Field Hockey Opens 50th Season on Friday

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Field Hockey

Fri. Sep 5

6 p.m.

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Field Hockey

Sun. Sep 7

12 p.m.

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Field Hockey

Fri. Sep 12

5 p.m.

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Field Hockey

Sun. Sep 14

3:30 p.m.

Field Hockey

Fri. Sep 19

5 p.m.

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Field Hockey

Sun. Sep 21

12 p.m.

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Field Hockey

Fri. Sep 26

6 p.m.

As the 50th season of Davidson field hockey gets underway Friday, the Wildcats aspire to continue their recent upward trend.

Coming off back-to-back seven-win seasons and their best overall record (7-8) since 2011, the Wildcats will open play at noon against Georgetown in a neutral site game at Towson.

"I'm so excited for this special year with Team 50," said coach Zoe Almquist, who enters her seventh season leading the program. "Our practices have been super-high tempo, and the overall atmosphere with this group has just been really joyful. I give so much credit to my eight fantastic seniors for their incredible leadership, experience and energy, which has truly set the tone for how we want to play. All 27 of our Davidson athletes are ready and excited to compete hard, show up at our best and show off all the work we've been putting in since January."

Davidson was voted fourth in the seven-team Atlantic 10 Conference's preseason poll, which was released this week. That matched the highest preseason poll spot (T-4th of 9 teams in 2016) since the Wildcats joined the A-10 in 2014.

Additionally, their two-year win total (14) is the best since the Wildcats also won 14 in 2015 (8) and 2016 (6).

Davidson went 3-4 in A-10 play last season, earning its most league wins since 2015 (5). And with consecutive wins over La Salle, Saint Louis and Lock Haven, the Wildcats had their first three-game A-10 win streak since 2015.

LEADING THE WAY
Two of the league's top players return to lead the Wildcats.

Senior Sib Naaktgeboren (MF/F) and junior Matilda Collins (B/MF) were Second Team A-10 selections last season and also garnered preseason recognition this week. Both were named to the 11-player A-10 Preseason Team and were included on the National Field Hockey Coaches Association's Preseason Watchlist.

Last season, Naaktgeboren earned Second Team honors for the second straight year, becoming just the second Wildcat to receive consecutive all-conference honors in the A-10 (Melissa Funsten, 2014-15). She led the Wildcats with five goals and 14 points, while leading the A-10 with 3.40 shots and 2.0 shot-on-goal per game.

Collins was an A-10 All-Rookie pick as a freshman in 2023, prior to earning Second Team honors in 2024. She contributed as a key defensive player, while also chipping in with three goals and two assists.

MORE ON THE 'CATS
• Sophomore Eva van der Kooi (B/MF) returns after an A-10 All-Rookie Team selection in 2024 when she scored two goals and had an assist.

• In all, the Wildcats return 10 players from their regular rotation who played in at least 14 of 15 games last season. Celie Constantine, Liv Goeke and Ava Mickel joined Naaktgeboren in starting all 15 games a year ago.

• The Wildcats return 72 percent of their scoring, accounting for 18 of the 25 goals they totaled a year ago. Along with Naaktgeboren, Collins and van der Kooi, Mickel (2), Emelia Little (2), Constantine (1), Goeke (1), Sarah Grace Clifton (1) and Hannah Merritt (1) scored goals.

• Constantine led the team with five assists in 2024.

SEASON OPENERS
• Davidson has Georgetown listed first on the schedule for the fourth straight year.

• The Wildcats earned a 1-0 home victory in 2022 and a 3-2 win in 2023, also a neutral game at Towson.

• Last year's game in Davidson was declared a no contest after thunderstorms caused a stoppage at halftime with the Wildcats leading 5-1.

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Sarah Grace Clifton

Matilda Collins

Celie Constantine

Liv Goeke

Emelia Little

Hannah Merritt

Ava Mickel

Sib Naaktgeboren

Eva van der Kooi

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