Goalkeeping Against All Odds

Sports Profile on Student Athlete, Dawn DeWeese-Moss.

By: Greta Jennison

Dawn DeWeese-Moss of Pittsfield, Maine, had no plans of playing the sport of field hockey, especially not at the college level. But eight years, a championship ring, and a degree later, Dawn has come full circle by taking on the role of assistant coach at her alma mater, University of New England field hockey.

Dawn grew up playing a variety of sports like lacrosse, basketball, and track to name a few, but her field hockey journey started somewhat on the later side and Dawn took to the sport immediately. 

“I started playing in high school because my friends convinced me, I didn’t expect to end up this good at it” Dawn remarked. “The team needed another goalie, which looked just silly enough for me to try it.”

Her very first season playing she earned the role of starting GK, overtaking the pre-existing goalie very quickly. Dawn continued field hockey all four years of high school and joined the Maine Rapids field hockey club for several tournaments, even travelling with them to the annual ESPN Florida Sunshine Showcase.

“I didn’t want to play in college, but my club coach yelling at me for not trying to get recruited lit a fire in me and my mind was changed” Dawn said. 

Once the idea of playing college field hockey was planted in her mind she began looking into options for schools, focusing on schools in the northeast with division III field hockey and room on the roster for a goalie. Dawn was drawn to UNE due to its location (close to home), AES (applied exercise science) major, graduate school opportunities, and field hockey program.

Interview/Response: Recruitment & NCAA Athletic Career

What was your recruitment process like?

My recruitment process was definitely different than most people because I was a 2020 senior. All the tournaments I would have normally gone to were cancelled due to Covid, so once I started emailing Coach (UNE Head Coach Danielle Collins), I had to make my own skills video because she needed to see film. Overall, it was a pretty short process because UNE was pretty much the only school I was seriously considering, and they happened to need a goalie.

Tell me about your college athletics journey?

My first season, preseason especially, was extremely rough for many reasons. College sports pre-season is hard on its own, but add on the fact that I was the only GK as a freshman and my mom was really sick at the time, it was unbelievably brutal. I was struggling so bad, but managed to get through the season with a good amount of playing time. From there I was on the come up. We earned a conference (CCC, now CNE) championship win sophomore year (2022), and I officially took the role of starting GK going into my junior season. My senior year we made it back to the championship game but sadly lost in overtime.

Why did you return to UNEFH and what have you learned from coaching?

I love field hockey and love the team, and this was a way I could stay involved but at the commitment level that I chose. I felt like I had more to give to the sport and the program and wanted to stick around for the goalies still there. I have learned a lot about coaching and leadership. I’ve worked hard on time management and organizational skills so I really thrived in the managerial aspect. 

“We (the team) were so thankful that Dawn was returning to coach! She is a great leader and just has such a calming presence that adds so much to the coaching staff.” Said junior forward Elizabeth Hoadley. 

What challenges have turned into defining moments in your life?

My mom passing away from cancer about a month after my freshman season was definitely a huge challenge that heavily affected me. But I used this as motivation to work hard athletically and academically. It was extremely difficult but I had no choice but to be resilient and keep pushing through. 

 “On the come up” Dawn DeWeese-Moss, 2025

Despite the unbelievably tough circumstances that Dawn endured, she graduated from UNE in 2025 with a degree in Applied Exercise Science and a perfect 4.0 GPA. Dawn’s personal resilience and success is remarkable but not only is she hardworking, she is also a strong leader and teammate that served as a captain for the 2024 season. 

Dawn finished her senior season in a heartbreaking OT loss at the CNE championship. Over the course of her impressive NCAA career she earned CCC Academic All-Conference, Chi Alpha Sigma National College Athlete Honor Society, 3x NFHCA Scholar of Distinction, and was a Dean’s list student almost every semester.

“Dawn has been a great role model as a teammate, captain, friend, and now assistant coach/goalie mentor. She is knowledgeable and reliable but also lights up any room she enters” Offered sophomore goalkeeper, Greta Jennison.

Dawn is currently a PA student at UNE working to become a physical therapist or possibly work in hospital medicine. She plans to stay in the Southern Maine area and continue assistant coaching with UNEFH. 

“Stuff happens, you have to be resilient. I’m always on the come up” Dawn DeWeese-Moss.