By: Josh Silverman
The Quinnipiac field hockey team went from having reliability to instability for the future in the cage, as sophomore goaltender Livy Golini has announced via her Instagram that she is transferring to Boston University.
The Terriers dominated the Patriot League last season before shutting out Fairfield in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, and ultimately falling to number one seed and eventual national champion UConn in the second round.
This past season in Hamden, Golini was the anchor of the Quinnipiac defense.
She started all 18 games in goal for the Bobcats, posting a .676 save percentage and recording two shutouts. Though Quinnipiac slipped at the end of the season and narrowly missed the Big East Tournament, the stout goaltender’s play never wavered.
Golini said her decision to explore transferring and seek a higher level of competition sprouted at the end of her freshman year and had been building ever since.
“Last spring I started the process after I felt like I wasn’t satisfied athletically or academically,” Golini said. “However, I decided to stay another semester to see if I just needed more time to settle in.”
As much as a student-athlete’s decision to transfer has to do with athletics, part of Golini’s choice also had to do with searching for a better academic fit. She will enroll in Marine Biology at BU, a major that Quinnipiac doesn’t offer.
Player mobility sometimes comes with a negative connotation, but this is an upward move for Golini, who capitalized on a great sophomore season in the cage. What comes with upward mobility is the opportunity to become a more complete player and get a new experience, precisely what Golini is chasing.
“I am looking to be coached more and I want to be able to grow as a player,” Golini said. “I am also looking for a more engaging academic environment that pushes me to exceed. Boston University has both of those aspects and I am excited to join and become part of these challenging programs.”
The decision to transfer to BU wasn’t an easy one, as Golini will leave behind the community she formed while at Quinnipiac.
“The hardest part was telling my teammates and my roommates because it’s not their fault that I’m leaving, but some of them took it that way because they are the closest to me,” Golini said. “They were actually a huge part of why it took me so long to transfer because I didn’t want to leave them, but I believe this is the best decision for me.”
Playing at a higher level of competition will give Golini the chance to improve. Any elite athlete or competitor wants the opportunity to face the best and she will now get that opportunity.
“I know it will be an adjustment, especially since I am a mid year transfer, but I expect to be immersed in a completely competitive environment,” Golini said. “I can’t wait to be pushed to my limits throughout games and especially during practices. I thrive in challenging fields, and I am excited at the opportunity to be pushed and to be able to expand.”
The Terriers currently have two goalkeepers on the roster other than Golini, one rising senior and one rising sophomore.
Golini’s teammates and peers at Quinnipiac viewed her very fondly. She was voted a team captain as a sophomore and was also an Orientation Leader where she served as a mentor to incoming students.
“Quinnipiac is an amazing school, and that is a true statement,” Golini said. “Its community-based environment is something that I loved and it has allowed me to make so many relationships. I am definitely going to miss all the amazing people that I had the opportunity to meet.”
Golini’s head coach, Becca Main, offered this parting message on the transfer of her star goalie.
“We have enjoyed our time working with Livy the past two seasons and support her decision to move in a different direction,” Main said. “She left her mark in the cage and our program will miss her leadership and professionalism. We wish her the best of luck at Boston University and are confident she will find success there just as she did as a Bobcat.”
Golini’s absence on the team leaves Quinnipiac with only one goalie currently on the roster, rising junior Hannah Teicher. Teicher appeared in four games for Quinnipiac last season, posting a .690 save percentage in 174 minutes. The Bobcats also have incoming freshman Alicia Galasso as a goalkeeper in the fall of 2018.
Already graduating a big senior class, the loss of a starting goaltender will make the transition into next season even more challenging for the Bobcats.
Quinnipiac finished the 2017 season 6-12 (3-4 Big East) and did not qualify for the conference tournament.
Golini is no longer listed on the Quinnipiac field hockey roster.
