Big Red Spotlight: Jane McNally

Source: Cornell Athletics

Jane McNally: Women’s Field Hockey Captain & Goalkeeper

Jane did not anticipate her journey to Cornell’s field hockey program. Growing up, she emerged as a multi-layered athlete playing soccer, basketball, diving, and field hockey. She started her field hockey career relatively late, in 8th grade. While Jane was admitted to Cornell as a regular student, currently a Communications major in CALS, she recalls, “It was later that I reached out to the team, and as luck would have it, they were looking for a goalie.”

            Goalkeeping is often seen as a lonely position, but that's not how Jane sees it. She highlights that her motivation during setbacks is relying on her teammates. She mentions that when training gets tough, she remembers how she has amazing teammates who help and rely on each other. Being a goalie, she has a unique experience as she says it's a bit “weirder” compared to her teammates. She says, “While everyone else is getting hyped before a game, I’m trying to calm myself down — calm music, deep breaths, just focusing on the next play.”

Source: Cornell Athletics

This Season’s New Chapter

            As a senior, it's her first year as a full-time starter, and she has a 0.711 save percentage, which ranks her fifth among 11 active Ivy League goalkeepers, with a 9-2 record as a team. She has accumulated over 500 minutes of playing time throughout the season. While she carries high pressure and responsibility, she wittily explained, “It’s new for me, but I’m taking it one game at a time.” She also emphasizes the team’s unity and ambition, saying, “Our goal is to make the Ivy League tournament — we’re such a close, cohesive group, and we want to finish strong and make Cornell proud.” This season marks a new chapter as a senior leader; she is focused on better communication, both literally and figuratively. “As a goalie, your voice matters. I’m working on being louder, more direct,” she explains. She underscores how better communication keeps the team connected on and off the field, especially with her co-captains.

Balancing Books and Blocks

            Balancing the dual life as a student-athlete can often be challenging, with academic commitment, early and late practices, and weekend games. Yet, that's not all Jane does. She was previously the sports editor for The Cornell Daily Sun, as she is passionate about journalism and dreams of covering professional hockey someday. She further mentions how she wants to continue playing hockey after graduation in regional/adult leagues and teams, showing her love for field hockey and how deeply ingrained it is in her life.

With an admirable, optimistic outlook, Jane mentions that she prefers the structured schedule in the fall, as when the schedule loosens in the spring, “it’s actually harder not to procrastinate.” Despite the workload, she insists she hasn’t necessarily sacrificed anything by being a student-athlete; she expresses her gratitude towards Cornell’s coaches and staff for understanding different priorities when conflicts arise.

Source: Cornell Athletics

Strength in Sisterhood

            When asked what it means to be a woman competing at a high level of athletics, she expressed her love for her teammates: the locker rooms, bonds, and friendships that she will carry forever. Her biggest inspiration as a woman athlete is her mother and sister, who are both athletes themselves, and supported Jane throughout her career by showing up to games.

Source: Cornell Athletics

The Person behind the pads

            A little bit about Jane, off the field now: Jane describes herself as honest, compassionate, and confident, traits that shine through difficulties and come through the moment she started speaking. When I asked her about tougher times and deep motivations, she would not hesitate to answer and kept her positive energy. She articulated with such sincerity and genuineness about learning from mistakes and supporting others that her passion for field hockey and her teammates became unmistakable.

            Jane also admits to a bit of a superstition she has before every game—every gear has to be put on in a specific order. Before every game, her go-to playlist features Noah Kahan, Zach Bryan, John Mayer, Fleetwood Mac, and, most recently, she has been listening to Morgan Wallen’s “Dark 'Til Daylight.” Dreaming of working for the NHL upon graduation, she says that if she didn’t play field hockey, she always wanted to try playing ice hockey.

            She remarks that her favorite moments at Cornell aren’t big wins or events but small, mundane moments, like living with her teammates, grabbing dinner every day, and attending different games together.

            And if she could have dinner with anyone? “Ken Dryden” was her answer, referring to the Cornell legend who played for the Montréal Canadiens as a goalie. “He’s fascinating — an incredible athlete and an even more interesting person beyond the rink.”

Overall, she wants to tell any incoming student athletes, to “enjoy every second of it” as college sports is “a unique experience that you won’t be able to get anywhere else. Don’t be afraid to go for help, whether coaches or professors, they always want you to succeed.”            

Jane embodies Cornell’s mission “to discover, preserve, and disseminate knowledge,” as reflected by her four years of growth, grit, and gratitude at Cornell. BRSN wishes her the best for her successful end-of-senior season and graduation, and for the amazing journey that will follow after her graduation!

Source: Cornell Athletics