On Monday, Nov. 28, 2016, Central Bucks West seniors Bryn Boylan, Ryan Murray and Cadera Smith were recognized for committing to continue their field hockey careers at the collegiate level. To view photos of the event, please visit the Photo Gallery.
Bryn Boylan – University of North Carolina (Field Hockey)
Major: Undecided
Final list of colleges: UNC, Princeton, Maryland
Reasons for choosing UNC: “Between lacrosse and field hockey, I visited 12 or 13 schools, and in the end, 
I narrowed it down to three schools – University of North Carolina, Princeton University for lacrosse and the University of Maryland for field hockey. They all had a lot of similarities. They all have very respectable coaches, they all have good programs and were schools that I really liked. UNC really stood out to me as a program and a school. I’m really excited to be going there next year.”
What was the progression that led you to playing field hockey at the collegiate level? “It was really difficult for me to decide between field hockey and lacrosse. They’ve both been a huge part of my life since first grade when I did DAA. The high school seasons with both teams have been really great, so that made it even more difficult to decide.
“My visit to North Carolina was really unique and special to me. I really felt a connection at that school. I love both sports, but playing field hockey at North Carolina, it seemed really right.”
Coach Courtney Lepping says: “What an athlete. As a coach, you hope to get an athlete like that, and she was everything we had heard about her and more when she became part of the program. She’s just a great person, a great athlete. She has the ability to go both way on the hockey field – to defend, to distribute and to score, and that’s what I think will make her so great at the next level.
“I said to these three kids – just to be part of their story was incredible.”
About Bryn:
Favorite food: Mac ‘N Cheese
Favorite movie: Zootopia
Favorite music: 21 Pilots & Rihanna
Cadera Smith – University of Richmond (Field Hockey)
Major: Biology with a minor in Spanish
Reasons for choosing Richmond: “I actually wasn’t considering any other schools because I committed so
early – I committed October of my sophomore year. I went to camp at Richmond, and two years before I committed, I just really wanted to go to there, and that was ultimately my final choice.”
What was the progression that led you to competing in field hockey at the collegiate level? “It had always been planted in my mind from when I was a little girl that I wanted to play Division One field hockey. When I started looking, I found that I just really loved Richmond, loved the coaches, the campus, the players and the team atmosphere.”
Coach Courtney Lepping says: “It’s great to have one great talent, but to have multiple talents in a class – I still go back to the state playoff game two years ago when she was unstoppable and scored three goals. I think that was just indicative that her talent level is out of this world. She’s a scorer who has vision as she attacks the goal, and the speed of her hands and her own speed – she’s just so fast. She does things that I can’t even think how I would teach her how to do that.”
About Cadera:
Favorite food: Chipotle
Favorite movie: The Big Short
Favorite music: Kanye West
Ryan Murray – Fairfield University (Field Hockey)
Major: Engineering
Final list of colleges: Fairfield, Dickinson
Reasons for choosing Fairfield: “When I visited Dickinson, I didn’t feel it was somewhere I could see myself going for four years. As soon as I visited Fairfield, the minute I stepped on the campus that’s where I knew I wanted to be. It’s like that feeling you get that everyone always talks about – I had that.”
What was the progression that led you to competing in field hockey at the collegiate level? “My sophomore year I started indoor, and that’s when I really started to love the sport. That’s when I grew into it. Something just clicked.”
Coach Courtney Lepping says: “It’s been so fun to see Ryan progress throughout the years. We were talking about this at our league meeting – on any other team, she would have been a superstar. She’s just a great athlete, a great kid who put the work in and got to the point where she is today. She’s very coachable, and she has a great hit and has vision with the passing as well.”
About Ryan:
Favorite food: Mac ‘N Cheese
Favorite movie: The Longest Ride
Favorite music: Country
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