October 25, 2026 — Evanston, IL —NBC Chicago news - By Jenn Schanz
Sunday brought a bittersweet milestone as it marked Ashley's last regular-season home game as a Wildcat.
Field hockey star Ashley Sessa, who competed in the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics, is a Pennsylvania native who has found a home in the Chicago area playing for Northwestern University.
At a recent game, Sessa, a senior Wildcat, walked onto Lakeside Field with her father and brother by her side and her mother, Tracy, in her hand on FaceTime.
"My wife has been battling breast cancer and brain cancer for the last seven years. And Ashley gets a lot from Tracy's toughness," said Bobby Sessa, Ashley's father.
Tracy is also the reason Ashley, a member of the U.S. national team since 16 and now an Olympian, first became interested in the sport.
"Her mom was a field hockey player in high school. And when she turned five or six, it was like, 'Here's your stick,'" Bobby Sessa explained.
"I think my mom is a big reason why Ashley put a lot of effort into growing the game," Anthony Sessa, Ashley's brother, added.
Just last month, Ashley was working with young girls in Los Angeles.
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