It is no secret that Kennedy Cliggett ’21 was a star in her two years at The Hill School. Cliggett, a member of the 2021 graduating class, earned her fair share of accomplishments before and during her time at Hill. This has held true for her time after Hill as well, as she has newly been crowned a Division 1 NCAA Champion.   

Previous to attending Hill, Cliggett committed in the spring of her sophomore year to the University of North Carolina for field hockey. At the time of her commitment, UNC was coming off of their first of what became three consecutive national championships.

Cliggett went into the top collegiate program in the country ready to work for her spot on the field. As a true freshman, she played in all 20 games of UNC’s season and put up nine points throughout her first season. Although UNC didn’t take home the championship, her contributions on the team helped set her up for success in her sophomore year.

In 2022, she made contributions in all 21 games of the Tar Heels’ season, scoring seven goals and assisting one other. Her commitments earned her the opportunity to play in almost the entirety of the NCAA National Championship game on November 20, 2022. The Tar Heels took down Northwestern with a thrilling last-minute goal and took home the championship with a narrow 2 to 1 lead.

A native of Warrington, Pennsylvania, Cliggett did not grow up too far from Pottstown. She attended Mount St. Joseph’s Academy for her first two high school years before coming to Hill, where she made an immediate impact on the team.

“Kennedy was someone who you knew would work hard for her teammates and our team every single day. Kennedy was a true competitor and found a way to demand the best out of herself. In doing so, she brought the best out in her teammates. Kennedy will forever be a part of HFHF,” says Hill field hockey head coach, Jennifer Weissbach.

Hill field hockey assistant coach, Gabriela Gomez also enjoyed working with Cliggett. “Each year our team has raised the bar and keep setting higher expectations. Kennedy not only did she bring amazing talent, but the pace and energy of her execution was next level. There was no in between, she only had one speed: all out,” says Gomez.

In her fifth form season, she won local awards such as All-State First Team, Mercury-All Area First Team, and All-MAPL first team, and national awards such as All-Region Second Team and All American Watch List. She also helped lead the Blues to a MAPL title and the first ever state championship game in program history.

Cliggett’s accomplishments earned her a spot on MAX Field Hockey’s Top 10 in the Class of 2021.

As a sixth former, her season was canceled due to the pandemic but her stellar reputation on the field still earned her spots on the NFHCA Senior IMPACT Team and on MAX Field Hockey’s Top 40 PA Players to watch list, and she was voted captain of the 2020 Hill Field Hockey team.

Cliggett’s role as a captain did not go unserved even without a season. “Kennedy was a great leader on our team, especially during COVID when we weren’t able to play games. She knew how to support her teammates and make us laugh. We still keep in touch today and it’s amazing to see her accomplishments at UNC”, said Kerry Elliott ’23, a current member of the Hill field hockey program.