Photo by: Columbia University Athletics / Stockton Photo, Inc.
Field Hockey Announces 2026 Signing Class
5/6/2026 10:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Lions welcome Burnett, Chidanandan, Gross, Owen-Smith, Rubano, Schmitz, and Veldhuizen to the program
NEW YORK — Columbia field hockey coach Niki Miller officially announced Avery Burnett, Veera Chidanandan, Nadia Gross, Audrey Owen-Smith, Marisa Rubano, Georgia Schmitz, and Norah Veldhuizen as the program's 2026 recruiting class. All seven players will enroll at Columbia as first-years.
"This incoming group of athletes represents an exciting new chapter for Columbia Field Hockey," Miller said. "They bring talent, determination, and a strong competitive spirit that will elevate our program. As my first recruiting class, they hold a special place in building the culture and future success of this team. I'm looking forward to seeing how they grow, contribute, and leave their mark both on and off the field."
2026 Field Hockey Signees
Avery Burnett
Midfield/Defense | 5-5 | Zionsville, Pa. | Emmaus | Columbia College
HIGH SCHOOL: 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 Emmaus High School: PIAA AAA State, District XI, and Eastern Pennsylvania Conference Champions… 2024 Morning Call All Area Team – Honorable Mention… 2024 Pennsylvania High School Field Hockey Coaches Association 2nd Team All State… 2024 NFHCA High School Watchlist… 2024 NEXUS Junior National Championships U18 Selection… 2024 Max Field Hockey Class of 2026 Top 100 Ranking… 2024 U-16 Junior Women's National Team Selection Camp… 2023 and 2024 U16 National Indoor Tournament Champion… 2023 AAU Junior Olympic Games Selection… 2023 NEXUS Junior National Championships U16 Selection… 2023 NEXUS U16, Super Regional Selection Camp – Region 5… 2023 U16 Easter Showcase Pool E Champions (U16 WC Eagles II)... 2022 Thanksgiving Showcase U14 Pool Champions (WC Eagles Red; Pool B)... 2022 NEXUS National Championships U14 Selection.
Veera Chidanandan
Midfield/Forward | 5-8 | Centreville, Va. | Westfield | Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science
HIGH SCHOOL: All-State, Region, and District Recognition… Offensive MVP… Team MVP… 2026 MAX Top 100 Players… Three-time NEXUS Championship… Two-time NCC Medalist… NIT Gold Medalist… National Merit Commended Scholar… Three-time All-A Honor Roll.
Nadia Gross
Defense | 5-9 | Bluebell, Pa. | Springside Chestnut Hill Academy | Columbia College
HIGH SCHOOL: NFHCA 2026 High School Impact Senior Team… 2025 MAX Field Hockey High School Pennsylvania Region Second Team… MAX Field Hockey Class of 2026 Player Ranking: top 100 (March 2024)... Max Field Hockey Class of 2026 Top 150 National Player Invitational Participant (May 2024)... 2025 Field Hockey First Team All Inter-Ac… 2025 High School National Academic Squad… 2025 SCH FH Most Valuable Player… Nexus Championship '22, '23, '24, 25'... First place in the Nexus Championship in '23 and '25… 2024 U-16 Women's National Team Selection Camp.
Audrey Owen-Smith
Goalkeeper | 5-7 | Dexter, Mich. | Dexter | Columbia College
HIGH SCHOOL: Four-time state finalist... Two-time State Champion… MHSAA Dream Team 2024 and 2025… First Team All-State 2024 and 2025… Second Team All-State 2023… Four-time Dexter Scholar-Athlete Award… National Merit Scholarship semifinalist… Two-time NFHCA high school scholar of distinction.
Marisa Rubano
Defense/Midfield | 5-6 | Oakton, Va. | Oakton | Columbia College
HIGH SCHOOL: Top 100 Players to Watch for the Class of 2026… Four-time National Nexus Championship Selection… NFHCA All-South Team… First Team All-District… First Team All-Region… First Team All-State… Washington Post All-Met Selection… 2024 and 2025 Captain and MVP… College Connection Under Armor Game Selection… Four-year varsity starter… NFHCA Senior Impact Team… NFHCA Scholar of Distinction… All-A Honor Roll throughout high school… Scholar Athlete Award - Highest GPA in the Oakton field hockey program… National Honor Society Member.
Georgia Schmitz
Midfield | 5-7 | Greenwich, Conn. | Greenwich Academy | Columbia College
HIGH SCHOOL: Four-year Varsity starter… Team Captain… Three-time FAA Champion… Member of AGH Club… Five-year NEXUS Championship selection… 2025: Team Captain… Carole Kenyon Award (awarded to a player combining skill, enthusiasm and love for field hockey)... All NEPSAC First Team… All FAA (Fairchester) First Team… NFHCA High School Impact Senior Team… Max Field Hockey All Northeast Region First Team… 2024: All FAA First Team… Max Field Hockey Next 50… TFHA Tri-State Watch List… NFHCA High School Watch List… Greenwich Academy Athletics Board Rep 2023… FAA Champions… 2023: Max Field Hockey Next 50 (Top 100 Players to Watch)... FAA All League First Team… FAA Champions… 2022: Class A NEPSAC (New England) Champions… FAA Champions… 2026 NFHCA National Academic Squad… 2025 AP Scholar of Distinction… 2024-2026 High Honor Roll… 2022-2023 Honor Roll.
