MERION STATION, Pa. – Saint Joseph's field hockey head coach Lynn Farquhar has announced the addition of a pair of former All-America honorees to the SJU coaching staff as Alexa Hoover and Taylor West have joined the Hawks ahead of the 2021 season.
 
"I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to work alongside Lynn and the entire Saint Joseph's field hockey team," Hoover said.  "It's an honor to be coaching such passionate and hard-working young women.  I can't wait to see what this season will bring!" 
 
"I am very thankful and excited to be joining the Saint Joseph's staff!" West said.  "Lynn has created a great program at SJU and I am looking forward to working alongside and learning from her.  I'm fortunate to be able to work with a great group of hardworking and passionate players."
 
"Alexa offers a unique set of transferable skillsets to our program from many lenses," Farquhar said of Hoover.  "A local talent who chose to continue her career here in Philadelphia, left her legacy in the record books, led a program on the field to excel at new levels, and fought through injury after being selected for the U.S. national team program, she brings a strong mentality and her creative flair fits in perfectly with our attacking style.
 
"We love celebrating here on Hawk Hill, and when I announced that Taylor would be returning to our staff in a greater capacity, the team lit up with excitement," Farquhar continued.  "Taylor has a simplicity to coaching which resonates with players and captures their attention.  She can challenge and uplift; the combination of her teaching tools is powerful and inspiring for our young women."
 
Hoover comes to Hawk Hill after spending two seasons as an assistant coach at La Salle.  Prior to joining the Explorers, she spent a season as the Director of Field Hockey Operations at her alma mater, the University of Pennsylvania, working with head coach and former Hawk Colleen (Quinn) Fink '00.
 
On the field, Hoover was named to the NFHCA All-America Second Team in both 2015 and 2016 and was a four-time All-Region honoree; she was tabbed for the Second Team as a freshman before earning three consecutive First Team nods.  After earning Ivy League Rookie of the Year honors in 2014, Hoover went on to become the first Quaker to be named to the All-Ivy League First Team all four years of her collegiate career.
 
Hoover is Penn's all-time leader in goals (68) and points (163) and ranks third in career assists (27).  She also holds the Quakers' single-season goals (27) and points (63) records, as well as the program's single-game record for goals and points, which she set with a five-goal, 10-point performance against the Hawks in 2015 that earned her an appearance in Sports Illustrated.
 
While a student-athlete at Penn, Hoover was also a member of the USA Field Hockey Olympic Developmental Team.  She won a bronze medal at the 2014 Pan American Indoor Cup in Uruguay and also played with Team USA during tours of Canada and Germany.
 
A native of Collegeville, Pennsylvania, Hoover graduated from Penn in 2018 with a degree in cognitive neuroscience.
 
A veteran of 80 international appearances, West has been a part of the U.S. National Team since 2016.  She made her debut in 2017 and has competed with the Stars and Stripes in New Zealand, Australia, Argentina, Japan, and Chile.  West was part of the U.S. squad that finished fourth at the International Festival of Hockey in 2017 and participated in the Four Nations Ibaraki International Tournament a year later.  She won a gold medal at the 2017 World League Semifinals in Johannesburg, South Africa, as well as bronze at the 2017 Pan American Cup in Lancaster, Pa.
 
West was a standout at James Madison University, where she earned Second Team All-America honors and was named the Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Year as a senior in 2015.  She earned a spot on the All-Region First Team as well that season after a previous pair of Second Team honors.  West also earned three CAA All-Conference selections and was also tabbed for the CAA All-Championship Team on three occasions.
 
One of the most prolific scorers in the Dukes' program history, West's 130 career points rank her third all-time, while her 56 goals are the fourth-most all-time at JMU.
 
A native of Princess Anne, Maryland, West graduated from James Madison in 2015 with a degree in health sciences.  She is no stranger to the program, as she spent time working with the Hawks during the fall of 2020.
 
Saint Joseph's is set to begin its 2021 season at home against Fairfield on Friday.