The 2023 Division III women’s soccer season begins on Friday, September 1, when eight of the Liberty League’s ten teams have their season openers. Conference play gets underway on September 19 (St. Lawrence at Union) and September 20 (Skidmore at Clarkson, William Smith at RIT).
The top six teams in the Liberty League standings at the end of the regular season qualify for the conference postseason. The 2023 tournament will take place Tuesday, October 31 through Sunday, November 5. On October 31st, two first round games at the site of the third and fourth seeds (top-two seeds receive byes) will take place against the sixth and fifth seed, respectively. First Round winners advance to the semifinals at the site of the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds on Friday, November 3. Semifinal winners then advance to the championship game on Sunday, November 5 at the highest remaining seed. The winner of the title game will be recognized as the Liberty League champions and earn the league’s automatic qualifier to the NCAA Tournament.
Team previews are sorted by 2022 standings.
2022 LIBERTY LEAGUE W. Soccer Standings
Team (Overall Record, Liberty League Record)
- William Smith (14-2-6, 6-0-3)Ithaca (13-4-4, 6-2-1)
- Skidmore (10-2-4, 5-1-3)
- RIT (13-4-3, 5-3-1)
- Vassar (8-5-5, 4-2-3)
- Clarkson (9-6-4, 4-3-2)
- St. Lawrence (6-6-3, 2-5-2)
- RPI (3-7-5, 1-4-4)
- Union (8-7-2, 2-6-1)
- Bard (3-13-1, 0-9-0)
William Smith College
William Smith finished the year with a 14-2-6 overall record (6-0-3 Liberty League) and a trip to the NCAA quarterfinals. The Herons captured their 15th straight Liberty League regular season title but did see their Liberty League tournament title streak (14) snapped last November with a 0-0 tie, falling in penalty kicks in the championship game. William Smith regrouped in the NCAA tournament after earning an at-large bid, reeling off three straight victories before falling in the quarterfinals. With 12 players who started 10 or more games returning for the 2023 campaign, the Herons will look to make a run for this year’s regular season and tournament titles. Two-time Liberty League Defensive Player of the Year Julia Berg and All-Liberty League honorable mention honoree Ava Brazie returns after leading one of the stingiest defenses in the nation last year, the team finished the year ranked fourth in shutout percentage (.627) and 16th in goals against average (.490) among Division III teams. They also posted 16 shutouts on the year, tying for fifth in Division III. All-Liberty League first-team selection Ava Ruppersberger headlines the team’s offensive returnees, which includes nine players who recorded double-digits in points a year ago. Ruppersberger paced the team in points (22), goals (8), and assists (6). She finished the year second in the league in goals per game (.364), third in points per game (1.00), and fourth in assists per game (.273).
Ithaca College
For the first time since the fall of 2007, a new Liberty League team was crowned champion in women’s soccer with Ithaca (13-4-4) claiming the 2022 title. The Bombers won in dramatic fashion during the conference playoffs with a 1-0 overtime victory in the semifinals against Clarkson and winning a penalty kick shootout, following a 0-0 tie in the championship game against defending champion William Smith. The Bombers earned the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, where they reached the second round. Ithaca opens the 2023 season fully loaded with seven returning starters leading the way. Rosie Bostian (All-Liberty League first team) and Kaelyn Fernandez (United Soccer Coaches All-Region third team) highlight the Bombers’ top returning offensive weapons, as the pair played in all 21 games last season. Bostian scored a team-high eight goals and added an assist for 17 points while Fernandez recorded six points on two goals and two assists. Defenders Allison Heft (21 games, All-Liberty League second team) and Clare Sunderland (21 games) are also back; they bolster a defensive corps that posted 10 shutouts and held opponents to a 0.98 goals against average last year.
Skidmore College
Skidmore returned to the league tournament for the second consecutive season and the Thoroughbreds earned the third seed, hosting a home playoff game for the first time since 2013. They finished the year at 10-2-4 overall with a 5-1-3 mark against league opponents. With a bevy of talent returning to Saratoga Springs, including All-Liberty League first-team selections forward Kat Dunn and goalkeeper Claire Wolgast, expectations are high for the Skidmore women’s soccer team in 2023. Dunn, the reigning Liberty League Offensive Player of the Year, posted a team-high eight goals for six points in 16 games last season. Among league leaders, she tied for second in points per game (1.00) and fifth in goals per game (0.50). She paced the league in game-winning goals with five. Wolgast had a standout junior season in net, finishing the year as the league’s top goalkeeper in save percentage (.923), saves per game (6.00), and goals against average (.538). Other key contributors for the Thoroughbreds are midfielder Paige Karl (16 games, 1G, 2A) and defender Chloe Binder (16 games).
Rochester Institute of Technology
RIT wrapped up a strong 2022 season, closing the year at 13-4-3 with its fifth straight trip to the conference tournament and an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament. It was the Tigers’ first appearance in NCAAs since 2018, and they moved on to the second round. RIT opens 2023 with a core nucleus of veterans as they look to improve upon that 13-4-3 mark (5-3-1 Liberty League). This year’s squad is headlined by the return of forward Emma Schock, defender Roberta Moger, and goalkeeper Emily Sanchez. In 20 games, Schock finished the year with four goals and two assists for 10 points, good for third on the team. Moger was a dual threat for the Tigers in her rookie season. She was part of a defensive unit that held opponents to 12 goals while chipping in eight points with three goals and two assists. Sanchez will step into the primary goalkeeper role after seeing action in seven games (5 starts) last season. She finished the year with an unblemished 5-0-0 record and allowed only two goals in 483 minutes. Sanchez posted a .818 save percentage and a 0.37 save percentage along with three shutouts.
