This season has been a stark transition for senior field hockey goalie Pauline Gineste, going from 63 minutes of playing time in the 2024 season to now playing more than 1,000 minutes in 2025.
The team had an immensely successful season going 6-0 undefeated in the Patriot League, but their season came to a close with an upset in the semifinals.
Gineste, born in the U.S., spent a large portion of her upbringing living in the south of France before returning stateside for middle school. Early after arriving in the U.S., her mother encouraged her to play a sport under the guise of making friends. It was there that Gineste found a passion for field hockey.
One aspect that drew Gineste to American University was the tight-knit bond of the team, something that she praised.
“The girls on this team are my best friends and I would have their back. They would have my back through anything,” Gineste said. “And I think that shows on the field.”
Gineste’s teammates and coaching staff said she embodies that characteristic of the team.
“I think she does a good job of holding the AU standards to the highest and just making sure that the team is well represented both on and off the field,” associate head field hockey coach Kristin Matula said.
Matula and Gineste both said that the coaching staff prioritizes their athletes’ academics and Gineste encapsulates this well. As a double major in political science and sociology, she was a part of the Patriot League Honor Roll for two years and on the National Field Hockey Coaches Association National Academic Squad her junior year.
“She’s interested in law, so she’s very good at being able to decipher and go through different situations in more of a cerebral way,” Matula said.
Graduate student midfielder Agustina Roffo is from Argentina. She said that, as an international student, Gineste was one of the first people on the team to take her in and open the doors socially and culturally to help her adapt. According to Roffo, Gineste is very attentive to her teammates, always making sure they are doing well and checking on them if they aren’t.
For her first two seasons, Gineste was unable to play on the field due to two stress reactions in both shins. Gineste said it was a hard transition at the time, as she struggled to find her place on the team without directly engaging on the field.
“It sucked. It’s really hard being an athlete and being injured. I mean, you want to play, you’re here to play,” Gineste said. “It was a time where I couldn’t trust my body fully. So any time I could play, it was very hesitant.’”
Matula said this time in Gineste’s career demonstrated how considerate she is as a teammate. The injuries gave Gineste a different perspective, allowing her to support injured teammates on a basis of mutual understanding.
Further, being unable to play on the field or overall being secluded in the goalie circle forced Gineste to become a much more vocal player.
“Now you can hear her in the field,” said Roffo. “She just looks so confident and she knows the game so well…I think that learning the game when no one was noticing, was the part where she grew the most.”
Matula agreed and said the growth in Gineste’s communication was a great feat.
“There’s chaos happening in the circle all the time. The ball in the game is really fast. So if she can, does a good job of just giving short, sharp communication,” Matula said.
On the field, Gineste is praised by the team and staff for her competitive drive and encouraging spirit. Matula said that Gineste is always looking to improve, asking for feedback so she can become a better player, not only for herself, but for the whole team.
“She is somebody who is dedicated to her craft and wanting to be just the best goalkeeper she can be,” Matula said.
Going into this season, Gineste said she felt a lot of internal pressure as the last line of defense on the field. However, as the season progressed, her confidence grew along with that of her teammates.
“We have quite a few freshmen, and I think everybody has stepped up,” Gineste said. “I don’t think we would be in the place we were at if not everybody was 100 percent committed to this team. I think we give way more of our time than many people would give to other things in their life, to our program.”
Over the course of the 2025 season, Gineste said she hoped to be the best teammate she can be.
“If that means someone needs to yell at me to make themselves feel better and play better at a game, do it. Somebody needs a cry, then I’m there,” Gineste said. “I just want to help my team win at any cost. So whatever that takes.”
This article was edited by Connor Sturniolo, Penelope Jennings and Walker Whalen. Copy editing done by Sabine Kanter-Huchting, Avery Grossman, Ryan Sieve and Ava Stuzin.
