BU Field Hockey’s Four Sister Sets

BU Field Hockey's Four Sister Sets

For Maddie Hudson, it's not a coincidence that the 2025 Boston University field hockey team feels like it's the tightest it's been in her four years with the program.

Why? This year's roster has four sets of sisters-and their impact has been unmistakable. Hudson (Questrom'26), whose sister Mallory Hudson (CAS'29) is among the new recruits, says that after just two weeks into the preseason, it felt like the entire team had already known one another for years.

"It definitely plays a large part in our team chemistry and culture off the field and on the field," she says.

The team's other siblings are Maggie Driscoll (Sargent'27) and Molly Driscoll (CAS'29), Lily Johnson (CAS'28) and Lucy Johnson (CAS'29), and Martu Coulo (Sargent'26) and Delfi Coulo (COM'29).

In her 44 seasons as head coach, Sally Starr has never had this many sets of siblings on a team. "Not even close," she says, adding that the "holistic blending of a family" this season has turned the program into one big family.

Maggie Driscoll (left) and Molly Driscoll in a game against New Hampshire on New Balance Field September 28. Photo by Eliza Nuestro, BU Athletics

When the four younger sisters arrived at BU for their official visits last spring, Maddie Hudson says they'd already felt as if they were part of the team because of their familial ties to the program.

The Hudsons played one season together in high school in their hometown of Palmyra, Pa., when Maddie was a senior and Mallory a freshman. Maddie says she was nervous at first about playing with her sister, worried they wouldn't get along. But it turned out to be a great experience-and "a large part of the reason why I wanted her to come to BU," she adds.

At first, Mallory had ruled out BU when she began looking at colleges, not wanting to follow her older sister. But that connection ultimately became one of the main reasons she decided to join the Terriers. "I was like, 'Oh, I'm gonna be different, go somewhere else,'" she says, "but then, honestly, we got a lot closer those couple of years when I was looking at schools."

Just a year apart, the Johnsons have played together their entire lives. And while Lily took a step back as younger sister Lucy decided on her future, she admits that she'd hoped her sister would join her at BU, because playing together growing up was so special.

Two grades apart, Maggie Driscoll and Molly Driscoll played together in high school and in club field hockey outside of school. Molly says that the fact Maggie was already attending BU "100 percent" played a role in her ending up on Comm Ave. Maggie shared stories of her experiences as a Terrier with Molly, even saying she wanted Molly to join her at BU. But, she says, it was important for Molly to carve her own path. "Letting her make the decision on her own was really important, not to come here just because I was here," Maggie says, "because that was the easy option."

Having grown up in Buenos Aires, the Coulo sisters' journey is a bit different. Prior to Delfi's arrival this fall, they had never played together.

Martu didn't want to pressure Delfi to choose BU. "We had a bunch of conversations, and I was like, 'I don't want to be the reason for you to come here," Martu says. "'I want you to find a school that you actually like and you feel comfortable with.'" In the end, Delfi says, she chose BU because of Marta.

Martu Coulo, No. 19, after a game against Bucknell, October 11, a 4-0 loss at New Balance Field. Photo by Eliza Nuestro, BU Athletics

As freshmen players on a varsity team, it can be difficult juggling academics and athletics. Having a sense of familiarity from day one eased the college transition for the younger siblings. "I didn't really know what to expect, but having Maggie here has obviously added a level of comfort," Molly Driscoll says.

Fellow freshman Mallory Hudson echoes that sentiment. "Being a student is hard in itself, but being an athlete on top of that is so much harder. I would be fine if Maddie wasn't here, but it's so nice to have her, to have someone that I know I can always fall back on."

It's not just the freshmen siblings who are benefiting from having a sister on the team. Maggie Driscoll says her confidence has grown as a player since Molly arrived at BU. "We know what each other needs at times and where each is going to be," she says. "We just have a really good connection on the field. So that's been really helpful for my play."

Lily and Lucy Johnson say they can read each other's mind on the field. "We just always were playing together, and we have such great chemistry," Lily says. "And we are just really able to connect with one another."

Starr says each of the sets of siblings has their own distinct personalities-the Driscolls, for example, are "the trash talkers" of the four sets. "When they're in a drill going against each other, they're really competing especially hard," she notes.

And even though an injury has sidelined Maddie for the season, she's taken Molly under her wing, the coach says, supporting her in every situation. She keeps "an eye out for her off the field and in training sessions."

The sisters say they're making the most of their chance to be together on the field. "We're just super grateful to be able to play our final years together," Molly Driscoll says.

The Boston University field hockey team hosts Colgate University in the team's Patriot League finale on Saturday, November 1, at 11 am, at New Balance Field. Admission is free. The game will be livestreamed on ESPN+.

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