Randall Retires from U.S. Women’s National Team

by USA Field Hockey

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – U.S. Women’s National Team athlete Haley (née Schleicher) Randall (Virginia Beach, Va.) has announced her retirement from the team. The 23-year-old competed in 10 international matches for the red, white and blue.

 

Randall got her start playing field hockey because her mom, Beanie, was involved in the sport. Beanie played collegiately at Longwood (1986-89) and then she went on to coach the local high school teams at Lake Taylor High School (1990-98) and Norfolk’s Maury High School (1998-2010). It was during those times at Norfolk’s Maury where Randall would often be found running around the field in the summer during their conditioning sessions. Although her first love was soccer, she gave the sport a try around the age of 7 years old.

 

She continued to play competitively for the club Saints and before entering First Colonial High School, Randall made the decision to prioritized field hockey over soccer and solely focuse on the sport. As a Patriot, she was part of two state championships in her freshman (2012) and senior (2015) years. In her final campaign, she achieved a handful of personal accolades, some in the record books. She was named Senior National Field Hockey Player of the Years by the National High School Coaches Association, All-Group 6A State Player of the Year, Coastal Conference Player of the Year and South Region Player of the Year. She averaged more than 50 goals and 50 assists over all four seasons enroute to setting the Virginia High School League (VHSL) records for career assists (201) and career goals (200) and is the only player in VHSL history to reach 200 career goals and assists.

 

Following high school, Randall went on to play collegiately at Duke University (2016-19). She was part of the Blue Devils’ historic run to the NCAA Quarterfinals in 2018. In her senior year she accumulated many honors including, All-Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) First Team, All-South Region First Team and All-ACC Academic Team. She played 84 career games for Duke, starting 59, and recorded 13 goals and five assists.

 

In 2010, she got involved in the then named USA Field Hockey’s Olympic Development Pathway program, Futures, and that year and every year since she aged out, she was selected for the National Futures Championship. In 2013 and 2014, she was picked for the U-17 Junior National Camp, and in 2015 was named to the U.S. U-17 Women’s National Team. With that squad, she traveled to Belgium. She was named to the U-19 USWNT in both 2016 and 2017, and each year went to Germany for a tour. Randall participated in the Young Women’s National Championship in 2016 and 2019.

 

In January 2020, Randall was named to the senior USWNT, but the pandemic halted any competition in March and she found joining USA during this time particularly challenging.

 

“Being part of Team USA in the beginning was tough,” said Randall. “I joined the National Team during January of my senior year at Duke; COVID hit two months later while I was on a training trip in Chula Vista, Calif. with the team. It was a long year of individual, non-centralized training.”

 

“However, the past year and a half with centralized training has been enjoyable. Thanks to strong, nurturing staff leadership and teammates, I have grown immensely as a hockey player and a person. Being on Team USA for me was so rewarding because I was deeply challenged physically, mentally, and personally while having a nourishing support system who effectively aided my growth. Traveling and representing the U.S. Women's National Team will be an honor I will always cherish.”

 

Randall earned her first international cap on May 15 in a series against Belgium in the 2020-21 FIH Hockey Pro League. She went on to represent USA in the third season of the FIH Hockey Pro League along with a series against Canada in 2021.

 

She notes participating in her first game in the red, white and blue as one of her career highlights.

 

“Playing in my first cap game against Belgium was definitely a highlight on the field; however, I have come to really appreciate the mundane moments of being a professional athlete,” commented Randall. “The countless hours I spent with my teammates on and off the field and thus, the life-long relationships built with them is so special to me.”

 

Randall has a long list of individuals she would like to thank, who have impacted her through the years as an athlete, person and teammate. “Primarily, I must thank my mom, who has been the rock of field hockey in my life - teaching me, challenging me and encouraging me. Along with my mom - my husband, dad and brother have been the best to share my field hockey journey with. All of the family, teammates, Duke staff, and National Team staff that I have had the pleasure to work with, I am deeply grateful for you and the relationship we've built over the years.”

 

USA Field Hockey would like to send best wishes to Randall in her future endeavors.