CLINTON, N.Y. - The SUNY Geneseo field hockey team faces Hamilton in the first round of the NCAA Division III Tournament, Wednesday evening at 5 p.m. in Clinton, N.Y. This will mark the 19th meeting between the two programs, with Hamilton holding a slight edge at 10-8. Geneseo will compete in the NCAA Tournament for the fifth time in program history, as the Knights continue to look for their first win on the national stage.

Wednesday's winner will face a quick turn around, traveling to Babson on Saturday, Nov. 15 for a 2 p.m. game against the winner of Wesleyan and Marywood.

IMPORTANT LINKS
CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL
Can't make the trip to Clinton, N.Y.? Follow along from home with these links - WATCH | LIVE STATS

YEAR IN REVIEW
The Knights opened the season on a high note, picking up wins over RPI and Kenyon on the opening weekend of the season, then making it four-straight wins by knocking off William Smith and Skidmore. Geneseo hit a speed bump against Ithaca in a 2-1 defeat, but then rattled off 16-straight wins en route to the program's second consecutive Empire 8 title. The Knights were dominant in the postseason, out-scoring St. John Fisher and Nazareth by a combined score of 11-1.

The Knights offense and defense was firing on all cylinders throughout the season, out-scoring their opponents by a margin of 100-12. Additonally, Geneseo's defense held their opponents to just 4.3 shots per game.

Margaret McConnell and her coaching staff of Gianna Palma, Meg Reitz, and Kristin Gebhart were named the Coaching Staff of the Year aftering lead the Knights to a 10-0 league mark. The Knights, who are second nationally in goals and points per game, have been a mainstay in the National Field Hockey Coaches Association top-20 throughout the season and have now won 23 straight games (regular season and postseason) against Empire 8 opponents since joining in 2024.

"M.V.P. M.V.P. M.V.P!"
Sara O'Donnell was named the Tournament MVP O'Donnell patrolled the midfield for the Knights in their two Empire 8 Championship Tournament wins, as they out-scored No. 4 St. John Fisher and No. 3 Nazareth University by a combined 11-1 in the tournament to roll to the league title and earn the Empire 8's automatic berth into the 2025 NCAA Division III Field Hockey Championship Tournament. O'Donnell's standout play in the transition game allowed the Knights to out-shoot their opponents by a combined 54-10 in the tournament.

ALL-CONFERENCE HONORS
The Knights earned a total of 12 All-Conference honros this season, including three major honrs as Ella Greico earned Offensive Player of the Year after her record setting season, Halle Senfield was named the Rookie of the Year, and the coaching staff, led by Margaret McConnell, picked up Coaching Staff of the Year recognition. Joining Greico on Empire 8 First-Team was Aubree Wenner, Sam Lewis, Sara O'Donnell, and Shannon Cunningham. Senfield landed on Second-Team All-Conference with teammate Halle Senfield, while Bridget Schafer picked up Third-Team honors. One member of each team was named that institution's representative on the 2025 Field Hockey Tomorrow's Leaders Team. This team honors a student-athlete who has emerged as a leader not only on the field of play, but in the classroom and in the community. In addition, they "compete with honor and integrity" and have distinguished themselves and consistently exhibit the critical traits as outstanding sportswomen. For Geneseo, Molly Videla earned that honor.

GENESEO IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
Geneseo will compete in the NCAA Tournament for the fifth time in program history, and are still looking for the programs first win. Last season, the Knights fell in the opening round to Bryn Mawr in a heartbreaking 1-0 loss, and in 2019 Geneseo received a first-round bye, but fell to MIT 3-2 in the second round.

RECORD-SETTER
Junior forward Ella Greico recorded the best offensive season in program history for the Knights, setting new program marks in goals and points. She tallied 67 points on 28 goals and 11 assists, breaking the record of 24 and 59 set by Kayla DeAngelis in 2013. The New Hartford, N.Y. native excelled in league play, tallying 39 points on 16 goals and seven assists in 10 games versus E8 foes. Greico enters the NCAA Tournament having recorded at least one goal in 17 games, with four different hat-tricks and five contests with at least seven points. Greico is currently in the top-10 nationally in both goals (1.33 – sixth) and points (3.19 – sixth) per game.

ROOKIE PHENOM
Senfield was named the Empire 8 Rookie of the Year after enjoying an excellent rookie season for the Knights, tallying 25 points on 11 goals and three assists. She excelled in league play this season with 10 goals and 22 points in 10 E8 contests. She has scored two goals in a game four times this season. 

WENNER WENNER CHICKEN DINNER
Aubree Wenner was a staple in the Knights offensive attack all season long, recording 14 goals and 5 assists for 33 points, the second-most on the team. Her season was highlighted by the double overtime win over Susquehanna, where she picked up the assist on the game-tying goal in the fourth quarter, then scored the game-winner in double overtime. Wenner's five game-winning goals are the second most on the team.

SHARING IS CARING
Geneseo finished the season second in the country in assists per game, racking them up at a clip of 3.14 per game. Sam Lewis led that charge for the Knights, totaling 13 assists this season to tie the program record set by Michelle Milkovich in 2010. Lewis also moved into second in program history for career assists at 34, just two shy of tying Milkovich's record.

DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS
Geneseo's impressive defensive performances powered their 20-1 record this season, recording a shutout in 13 of their 21 games played, good enough for third in the country in shutouts per game. Shannon Cunningham was a key player in the Knights defensive efforts this season, earning Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Week two times this year. Junior goalkeeper Bridget Schafer tallied nine shutouts on the season, moving her to fourth all-time in career shutouts. Schafer tallied 38 saves on the season while only allowing nine goals.

TALE OF THE TAPE (NCAA DIII RANKS)
CATEGORY                                     GENESEO    
GOALS PER GAME                         2ND (4.76)     
POINTS PER GAME                        2ND (12.67)      
ASSISTS PER GAME                      2ND (3.14)    
SCORING MARGIN                         2ND (4.14)         
SHUTOUTS PER GAME                 3RD (0.62) 
PENALTY CORNERS PER GAME  2ND (11.48)