IMMACULATA, Pa.- After earning a spot in the Atlantic East Tournament for the third year in a row at the end of the 2019 season, head coach Kate Stopford and the Immaculata field hockey team enter the 2021 season eager to return to the postseason following a shortened 2020 season a year ago, which did not include postseason play.
 
In the preseason poll released by the Atlantic East coaches a week ago, Immaculata was picked to finish fifth in the league with 11 points. The Macs were to begin their season on September 1^st at home against nationally-ranked Kean; however, this contest was postponed due to the impacts of the remnants of Hurricane Ida in the Mid-Atlantic Region. Following this postponement, Immaculata will now open its 2021 season on the road on Saturday afternoon at Eastern before traveling to Haverford on Monday in the first two games of a three-game road trip to open the season. Immaculata will return home on September 11^th to host Kings in the Mighty Macs home opener.
 
"I am extremely excited for the upcoming season," opened Stopford. "I have high expectations for all of my girls, both new players, and returners. Last spring, we were just grateful to get a short season and begin developing as a team, but I am really looking forward to developing to an even higher level and seeing what his team is capable of. Preseason has been such a blessing for us especially compared to last season when we didn't have one. Even though it is difficult work and demanding for the players, it is truly the best time to develop team chemistry and build the foundation for our program. We had a good, tough scrimmage against West Chester, and we knew it would be that heading into it, but our expectations were to compete and work our hardest, and I did see that from the team last week. That scrimmage gave me a first glimpse of who works well in what position and what groups of girls work well together on the field. I am very encouraged for the rest of the season as we begin building up for conference play in October," said Stopford.
 
In 2020, Immaculata played to a record of 1-3 as the Macs captured a decisive victory over Wesley in their final home game of the year while falling to Gwynedd Mercy and Wesley in other action. Immaculata returns several key components from the 2020 squad led by junior Maddy Edwards, who ended her sophomore campaign as the team's leading scorer with three goals for six points on the year. Lauren Buckel and Lauren Vandenbraak also scored their first collegiate points in 2020 as they each recorded an assist to help facilitate the Mighty Mac offense. In addition to the return of Edwards, Buckel, and Vandenbraak, Immaculata returns a number of other key players from a season ago in captain Katie Mulvey, Gabby Grecco, Emily Kipers, Nicole Vigna, Theresa Cerruti, Gianna Gatto, Sophia Carlin, and Gianna Bedwell.
 
"I'll be looking to my returning players to be commanding on the field and hold themselves accountable as well as our new girls. I will also be looking for leadership from our returning defender and captain, Katie Mulvey. Both Lauren Buckel and Lauren Vandenbraak demonstrated a high level of urgency on the field last spring, and I am looking forward to seeing them play as sophomores this season. Also returning are junior Nicole Vigna and Maddy Edwards, who will be key players on defense and in the midfield. I'm also looking forward to seeing Theresa get more playing time and using her speed and aggression to score some goals. Gabby Greco will be another midfielder who will also be relied upon a lot from her defense and forwards as she transitions the ball and works the team chemistry on the field," continued Stopford.
 
In addition to the strong group of returners for the Macs in 2021, Immaculata also welcomes a strong group of freshmen, including a trio of goalies in Julia Levase, Ashley Finkbiner, and Grace Gauld, along with Caitlin Ryan, Stephanie Webb, Alli Johnson, Samantha Zane, Madalyn Bonner, Kaitlin Gale, Camryn Oliver, Zoe Abe, Ryann Shemeley, Jackelyn Cardona, Nia Jones, Rory Watson, and Kelsey Corbett whom all figure to help the Macs be successful in 2021.
 
"Our goalies this year are all freshman, and they have some big shoes to fill since losing our senior goalkeeper last season. They all understand their role as a freshman goalie and have all demonstrated a desire to earn that starting spot and defend for the Mighty Macs. Not only have they all been aggressive during our practices and scrimmage, but they are great at communicating on the backline, and I can already tell that everybody on the field trusts them to be in the goal. We also have a variety of defenders, midfielders, and forwards who are coming in, and I'm excited to see all of them contribute to our success this year," explained Stopford.
 
Stopford also expressed excitement regarding her coaching staff for the upcoming season as she explained, "We're excited to add Meredith Katona to our staff, who is an alum and former volunteer coach to our coaching staff this fall. Heather DiCanzio will also be returning to volunteer her time with the team when she is able to do so. Both of these women offer a versatile knowledge and skillset to the coaching staff, and I'm looking to them working with each of the girls," said Stopford.
 
"I think that everybody understands their role and importance on the team whether they are competing in practice and helping others perform better or they are on the field during the game, under pressure and working their hardest to come out with a win. Overall, I'm just really excited about what this season will bring for us. I have a really good feeling about this group of young ladies who have been working hard and are ready to compete," concluded Stopford.

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