“I want to go to nationals and everything else that leads up to it, including MAC champs and MAC Tournament champs,” she said. “And I don’t want to just go to nationals and make it. I want a ring that says ‘I am a national champion.’”

And she doesn’t think that is so far-fetched now.

Last year’s squad shared co-champion honors in the MAC with Louisville at 7-3. They finished the season 14-7 overall.

That wasn’t enough for Foland, though.

The team lost in the semi-finals of the MAC Tournament to Kent State — a team which they went to overtime with three times last fall, losing twice. The loss cost them a bid in the NCAA Tournament.

“Kent State has become a big rivalry, and part of that is that they’ve become good over the last three to four years and they’ve had some players rise on their team,” said field hockey Head Coach Cristy Freese.

Foland said the rivalry is a result of how evenly matched the two teams are in size, speed and playing style.

“Everything about us is the same and that’s why we always go into double overtime with them,” she said.

Foland said there is one aspect in which Kent State differs from CMU: their attitude.

“I can say I personally dislike a lot of people on that team and just the way they carry themselves,” she said. “The first time when we beat them in the season, they were dancing around in warm-ups and acting like they were playing some high school team.”

The fall schedule calls for two games against Kent State in October, and Foland said she is looking forward to gaining some respect.

“Through the whole team, there’s a lack of respect for us,” she said. “After we beat them twice in the regular season and take away any chance they have of a MAC Championship, then they’ll respect us more.”

Freese said CMU beat Kent State each time they played in the spring off-season.

“Maybe we had to take a baby step,” she said. “We’re going to be hungry next year.”

Freese gives a lot of credit to Foland for last year’s success, when she was moved from her defensive position to midfield.

“She gives us a lot in that midfield position. Once we moved her, we just took a whole giant leap as a team,” she said. “That was really the turning point this past fall.”

Foland said she likes her new-found position at midfield.

“There’s so much freedom there,” she said. “On defense, it’s not that you’re stuck, but you’re the last thing before the goal, and in midfield you feel you could do a little more.”

With five seniors graduated, Freese said she relies on Foland quite heavily to be a team leader team this season.

“She brings a lot of game experience,” Freese said. “Our midfield will be the strongest part of our team in terms of skill and experience next season.”

Foland has been a starter since her sophomore year.

She was a MAC All-Tournament team member last season, as well as a member of the Division I National Academic Squad for the third year in a row.

Foland hopes her team has the same desire to win as she does.

“I’m extremely dedicated to my teammates and winning,” she said. “I’ll do anything for my teammates. I’ll get my face split open for my teammates.”

Foland did just that last season, splitting open her face above her right eye, where she still has a scar. She also has a double fracture in her left cheek bone.

“I’m lucky I’ve never had a knee injury or anything, but I’ll take a face injury.

“I’m not leaving anything on the field because this is my last season,” she said. “I don’t want to leave anything undone.”