Vassar College
Vassar closed out last season with an 8-5-5 overall record and a 4-2-3 conference ledger. The Brewers were the fifth seed of the league tournament, earning a spot in the postseason for the seventh straight year. The team welcomes back eight starters from a year ago and they will be led by a quartet of All-Liberty League selections—defender Jessica Young, forward Claire Karlin, midfielder Noelle Namba, and goalkeeper Teresa Zimmer. Young earned All-Liberty League first-team honors after anchoring a Brewer defensive line that allowed just 10 goals in 18 games. She also scored two goals. Zimmer (All-Liberty League honorable mention) joins Young after playing nearly every minute in net for Vassar last season. She finished the year at 8-5-5 to go along with a league-best nine shutouts. She topped the league in shutouts per game (.500) while ranking second in goals against average (.575) and seventh in save percentage (.783). Karlin was named an All-Liberty League second-team honoree and will pilot the Vassar offense after pacing the team in goals (6) and points (12) last season. Namba earned All-Liberty League honorable mention honors; she started all 18 games at midfield and netted two goals last season.
Clarkson University
Clarkson (9-6-4, 4-3-2 Liberty League) capped off the 2022 regular season on a five-game unbeaten streak to earn a spot in the Liberty League tournament for the first time since 2017. In the postseason, the Golden Knights pushed both games to overtime with a 1-0 victory in the first round and a 1-0 defeat in the semifinals. With most of the team back on the field for the 2023 campaign, Clarkson will look to make some noise in the standings. The Golden Knights will be led by a pair of All-Liberty League second-team picks in goalkeeper Molly DiCaprio and midfielder Emily Colby. DiCaprio started all 19 games in net last season, posting a .837 save percentage and a 0.90 goals against average, ranking her third and sixth in the league. She recorded six shutouts, good for third among league leaders. Colby started 18 contests and finished among the team’s top-10 in points with four goals. Maddie Lopol (All-Liberty League honorable mention) and Chloe Hodge are also back after contributing 11 points apiece to the offense a year ago. In 19 games, Lopol netted five goals and added an assist, while Hodge dished out a team-high seven assists and scored two goals.
St. Lawrence University
A year of experience should translate well on the field for St. Lawrence as the Saints welcome back 10 players from the 2022 squad that started at least 10 games last year. Goalkeeper Keely Snode headlines those returning starters as she wrapped up her sophomore campaign with over 1,258 minutes in net. In 15 games, she went 5-6-3 to go along with a .825 save percentage and a 1.00 goals against average. Snode tied for third in the Liberty League in shutouts (6) and saves per game (4.40), while also ranking fourth in save percentage, and shutouts per game (.400). She will be joined by defender Mia Cence, who played and started all 15 games last season. The Saints’ top-two scorers also return—Meredith Donahue (3G, 2A) and Emma Casey (2G, 3A), who tallied eight and seven points respectively. They both played in all 15 games last year.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
RPI opens the 2023 campaign as a seasoned team with 11 seniors headlining the Engineers, including goalkeeper Megan Wampner and forward Gwen Barnes. Wampner played in all 15 games last season, compiling a .782 save percentage and 1.14 goals against average. She made 43 saves, averaging 2.87 per game, good for sixth among league goalkeepers. Barnes paced the Engineers in scoring with nine points. She netted a team-high four goals and handed out an assist in 15 games. Greta Heldman, an All-Liberty League second-team selection, is back after a breakout rookie season. She came off the bench in her first three games and then was a starter in the last 12 games of the season. Heldman, Wampner, and the Engineers held opponents to 1.07 goals per game; they ended the year with five shutouts and six matches where they allowed only one goal.
Union College
It could be a rebuilding year for Union as the Garnet Chargers open the year with seven first-year players, however, a core returning group brings experience to the field. Sam Friedman is back as a junior after earning All-Liberty League second-team accolades last season. She played and started all 17 games for Union, finishing the year with a team and league-best 3.53 shots per game. She totaled 60 shots on the year, good for third in the Liberty League. Friedman also paced the squad in points (12), goals (5), and assists (2). Among her five goals, three were game-winning tallies. Annie Pearl also returns after appearing and starting in all 17 games in her rookie season.
Bard College
With seven starters back in the lineup for Bard, the Raptors are ready to make strides this season. Forward Emma Kuntz returns for her senior campaign after leading the team in goals (3), and points (7) in 16 games last year. Defender Carina Cooke and goalkeeper Seymone Rosenberg also return to bolster the Bard roster. Cooke played in all 17 games and made 16 starts while Rosenberg made 10 starts in net. In 810 minutes, Rosenberg posted a .726 save percentage and made 53 saves. She finished the year ranked fifth in saves, and saves per game (3.31) among league leaders.