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Blood streamed down Willemijn Boogert’s face. The midfielder was playing in a showcase tournament as a senior in high school, and got hit in the face with a field hockey stick. She was pulled out of the game to get treatment but was adamant about returning.
Ten minutes later, she did.
“She’s like an American football player,” Scarlett van Pelt, Boogert’s mother, said. “She made quite the impression.”
Later that year, Boogert committed to Syracuse, where she’s spent the last four seasons. The Beek, Netherlands, native was heavily involved as a freshman before becoming a full-time starter over the next three years. As a senior in 2024, she tied her career-high scoring seven goals while setting new career bests with 23 points and nine assists.
Boogert got her first stick from her grandfather when she was 6 years old, instantly falling in love with the sport. She immediately realized her new hobby could be more than that. Just a few years later, Nijmegen — a local club team — asked her to move to the first team.
“I was like, ‘Oh wow, there’s a whole other level to this. I can play to win,’” Boogert said.
When Boogert was starting the college recruiting process, it was challenging at first. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, numerous schools weren’t sure if they’d be allowed to enroll international student-athletes. However, Boogert said Syracuse was one of the first programs to confirm its ability to sign athletes from overseas.
“At first, I didn’t even know where Syracuse was. I felt so clueless,” Boogert said. “After two to three conversations, I was like, ‘Yeah, let’s go.’”
Boogert has been a steady force for SU. After only making four starts her freshman year, she started 21 games as a sophomore, notching seven goals. Although she only netted six during her junior year, Boogert scored 18 points. With the Orange losing their top-three goal scorers from a season ago, much of the offensive burden was put on her shoulders.
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Quickly, Boogert became an essential part of SU’s midfield. Though she shined through much of the year, it was in the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament where she made her name known.
Against Virginia in the first round of the ACC Tournament, Syracuse was pushing toward the net. Boogert positioned herself on the right side of the goal. SU moved the ball downfield but knocked it too close to the sideline. The ball almost rolled out of bounds, but Boogert laid out, using every bit of her 6-foot frame to push it past the goaltender for the score.
“I just started running, and I saw the ball coming, and I was like, ‘This is it, Willi, you just got to go and let it all out there,’” Boogert said. “Sometimes I watch it back just for the fun of it. It just gives me goosebumps every time.”
SU head coach Lynn Farquhar noticed Boogert’s competitiveness in her final season with the Orange, guiding Syracuse to its fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance.
“She’s our veteran, which is an exciting burden to carry,” Farquhar said. “She’s been in shootouts, she’s been in overtime (contests). She passes on that excitement and leaving no regrets on the field is one of the biggest wins you can ever have.”
While she had her best college campaign, Boogert struggled with consistency. After scoring in SU’s first two games, the Netherlands native fell into an eight-game goal drought.
Boogert was simply in her own head. She grappled aggressively attacking the inner circle while also ensuring she wasn’t leaving opponents open for a breakaway.
This season, Syracuse struggled to score. Yet it made a living on penalty corners, with Boogert as the primary inserter. It was a high-pressure situation for Boogert because if she didn’t deliver the ball perfectly, the play failed before it started.
“We would work on our (penalty corner shots) to get those on point,” Boogert said. “Speed on the ball (is crucial). Getting a good conversion rate on those (was really important).”
SU assistant coach Emma Russell credited Boogert’s defensive prowess as the reason why her offense took off in 2024.
“She reads the game in front of her really well, so she is able to create a lot of turnovers and can counterattack really fast,” Russell said. “She sees so much and can tactically make changes.”
“She’s like a chess player on the field,” van Pelt added.
Boogert’s college career is now over after SU fell to Harvard in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Still, Boogert has left a lasting impact on the Orange’s program.
“She’s our special-ops force,” Farquhar said of Boogert. “She can jump into training, show beautiful reception, explain why she does it, and it’s a great demonstration for our players.”
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