Molly Stutte has a knack for completing goals.
With elite speed, tireless determination and a wicked shot, Stutte has turned goal scoring into an art form since her freshman season at Cor Jesu.
Now a senior, and with several impactful Chargers recently graduated, she is setting her sights on another goal – being an empowering leader.
“It’s all about building team chemistry,” Stutte said. “I want to bring the whole team together and make it super fun off the field, because whenever that happens, we always seem to have the best outcomes on the field.”
Stutte will lead Cor Jesu into its 2024 season opener at 6:50 p.m. Friday when the Chargers face Lake Forest (IL) in Pool B of the 26th Gateway Classic on the water turf field at Sportport International in Maryland Heights.
Local field hockey teams competing in the three-day Gateway Classic include: John Burroughs (Pool A), St. Joseph’s (A), Villa Duchesne (B), MICDS (C), Kirkwood (D), Westminster (E), Ursuline (E), Ladue (F), Nerinx Hall (F), Summit (G), Parkway West (H), Lindbergh (I), Visitation (J), United (K), Whitfield (K), Parkway South (P).
Stutte (pronounced ‘study’) closed the book on the previous three seasons by leading the Chargers in scoring, netting nine goals as a freshman, 11 as a sophomore and a robust 26 as a junior- a breakout campaign that included a streak of 10 consecutive games scoring at least one goal.
“Over the four years I’ve played a lot stronger. I credit a lot of that to playing on grass. It makes you play stronger on the ball and play stronger on defense,” Stutte said.
In July, as one of the youngest team members, she helped her Nexus under-21 team earn a gold medal at a national tournament in Virginia Beach. Just one month later, she is enthusiastically accepting the role of mentor and camaraderie-builder for Cor Jesu.
“She leads by example, on and off the field,” Cor Jesu coach Audrey Ploesser said. “She is such a hard worker and so diligent to her own skill set. She shows the younger members of the team how to play the game while lifting them up, guiding them where they need to go, and showing them how to support each other.”
Stutte’s skill set continues to evolve. In addition to her goal-scoring prowess, she has accumulated 43 assists over the past three seasons, leading the Chargers in that category each year. One of her personal goals is to contribute more assists than the 17 she dished out last season.
“I think that’s such a cool goal to have for such a talented player – recognizing that she can contribute to the success of all her teammates as well.” Ploesser said.
Stutte constantly tinkers with aspects of her game. During the preseason, she worked on releasing shots quickly while still maintaining pinpoint accuracy.
“She is trying to improve every day. Even when you’re really, really good, that mindset to keep getting better is huge,” Ploesser said.
Stutte, an Indiana University commit, follows a family line of field hockey royalty at Cor Jesu. Her sister Caroline is currently a senior playing at University of California-Davis and her mother Cindy served as Ploesser’s freshman coach for the Chargers.
“The Stutte family has been great for Cor Jesu and this is like the last hurrah,” Ploesser said. “It’s fun to have it all come full circle.”
Ploesser, Stutte and the Chargers hope to complete the circle of excellence they have sustained over the years. Cor Jesu has reached the Midwest Field Hockey Tournament semifinals in 12 of the previous 13 seasons but has not advanced to the state championship game since 2016.
The Midwest Tournament final four is held on the water turf field at Sportport– the same surface found on the home fields of perennial powers Villa Duchesne and MICDS. A water turf field is currently being installed on the campus of defending state champion John Burroughs.
“We’re trying to get more practices on water turf,” Ploesser said. “We are a grass team, and sometimes we can use that to our advantage, and sometimes we just need to practice on (water) turf. We’re trying to make our players versatile, so that no matter where we’re going, we’ll be able to play.”
And while Ploesser provides the means for the Chargers to feel comfortable on any surface, Stutte is creating an environment for her teammates to feel comfortable with each other, which includes organizing team dinners, leading group exercises and making sure enthusiasm is high.
“The goal is always to win state, and bringing the energy to every practice is crucial to that,” Stutte said.
And when Stutte has a goal in sight, she tends to find it.
“As a freshman, she was skilled but quiet, not exactly knowing her role. She has evolved so much, and clearly, she’s a force to be reckoned with,” Ploesser said.