Following a successful 2023 season that resulted in a North Coast Atlantic Conference (NCAC) regular season title, the Battling Bishops field Hockey team is ready for another dominating season.
In the coaches' preseason poll, the Bishops received over half of the votes to receive a first-place prediction. This ranking beat out both Dension and DePauw, two other teams to watch, with Photo courtesy of Battling Bishops Athletics only a single point separating Ohio Wesleyan from Denison.
During their last two seasons, the Bishops had a record of 37-4. Ohio Wesleyan concluded their 2023 season with a near-perfect 17-1 run, only falling short to Denison in the NCAC Championship game that resulted in a tight 1-0 overtime contest.
Even though the team has lost star players and senior leadership in players like Emily Streeter and Allie Crawford, the Bishops are still expected to excel and they have a promising roster to do so.
Olivia Danley, a junior midfielder, will be a key part of the team after collecting the title of NCAC Midfielder of the Year during the 2023 postseason. Danley scored 14 goals with seven assists last year, more than doubling her freshman season goal count of five. She started in all 18 games last season, and it is likely she will do the same this year as well.
Photo courtesy of Paul Vernon: Battling Bishops Athletics Website
Senior goalkeeper Meg McCarthy is also expected to get significant minutes. During her freshman season, she started in 14-out-of-16 games, followed by a sophomore season where she started all 19 games. During the 2023 season, McCarthy played in 16 games, starting 10, but still made her impact known on the field. Over the span of three seasons, she has only allowed 19 goals.
Other players to keep an eye on are Grace Ammon who had an impressive freshman campaign last year, being dubbed the NCAC Newcomer of the Year. Junior defender Alyssa Markell is another key player on the team, holding down the defense that kept 14 consecutive shutouts. Zoë Nelson, a senior midfielder, is crucial to creativity and momentum on the team, having played and started in almost every game since her freshman year.
The Bishops will kick off their season on August 30 at 4:30 p.m. on the road in Northampton, MA. They then will return home to take on Gettysburg on Saturday, September 7, at 12 p.m.
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