LATHAM, N.Y. - The United East is excited to begin its second year sponsoring field hockey, highlighted by the addition of two new programs. This year, six teams will play under the conference banner as St. Mary's College of Maryland comes over from the Atlantic East Conference and Penn State Harrisburg begins its first year as a sposnored program.
Last year, Keystone went undefeated in conference play en route to the first ever United East Champion title. This season, the Giants will look defend their crown as the postseason kicks off on November 9 with a pair of semifinal contests.
Find the full schedule HERE:
2024 UNITED EAST FIELD HOCKEY SCHEDULE
Keystone College
(2023 Record: 3-0 UEC, 11-6 Overall)
The Giants hoisted the Championship trophy just a year ago and will look to do the same this 2024 season. Coming off a perfect 3-0 conference record, second-year head coach Erin McGinley has scheduled a tough non-conference schedule to help the team prepare including games against Stevens Institute of Technology on October 9 and Kean University on October 29. The 2023 United East Defensive Player of the Year returns as Angelina Morley will look to top a 10 defensive save season from last year. She’ll have help on the offensive side as a pair of First Teamers in Victoria Mainero and Belen Rodriguez, who combined for 21 goals last year, also return to the Giant lineup.
Coach’s Outlook: “We are extremely excited for this season and the new opportunity every year presents! We have a very competitive schedule, and are looking forward to our returners leading this team, as well as seeing our freshman grow and develop and being an integral part of our team. Success is a combination of hard work, desire, passion, and believing in yourself and your team, and this team has the capability to utilize all of these qualities.” - Erin McGinley
Cedar Crest College
(2023 Record: 2-1, 6-13 Overall)
Kate Cochran has taken the head coaching reins at Cedar Crest in 2024 as the Falcons look to take the conference crown after coming just one game short last season. They will rely on some returning leadership including Reagan Ferst who was a First Team All-Conference defender and Olivia Horninger who claimed a Second Team All-Conference spot in the midfield. Grad student Mira Carver also returns after missing last season, adding plenty of depth to the midfield. The Falcons open up their season against Lycoming, hoping to avenge a narrow overtime loss from last year.
Coach’s Outlook: “We are putting in the work and have our eyes on the prize. Our team is gelling quickly and is chomping at the bit to get started with game play. We can't wait for the season.” - Kate Cochran
Wilson College
(2023 Record: 1-2 UEC, 9-6 Overall)
Wilson looks to emulate a solid 2023 season as the Phoenix finished the season with an overall record of 9-6. With 22-year veteran head coach Shelly Novak at the helm, the squad opens its 2024 season with an away bout at Washington & Jefferson College on August 30 before squaring off in the home opener against Wittenberg University on that Sunday. Captain Hailey Steele returns to the backline for the Phoenix while leading scorers Kate Seymour and Paige Ney look to continue making opponent’s lives difficult on the offensive end.
Coach’s Outlook: “We are really excited for the upcoming season. We have a great group of returners and are looking forward to meeting our incoming freshman.” - Shelly Novak
Lancaster Bible College
(2023 Record: 0-3 UEC, 4-13)
The Chargers head into 2024 with some big goals as Becky Elliott leads the squad in her seventh year as Head Coach. The start of the season provides some good competition as the team opens against Eastern Mennonite University on August 31 before taking on a tough Neumann squad later in the week. Molly Gray will wear the Captain band as the 2023 All-Conference First Teamer looks to add to her 23 career goals. She will have help from a veteran defense as Haley Stahl remains on the squad in the back position and Amanda Hoover between the pipes.
Coach’s Outlook: “We are looking forward to an exciting and challenging season. Our returners have been battle tested, playing almost every minute of every game over the last several years. They are tough and hungry! Our non-conference opponents will help us get ready for a more competitive conference play this year, as we add St Mary’s and Penn State Harrisburg. It will make for a fun and exciting October. This team is poised to move this program forward competitively, while staying true to our motto...All for H1M.” - Becky Elliott
St. Mary’s College of Maryland
(2023 Record: 6-0 Atlantic East, 13-6 Overall)
St. Mary’s College of Maryland looks to make a splash in its first season with the United East as the Seahawks join the conference after a stint with the Atlantic East Conference. There, the ‘Hawks went a perfect 6-0, capturing a conference title before falling to nationally-ranked Kean University in the NCAA Championship Opening Round. The squad returns plenty of talent on both ends of the field, including First Team All-Region selection Brenna Zigler who led the team in goals last year with 16. Defensively, senior Charlotte Horn returns to the field as she picked up a 2023 First Team All-Region nod as well. Coach Jessica Lanham loaded the non-conference schedule with some heavy hitters including contests against Washington and Lee to open up the season and a bout against Salisbury to round out the month of September.
Coach’s Outlook: “We are looking forward to returning an experienced squad for the 2024 fall season as we compete in the United East for the first time." - Jess Lanham
Penn State Harrisburg
(Program's First Season)
History will be made as Coach AJ Misselhorn leads the Lions in the program’s first official season. A strong class of first years will be aided by transfer Natalie Rocuskie, who tallied 26 career points at Division I Wagner University. Transfer netminder Macenzie Mulholland will also give the team a solid anchor as she competed at Division II Shippensburg last season. Despite being a first year program, the Lions have slated some tough opponents including their home opener against FDU-Florham on September 4th. A week later, they then square off in a game against Lebanon Valley College, which features a battle of sisters as Harrisburg’s Rachel Lane looks to defeat sister Rebecca Lane who plays for LVC
Coach’s Outlook: “ This young team has a a great variety of players from different High Schools, ready to start our first season in Penn State Harrisburg history. We have some returning talent in Rachel Lane, Lancaster Mennonite/Tigers FHC and #12 Lexi Nasuta, 2nd year defender from Susquehanna Township/Central Penn FHC. Our three transfers will bring some experience (#1 Natalie Rocuskie, Grad Student/Forward from D1 Wagner, #5 Bailey Rucker from D3 Stevenson Univ. and #96 GK Macenzie Mulholland from D2 Shippensburg). We have some great incoming freshmen who won State Titles in High School (McKenzie Grady - Lower Dauphin and Callie Shover from Mechanicsburg and Kylie Rife from Boiling Springs) and we have a newcomer who is trying FH for the first time and used to run Cross Country and play soccer, #6 Sarah Gibbons. We are also proud of our 3rd year Penn State Harrisburg Student-Athlete #3 Maggie Kutz, who is majoring in Career Studies and is the first Field Hockey player with Down Syndrome to be a college student-athlete at Penn State Harrisburg (we also think first first NCAA Field Hockey student-athlete with player with Down Syndrome to ever be on a college team. Maggie's sister is a first year Field Hockey player at Ohio State University and brother is a baseball player at Lipscolm Univ.)” - AJ Misselhorn
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The United East boasts 17 NCAA Division III full member institutions which include: Bryn Athyn College, Cairn University, Cedar Crest College, Gallaudet University, Keystone College, Lancaster Bible College, Notre Dame of Maryland University, Penn College, Penn State Abington, Penn State Berks, Penn State Brandywine, Penn State Harrisburg, Rosemont College, Saint Elizabeth University, St. Mary's College of Maryland, University of Valley Forge, and Wilson College. For more information, please visit gounitedeast.com.