With two Liberty League regular season titles since 2021 and four straight trips to the conference tournament, the Ithaca College field hockey team was recognized as the preseason favorite following a vote of the league's head coaches for the upcoming 2024 season.
The coaches took notice of the league's competitiveness as it is shaping up to be an exciting year with eight teams vying for five playoff spots. Last year, only three wins in league play separated all five teams that qualified for the 2023 Liberty League tournament. In the 2024 preseason poll, Ithaca compiled 48 points and earned six first-place votes (coaches cannot vote for their teams) to earn top accolades. The University of Rochester had a pair of first-place votes and 42 total points for second. The back-to-back Liberty League defending champions, William Smith College (35), was tabbed third. Union College (28) rounded out the top four teams, finishing one point ahead of Vassar College (27). Not far behind in sixth was Skidmore College with 23 points. The Thoroughbreds were followed by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI, 14) and St. Lawrence University (7).
On August 27, the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) announced the 2024 Division III preseason poll, and a pair of league teams were featured among the top 25: Ithaca (23) and William Smith.
Ithaca College
Ithaca closed out the 2023 campaign with a 15-6 overall mark and a 6-1 record in league play. The Bombers earned an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament, where they advanced to the second round. With a veteran squad back for the 2024 season, Ithaca is looking to make another run in the league tournament. A pair of All-Liberty League first-team selections lead the way for the Bombers this season with 2023 Liberty League Defensive Player of the Year Bella McCollister and attack Natalie Descalso returning to the field for their senior seasons. McCollister played every minute of every game last year; she spearheaded the Bomber defense that held opponents to 1.14 goals per game (25 total), good for second in the conference. Offensively, all three of Ithaca's top scorers from last year are back. Descalso finished the year with a team-high 13 assists and 27 points. She also scored seven goals while leading the conference in assists per game (.591) and shots on goal (56, 2.55 per game). Descalso was among the top six in shots (2nd, 87), shots per game (3.95), points (4th), and points per game (6th, 1.23). Classmates Juliana Valli and Meara Bury returned; they recorded 20 and 19 points last season, respectively. Valli paced the team in goals (9) and handed out two assists; Bury recorded a team- and league-best four game winners; she totaled eight goals and dished out three assists on the year.
University of Rochester
Rochester extended its postseason streak to 12 consecutive seasons to close out 2023 as the third seed, and the Yellowjackets finished the year at 14-7 overall (5-2 Liberty League). There will be big shoes to fill with the departure of Maeve Fogarty, the 2023 Liberty League Offensive Player of the Year, and All-Liberty League first-team defender Elisabeth Sidorski. However, a core nucleus of players is back in the Flower City, and the Yellowjackets are poised to continue its postseason streak heading into 2024. All-Liberty League first-team goalie Kara Houston and All-Liberty League second-team attack Zoe Conomikes headline the squad's returning players. Houston paced the conference in goals against average (0.69), save percentage (.842), and shutouts (8) as well as minutes played (1,300). In Division III, she finished her sophomore season among the top ten in goals against average (8th) and save percentage (8th). Conomikes will pilot the offense after ranking second on the team in points (21), thanks to seven goals and seven assists last year. She led the league in shots (91) and shots per game (4.33) while ranking third in shots on goals (48, 2.29 per game). She was also among the top ten in game-winning goals (3, T-3rd), assists (T-3rd), and points (8th). Other key returnees include midfielders Anya Arseneau (21 games; 4 G, 1 A), Jess Unkel (21 games; 2 G), and Mara Heppard (21 games; 1 G, 2 A).
William Smith College
William Smith won its second straight Liberty League title thrillingly last November with two 1-0 games, the semifinals against Rochester, and Ithaca in the championship match before moving on to the NCAA tournament, where the Herons advanced to the second round. They finished the year at 14-8 overall (5-2 Liberty League). It could be a rebuilding year as the defending Liberty League champions open the 2024 campaign with the graduation of 13 and two starters back in Geneva from last year's team. The Herons will be young, with 11 first-year collegiate players; however, a trio of seniors—Rebecca Mantione, Hannah Hutson, and Katherine Jacobia, will bring a veteran presence to the roster. Mantione, an All-Liberty League first-team selection, had a solid junior season, starting all 22 games, where she paced William Smith in points (23) and goals (10) and added three assists. She was ranked fifth in goals among league leaders and ninth in points. Hutson was also a starter in all 22 games; she scored three goals and handed out three assists for nine points. She was fourth on the team in points and ninth in the conference in assists. Jacobie played in 11 games last season as a midfielder/defender. Lily Gutch is also back, and the attack/midfielder will look to step up her offensive production this year. In 22 games and two starts in 2023, she scored a pair of goals and added an assist for five points.
