Jans Croon Wins Gold at the Hockey5s Pan Am Cup

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia field hockey rising junior Jans Croon won a gold medal as a member of the US Women’s National Team at the inaugural 2023 Hockey5s Pan American Cups (PAC), which was held June 4-10 at the Mona Hockey Field in Kingston, Jamaica.

The American squad defeated Uruguay in a shootout on Saturday (June 10) to win the gold. USA held a 3-1 lead at the half, but Uruguay responded with four goals in the second to tie it at 5-5 in regulation. The United Eagles prevailed in the challenge shootout, going 3-1, to claim the Hockey5s PAC gold.

Team USA went undefeated in pool play, not surrendering a goal and outscoring opponents 19-0. The team’s 2-1 victory against Trinidad & Tobago on Thursday (June 8) propelled the team into the championship match and earned them a qualification for the FIH Hockey5s World Cup, which is slated for January 2023 in Muscat, Oman.

Hockey 5s is a small-sided outdoor game introduced by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) in 2014 that is played with four players and a goalkeeper per side. It is a fast small-sided game that uses specially designed boards that surround the perimeter of the field and keep the ball in play. Regulation games last 20 minutes.

This is the second gold medal for Croon at Pan Am competition in a two-month span. She was a member of the US Junior National Team that won gold at the U21 Junior Pan American Championship on April 18 in Saint Michael, Barbados.