Trinity since ‘05. It was interesting because we played Williams the weekend before because they were our last game of the [regular] season. The next weekend we went back to them. It was 4-1 in the first game and then we brought them to 0-0 in the fourth quarter [of the second game]. [We thought], ‘we’re playing the third best team in the country and we were bringing them literally to the wire.’ It was electric. Our captain, who gave the speeches, was our ‘hype man.’ It was Chloe Therrien ’25, and she wrote down her speech. She usually never did that but this time she wrote it down and it meant so much to everyone, especially the seniors. Honestly, there was so much hope. There’s so much belief and so much belief that we are the best team in the country. This year, we brought Middlebury to [the wire], we lost 2-1 to the number one team in the country. This season, we’re right there but almost isn’t close enough.
What do you hope to accomplish this season for yourself and with the rest of the roster?
As a team, I think honestly, just getting 1% better every day and [then] ultimately make it to [the] playoffs. A huge goal of mine is to make NCAAs. My goal actually is to miss my first hockey game. To go that far, I miss the first game of my hockey season. I’m sure my hockey coach would hate to hear me say that but that is a huge goal of mine. I really want to make it to NCAAs because I know this team can. I know the seniors want it so bad too. Someone like Bridget McGann wants it so badly to make the NCAAs for the first time. We always want it, but it is part of the process. We have to go one game at a time. Individually, just get the ball in the back of the net. That’s all I have to say. Just get the ball in the back of the net so those wins can happen.
Do you have any pieces of advice that have carried you through your career thus far?
Honestly, I think you just have to take it in. It goes way too fast. You just got to take it in and it goes way too fast, my dad made me realize. He [said] ‘I’m going to start going to every game, even if it’s away, hockey and field hockey, because you only have so much time left.’ You’re only playing so many more games, and it’s just like, ‘wow, there’s a countdown on this.’ I guess slow it down in your mind.
Does the team have any special team bonding activities, traditions, or pre-game rituals?
Yeah, we listen to the same song before going out every single time. It’s “Bongos” by Cardi B. It’s so fun. We’re probably the most fun and energetic, but also kind, team. We’re all so welcoming. I just adore our team so much. Preseason, we do a lot of team bonding stuff. We’ll do ice cream parties or make dinner—pasta dinners. Went to our coach’s mom’s house, who lives down the street, and then our assistant coach’s apartment. That stuff is really fun. We eat every meal together and the group chat stays active throughout, even if we’re not in season, which is awesome.
What would be your walkout song for games?
I used to listen to Rihanna’s “Super Bowl remix” when I’d stretch out before we’d go out and warm up. I’d say that’s pretty hype. Or “Break My Soul” by Beyoncé is a good one. “Break My Soul” the edited Soundcloud version.
Is there anyone you would like to shout out or any last comments you would like to make?
Definitely shout out the team, the coaches, and my family. But, definitely my parents who make this all happen. My grandparents, too.