Union College
Union (11-8, 4-3 Liberty League) will look to build upon one of its most successful seasons in program history as the Garnet Chargers recorded 11 wins for the second consecutive season and earned the program's first postseason berth in 13 years. A year of experience should bode well for the squad, as first-years and sophomores accounted for 67 percent of the team's offense last year. Maggie Greco (2023 Liberty League Rookie of the Year) and Megan Dorsey, both All-Liberty League first-team honorees, will bring the offensive firepower this year as the pair played in all 19 games last season and recorded a team-leading 28 points apiece. Greco tallied a team-best 13 goals and added two assists. She also tied for a team-best three game-winning goals. She finished among the conference's top five in goals (T-1st), game-winning goals (T-3rd), goals per game (3rd, .684), points (3rd), and points per game (T-4th, 1.47). Dorsey registered ten goals and had a team-high eight assists. She recorded at least one point in a team-leading 12 games this season, ending the year with points in eight of her last ten contests. Grace Goddard returns as a senior. In 19 games last season, she scored five goals and one assist for 11 points, good for sixth on the team.
Vassar College
Vassar returned to the league tournament for the 10th consecutive season in 2023, where the Brewers went 11-7 overall and posted a 5-2 mark against conference opponents. They will look to continue their postseason prowess heading into 2024; they will be a young squad with the return of only three starters from a year ago. Sofia Beseth, an All-Liberty League honorable mention selection, highlights the Brewers' returning players. In 18 games, she led the team with nine goals and 20 points last year. She handed out a pair of assists and posted three game-winning goals, which ties her for third among league leaders. Beseth was seventh in goals per game (.500) and eighth in points per game (1.11). Karina Hoffman returns to bolster the offense after playing in all 18 games last season. She totaled nine points (4G, 1A), fourth on the team. Last season, the Brewers held opponents to 26 goals (1.4 per game), third in the Liberty League. In seven league games, they allowed only six goals (.857 per game). Gianna Hoover returns as a junior to anchor the defense after playing in 17 games last season (15 starts).
Skidmore College
A year of experience should translate well for Skidmore, as the Thoroughbreds welcomed six first years last season. With only two departures due to graduation, 18 players from the 2023 squad return. A trio of All-Liberty League selections, who were ranked one through three in scoring for Skidmore last year, are back in Saratoga: Kayla Hassett (second team), CC Wetter (second team), and Abby Ezickson (honorable mention). Wetter (13 games) and Ezickson (16 games) led the team with 25 points apiece. They both netted a team-best 11 goals, second in the Liberty League last season, and each handed out three assists. Wetter (1.92) was tops in the league, and Ezickson was third (1.56) in points per game. Hassett played in all 17 games last season, where she tallied a team-high seven assists and netted four goals for 15 points, making her third on the team. Hassett, a midfielder, and returning goalkeeper Victoria Bodnar helped lead the Thoroughbreds' defensive effort that held opponents to two goals or fewer six times last season. Bodnar started all 17 games between the pipes for Skidmore, where she recorded 124 saves and compiled a .734 save percentage in 968 minutes. She averaged 7.29 saves per game, third among Liberty League goalies.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
RPI will also be a seasoned squad this season with the graduation of only three. The Engineers open 2024 with ten starters from last year, including All-Liberty League honorees Lauren McCarthy (second team) and Abby Peterson (honorable mention). McCarthy was a starter in all 17 games last year and led the Engineers with eight goals and 19 points. In addition, she recorded three assists and one game-winning goal. Peterson was also a starter in all 17 games and finished the year third in scoring with 10 points. She scored a pair of goals and added a team-high six assists. Peterson also recorded two defensive saves. Ria Patel is another key returnee for RPI. The midfielder had a strong rookie campaign last year, appearing in 16 games and making 14 starts. She finished the year second on the team in assists (4) and fourth on the team in points (6)
St. Lawrence University
St. Lawrence was a young squad last season, and the Saints head into the 2024 campaign with six players with starting experience. Senior defender Suzy L'Hommedieu headlines this year's team. The All-Liberty League second-team selection anchored the Saints' defense, where she recorded three defensive saves on the year. She also had a hand in the offense with three points, thanks to one goal and one assist. Classmate Cara Vredenburg returns to the backfield; the All-Liberty League second-team goalie played 11 games (10 starts) last year and finished the year with 104 saves (10.4 per game) and a .800 save percentage in 587 minutes of play. She paced league goalies in saves per game and was second in goals against average. Offensively, Mayson Blondek and Maggie Spire lead the way as the pair of juniors tied for a team-high 10 points last year. They each recorded five goals apiece. Other key returnees include junior Caroline Hamilton (15 games; 2G, 1A) and sophomore Maddy Shaw (15 games, 1A).
The 2024 campaign starts on Friday, August 30, with seven of the league's eight teams diving into non-conference action. Skidmore, Rochester, RPI, and Vassar are all hosting season openers, while Ithaca (Union, N.J.), St. Lawrence (Utica, N.Y.), and William Smith (Rochester, N.Y.) are on the road. Union's first game of the year is Saturday, August 31, at home. League play begins on Saturday, September 28, with Union heading west to Ithaca. It gets into full swing on Saturday, October 5, with a quartet of games— Rochester at Union, RPI at Skidmore, Vassar at St. Lawrence, and William Smith at Ithaca.
2024 Liberty League FH Preseason Poll
Place. Team, Points (First Place Votes)
- Ithaca, 46 (6)
- Rochester, 42 (2)
- William Smith, 35
- Union, 28
- Vassar, 27
- Skidmore, 23
- RPI, 14
- St. Lawrence, 7