Seventeen‑year‑old Reese D’Ariano is poised to become the youngest ever player on the United States women’s national field hockey team as it prepares for the FIH Hockey World Cup in Belgium and the Netherlands. The upcoming tournament, scheduled for August 14‑30, 2025, will mark the first time since 2018 that the U.S. women have qualified for the competition, and D’Ariano’s inclusion has already sparked excitement among teammates and coaches alike.
Her hockey story began at age eight, when a stray stick at her brother’s swim practice caught her eye instead of the pool. What started as a casual distraction quickly evolved into a disciplined pursuit, propelling her through indoor and outdoor Pan American Cups, Junior World Cups, and a series of Four Nations Tournaments.
D’Ariano’s breakthrough came in 2025 when she was named top goal scorer at the Rohrmax Cup in Vienna and earned MVP honors at the Indoor Pan American Cup in Calgary. The following year she added two silver medals from the Junior Pan American Cup in Santiago and the Pan American Cup in Montevideo, and a bronze at the FIH Hockey Nations Cup in Auckland, New Zealand.
A Family Affair
The D’Ariano household is steeped in sport. Her mother, Jodie D’Ariano, was a Stanford track athlete, while her father, Frank D’Ariano, played collegiate soccer. Older brother Ryan competes on a golf scholarship at West Chester University, and younger brother Landon swims for North Carolina State. Their encouragement has helped Reese balance a rigorous training schedule with her academic responsibilities.
Since the age of ten, she has trained with the WC Eagles, one of the nation’s premier field hockey clubs, often practicing alongside older age groups. To accommodate her demanding calendar, she enrolls at Pennsylvania Leadership Charter School, a cyberschool that allows her to travel to the Netherlands in the fall for the World Cup without missing coursework.
Head coach David Passmore has tempered expectations, emphasizing that the tournament is an opportunity for D’Ariano to showcase her preparation rather than a platform for special treatment. “We’re excited to see how she fits into the senior group,” Passmore said, “and we’ll manage the narrative around her age carefully.”
Off the field, D’Ariano has committed to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she will join head coach Erin Matson’s program. The Tar Heels, a perennial powerhouse, will provide both academic and athletic development as she looks ahead to the next phase of her career.
As the World Cup approaches, Reese D’Ariano remains focused on teamwork and preparation. “I’m just trying to contribute to the team’s success,” she said, “and to prove that age is just a number when you’re ready to work.”