With the spring season winding down and the fall season of Eastern Athletics approaching in the coming months, Eastern Connecticut State University Field Hockey looks to build off their first Little East Conference Championship in 2021. With new recruits ready to step into their role with the team this coming season, we take a sneak peek at the student-athletes ready to make their mark on the field during the 2022 campaign.

WILLIMANTIC, Conn. – The second installment of the Sanson family name is ready to make her mark on Eastern Connecticut State University Athletics with the arrival of Thomaston, Connecticut native Emma Sanson. The three-sport athlete comes to Eastern having accrued numerous accolades during her four-year high school athletic career.

Playing primarily at midfield during her high school career, Sanson was part of a Thomaston Golden Bears team that strung together three consecutive Berkshire League championships, boasting a 32-1-2 record in league play and 33-6-3 record overall after going 5-10-1 in her first season.

In 2021, Thomaston defeated Northwestern, 5-0, to win that third consecutive title in a game where Sanson recorded a pair of assists as the Golden Bears rolled all the way to the 2021 CIAC Class S Field Hockey Semifinals as the three seed before falling to two-seeded Stonington, 1-0, in Branford. After the season, Sanson was named to the All Berkshire League First Team.

Sanson's success would continue on the court as she helped with the rebuild of the Golden Bears' basketball program. After a pair of seasons hovering around the .500 mark and being bounced early in the Class S State Tournament, the 2020 season was the turning point for Thomaston.

Going 13-7, the Golden Bears went to the quarterfinals before the COVID-19 pandemic cut their tournament run short. With one more shot at the title, Sanson made the most of her senior season helping lead Thomaston to a 17-3 record and the one seed in the state tournament. Steamrolling through their first two games and defeating Bolton, 48-42, the Golden Bears were back in the Class S Finals at Mohegan Sun Arena.

Against a tough Coventry team, who whittled down a 12-point deficit with under two minutes left to just three points with a few seconds left, Thomaston held on for the 42-38 victory for their first basketball state title since the 2015 title winning team and third overall. Sanson led the way for the Golden Bears in that game with 17 points, was named an honorable mention in the 2022 GameTimeCT All-State Girls Basketball Team release, and a member of the 2021-2022 CHSCA Class S All-State Girls Basketball Team.

Academically, Sanson plans on studying business administration with a marketing concentration.