Norah Veldhuizen
Midfield | 5-6 | Amersfoort, The Netherlands | Corderius College | Columbia College
HIGH SCHOOL: Four-time Champion in the second-highest Dutch field hockey level with AMHC Amersfoort.
Follow The Lions
For the latest on Columbia field hockey, follow @CULionsFH on social media and GoColumbiaLions.com for more updates.
"This incoming group of athletes represents an exciting new chapter for Columbia Field Hockey," Miller said. "They bring talent, determination, and a strong competitive spirit that will elevate our program. As my first recruiting class, they hold a special place in building the culture and future success of this team. I'm looking forward to seeing how they grow, contribute, and leave their mark both on and off the field."
2026 Field Hockey Signees
Avery Burnett
Midfield/Defense | 5-5 | Zionsville, Pa. | Emmaus | Columbia College
HIGH SCHOOL: 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 Emmaus High School: PIAA AAA State, District XI, and Eastern Pennsylvania Conference Champions… 2024 Morning Call All Area Team – Honorable Mention… 2024 Pennsylvania High School Field Hockey Coaches Association 2nd Team All State… 2024 NFHCA High School Watchlist… 2024 NEXUS Junior National Championships U18 Selection… 2024 Max Field Hockey Class of 2026 Top 100 Ranking… 2024 U-16 Junior Women's National Team Selection Camp… 2023 and 2024 U16 National Indoor Tournament Champion… 2023 AAU Junior Olympic Games Selection… 2023 NEXUS Junior National Championships U16 Selection… 2023 NEXUS U16, Super Regional Selection Camp – Region 5… 2023 U16 Easter Showcase Pool E Champions (U16 WC Eagles II)... 2022 Thanksgiving Showcase U14 Pool Champions (WC Eagles Red; Pool B)... 2022 NEXUS National Championships U14 Selection.
Veera Chidanandan
Midfield/Forward | 5-8 | Centreville, Va. | Westfield | Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science
HIGH SCHOOL: All-State, Region, and District Recognition… Offensive MVP… Team MVP… 2026 MAX Top 100 Players… Three-time NEXUS Championship… Two-time NCC Medalist… NIT Gold Medalist… National Merit Commended Scholar… Three-time All-A Honor Roll.
Nadia Gross
Defense | 5-9 | Bluebell, Pa. | Springside Chestnut Hill Academy | Columbia College
HIGH SCHOOL: NFHCA 2026 High School Impact Senior Team… 2025 MAX Field Hockey High School Pennsylvania Region Second Team… MAX Field Hockey Class of 2026 Player Ranking: top 100 (March 2024)... Max Field Hockey Class of 2026 Top 150 National Player Invitational Participant (May 2024)... 2025 Field Hockey First Team All Inter-Ac… 2025 High School National Academic Squad… 2025 SCH FH Most Valuable Player… Nexus Championship '22, '23, '24, 25'... First place in the Nexus Championship in '23 and '25… 2024 U-16 Women's National Team Selection Camp.
Audrey Owen-Smith
Goalkeeper | 5-7 | Dexter, Mich. | Dexter | Columbia College
HIGH SCHOOL: Four-time state finalist... Two-time State Champion… MHSAA Dream Team 2024 and 2025… First Team All-State 2024 and 2025… Second Team All-State 2023… Four-time Dexter Scholar-Athlete Award… National Merit Scholarship semifinalist… Two-time NFHCA high school scholar of distinction.
Marisa Rubano
Defense/Midfield | 5-6 | Oakton, Va. | Oakton | Columbia College
HIGH SCHOOL: Top 100 Players to Watch for the Class of 2026… Four-time National Nexus Championship Selection… NFHCA All-South Team… First Team All-District… First Team All-Region… First Team All-State… Washington Post All-Met Selection… 2024 and 2025 Captain and MVP… College Connection Under Armor Game Selection… Four-year varsity starter… NFHCA Senior Impact Team… NFHCA Scholar of Distinction… All-A Honor Roll throughout high school… Scholar Athlete Award - Highest GPA in the Oakton field hockey program… National Honor Society Member.
Georgia Schmitz
Midfield | 5-7 | Greenwich, Conn. | Greenwich Academy | Columbia College
HIGH SCHOOL: Four-year Varsity starter… Team Captain… Three-time FAA Champion… Member of AGH Club… Five-year NEXUS Championship selection… 2025: Team Captain… Carole Kenyon Award (awarded to a player combining skill, enthusiasm and love for field hockey)... All NEPSAC First Team… All FAA (Fairchester) First Team… NFHCA High School Impact Senior Team… Max Field Hockey All Northeast Region First Team… 2024: All FAA First Team… Max Field Hockey Next 50… TFHA Tri-State Watch List… NFHCA High School Watch List… Greenwich Academy Athletics Board Rep 2023… FAA Champions… 2023: Max Field Hockey Next 50 (Top 100 Players to Watch)... FAA All League First Team… FAA Champions… 2022: Class A NEPSAC (New England) Champions… FAA Champions… 2026 NFHCA National Academic Squad… 2025 AP Scholar of Distinction… 2024-2026 High Honor Roll… 2022-2023 Honor Roll.
Norah Veldhuizen
Midfield | 5-6 | Amersfoort, The Netherlands | Corderius College | Columbia College
HIGH SCHOOL: Four-time Champion in the second-highest Dutch field hockey level with AMHC Amersfoort.
Follow The Lions
For the latest on Columbia field hockey, follow @CULionsFH on social media and GoColumbiaLions.com for more updates.
Players Mentioned
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