The USA Field Hockey men’s and women’s national teams have won gold medals at the 2023 Hockey5s Pan American Cups (PAC) in Kingston, Jamaica, with University of Louisville field hockey assistant coach Will Holt and alumna Carter Ayars both on hand to lend their support to the teams. Holt served as an assistant coach for the USMNT, while Ayars was a member of the USWNT. Both teams have qualified for the first-ever FIH Hockey5s World Cup, which is scheduled to take place in Muscat, Oman, in January 2024.
Ayars played a vital role in the women’s team’s success, scoring six goals and providing an assist throughout the tournament. She played a pivotal role in the United Eagles’ seven-match winning streak and helped the USWNT to four straight wins in Pool A against Costa Rica, Guam, Paraguay, and Panama. Ayars also scored in the team’s opening crossover match with a 3-0 win against Jamaica, whilst a 2-1 semifinal victory over Trinidad and Tobago set up the showdown with Uruguay in the gold medal match.
The match proved more challenging than anticipated, as the game ended in a draw, with both teams tied at 5-5. In the end, the USA triumphed 3-1 in the shootout to take the Hockey5s PAC title. Ayars earned a place on the USWNT after a successful spell as a member of the USWNT Development team, U-21 team, and U-19 team. She played for Louisville from 2016-19 and received National Field Hockey Coaches Association third team honors in 2019.
Meanwhile, Holt guided the USA to a 3-0 record to top Pool A convincingly, outscoring their opponents 12-3. The Wolves began the crossover play with a convincing 4-0 win over Costa Rica and proceeded to win 5-1 against Paraguay in the semifinals. The USA fought hard in a thrilling championship match against Uruguay after conceding an early goal and eventually secured the gold medal with a 3-2 sudden-victory shootout.
Holt, who was part of the USA Field Hockey Men’s National Team from 2007-23, recently finished his first season as an assistant coach at UofL, helping the Cardinals achieve 12 wins, reach No. 4 in the National Field Hockey Coaches Association rankings, and earn an at-large bid to the 2022 NCAA Tournament.
Hockey5s is a smaller version of field hockey that was introduced by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) in 2014. The inaugural year of the Hockey5s Pan American Cups is an international competition for men and women organized by the Pan American Hockey Federation (PAHF).
