Get the latest Syracuse news delivered right to your inbox. Subscribe to our sports newsletter here.

Aubrey Turner was on the verge of puking. She’d contracted norovirus and wasn’t sure she could play in Syracuse’s Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament Quarterfinal clash with then-No. 6 Wake Forest.

Just minutes before gametime, though, Aubrey decided to give it a shot. Her two early goals propelled SU to a 3-1 victory over the Demon Deacons, sending the Orange to the ACC Tournament Semifinals for the second straight season.

“I think (playing through illness) shows how hard working she is, how for the team she is, even though she’s not feeling her best,” senior Lana Hamilton said. “She’s still going to come out and manage to give 110%.”

The game was Aubrey’s crowning moment in a season she didn’t know would happen until mid-June due to a lengthy commitment process. After de-committing from Maryland in January, Aubrey visited Syracuse with her family in June. She committed soon after and has since recorded seven goals and 18 points, the third and fourth-best marks on the team.

“You can’t ask for more from a freshman,” Syracuse head coach Lynn Farquhar said.

When Aubrey’s recruitment opened in June 2023, Maryland was atop her list. She visited the campus, fell in love with its facilities and admired its program, committing there in September 2023.

But it wasn’t meant to be.

Months after her commitment, Aubrey questioned whether Maryland was the right place to thrive. She said she was “outgrowing” her decision, so she asked for a release in January 2025 and reopened her recruitment.

“She didn’t see herself a part of that program and a part of that school and town,” Aubrey’s mother, Jill Turner, said. “It just wasn’t her vibe.”

In the spring, Aubrey garnered attention from field hockey powerhouses like North Carolina, Northwestern and Princeton. Then, as her senior year drew to a close, the process came to a halt.

Aubrey said she didn’t have time for recruiting calls and visits due to graduation-level events at her high school, The Hill School (Pennsylvania). Still, she thought it was the right decision.

Aubrey Turner huddles with the Orange in celebration after a goal. Turner shined in SU’s ACC Tournament win over Wake Forest, scoring two goals. Lindsay Baloun | Contributing Photographer

The Downingtown, Pennsylvania, native considered reclassifying to 2026 and going abroad before enrolling in January. But at the start of June, Aubrey told Jill she wanted to play in the fall. She was worried her momentum — winning a state championship with Hill, the top-ranked team in the nation — would fade.

On June 15, the idea of reclassifying quickly vanished. Claire Turner, Aubrey’s sister and a high school junior, was beginning her recruitment process. Syracuse was interested in Claire, leading Jill to speak with Farquhar and SU associate head coach Sam Brown via Zoom.

Jill immediately felt connected with Syracuse’s staff. She sternly told Aubrey she had to open up discussions with Farquhar and Co.

“I’ve talked to a lot of these coaches, and you get a good grasp on what they want out of the player, what they can do for the player and the person. And I just felt that with them,” Jill said.

So, two days later, Claire, Jill and Aubrey visited Syracuse. On the way there, Claire asked Aubrey what she was thinking. Aubrey was unsure at the time, but upon arriving at SU, she was instantly in awe.

It was a matter of time until Aubrey would commit.

“I was like, ‘This is beautiful. I love it here,’” Aubrey said. “I’ve never felt this way, and I’ve been to so many college campuses. There was just this feeling, and I knew (Syracuse) was the right place.”

“Claire was like, ‘I so see you there. I know this is the place for you,” she added.

During the visit, Aubrey toured the SU athletic facilities with Farquhar, met with an academic advisor and received campus tours.

Farquhar was direct with Aubrey, asking why she initially turned SU down. Aubrey said she had no idea. Syracuse’s head coach said she was excited about the visit but needed to ensure she’d have Aubrey on her roster in the fall.

Less than a week later, it was official. Aubrey committed to Syracuse.

“We’ve been to a lot of college campuses, and everything just blew us away on that campus,” Jill said.

It was a quick turnaround for Aubrey before she started her freshman season. Yet, Aubrey didn’t miss a beat in her training over the summer, continuing to play competitively with the WC Eagles, a Pennsylvania-based club team, and participating in the national championships in Virginia Beach.

Aubrey also coached younger athletes, hoping to grow the game she’d loved since fourth grade. Local parents contacted Aubrey for lessons, which she taught while simultaneously preparing for Syracuse.

Soon after, Aubrey seamlessly transitioned to college, Jill said. She added it helped that midfielder Taylor Bigbie and goalie Tane King, who played at Hill with Aubrey, also joined her at Syracuse.

Since joining the Orange, Aubrey’s received notes from upperclassmen stating she’s proved herself and has their respect.

“I think she’s been doing great, especially as a freshman, and our team talks a lot about how we want people to step on the field, we need that spark,” Hamilton said. “And I think that just embodies what Aubrey’s done for us.”

Jill specifically points to Liz Stange — who’s seven years older than Aubrey — as someone who helped Aubrey acclimate to Syracuse. Since Stange has experience playing overseas and at Rutgers, Jill said she offered advice to aid Aubrey’s transition.

Stange and Jill have discussed Aubrey’s development numerous times. The graduate student even mentioned a time when Aubrey wasn’t vocal enough and didn’t present herself for a pass during a game.

It’s safe to say Aubrey’s no longer “hiding.”

In her first game with SU, she recorded two goals and five points in a 15-0 thrashing of Lock Haven. The following weekend in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, Aubrey notched the game-sealing goal in a 2-0 win over then-No. 16 Rutgers and an early tally in SU’s 2-1 victory over then-No. 13 Ohio State. Even though graduate student Bo van Kempen was on a historic tear, Aubrey played a pivotal role in the Orange’s 6-0 start.

“Every time she’s on the field, she’s making something happen,” Hamilton said.

The ACC/Big Ten performance was just a tune-up for her postseason debut.

Against the Demon Deacons, Aubrey gave Syracuse one of its first signature wins under Farquhar.

Just nine days later, against No. 6 Liberty, she notched a game-winner in a penalty stroke-off to give SU its first NCAA Tournament victory since 2023.

Playing through norovirus became a defining moment of Aubrey’s young career, but it wouldn’t have been possible without taking a chance on the Orange to begin.

“She has worked, and continues to work diligently and very hard every single day, all year round,” Jill said. “She loves the game. She’s passionate about the game. She’s a true competitor through and through.”

Published on November 19, 2025 at 10:49 pm
Contact Spencer: sabrod@syr.edu | @spencerbrod20