2025 NCAA Field Hockey Season Preview: Division II

Sep 2, 2025, 2:06 PM EDT

by Caroline Pease, USA Field Hockey's College Content Intern

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It’s shaping up to be another thrilling season as Division II field hockey takes the field this Thursday. With fewer programs than its Division I and III counterparts, nearly every matchup carries weight, and championship contenders can emerge from unexpected corners.

Here are some of the top programs looking to seize the spotlight in 2025.

Kutztown

Kutztown has always been a top contender in Division II, but the past few seasons the Golden Bears have proven their championship-winning grit and caliber. The team is coming off back-to-back runs to the national championship game, claiming the program’s first ever title in 2023 and then getting stunned by Saint Anselm in overtime last year. Kutztown enters 2025 as the top pick in both the NFHCA Division II National Coaches Poll and Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Preseason Poll.

The Golden Bears return a seasoned roster despite losing All-American talents like Juliana Donato and Sarah Gatehouse. The squad maintains seven of its 2024 starters, including senior duo Erin Gonzalez and Grace Harrold, who both appeared on the NFHCA Division II Watchlist. Two-time All-PSAC honoree Gonzalez returns after an All-American season as the team’s leading scorer with 13 goals. Harrold, a midfielder, garnered All-PSAC honors as well, notching a team-leading six assists. The team also has talent in returning starters like Jessica Traynor, Marissa Rice, and Marlee Fetrow.

Kutztown welcomes a robust rookie class of 11 athletes, including 2023 Wisconsin State Player of the Year Meyrl Mesenbrink and Warwick High School's all-time leading scorer Bree Zoccolo. In addition, the team picked up three sophomore Division I transfers: Olivia Kirkpatrick, Ellie Myers, and Taylor Vaccaro.

Coming into her 12th season at the helm of the program is Head Coach Marci Scheuing. In an interview with the university’s athletic department, Scheuing confirmed that the 2025 roster is “the deepest team that [Kutztown] [has] ever had”, in tandem with young talent.

Saint Anselm

Saint Anselm enters the 2025 season as the reigning NCAA Division II national champion, a historic first for the program after a thrilling postseason run that culminated in a title win over Kutztown. The Hawks have been voted first in the 2025 Northeast-10 (NE10) Preseason Poll and second in the NFHCA Division II National Coaches Preseason Poll.

Saint Anselm graduated nine starters after their magical season, including three NFHCA All-Americans, and will rely on returning talent and the incoming class to fill the gaps. Notably, senior midfielder Millie Forster earned a spot on the 2025 NFHCA Division II Watchlist, after being recognized on the NE10 All-Conference Second Team last fall. The Hawks will explore fresh potential with seven first-years, including Bella DiFiore, Breanna Shorey, and Audrey Payeur.

In an interview with NFHCA, Head Coach Carolyn King-Robitaille emphasized the team’s focus for the season: “Quite frankly, we won’t embrace ‘defending the crown’…The outcome is a result of the process.” The Hawks enter the season with high expectations for another potentially historic year.

Shippensburg

Reigning PSAC champion Shippensburg enters the 2025 season with aspirations of extending their NCAA Tournament appearance streak to five. The Raiders return 16 of 22 players from last year’s roster, including four starters and three NFHCA All-American honorees in Emma Albee, Agus Garibaldi, and Hannah White. Albee returns in goal after receiving the PSAC Defensive Player of the Year award. Garibaldi was a First-Team All-American and NFHCA All-Academic performer in 2024, finishing fourth nationally in Division II for points per game (2.19). The Raiders led the PSAC both in goals (80) and least allowed opposing goals (17) last year.

Shippensburg welcomes two Division I transfers—redshirt freshman Tess Naylor and redshirt sophomore Gabby Gober—in addition to four first-years, including Ava Kientzy and Gracie Hivner.

Following the departure of head coach Tara Zollinger to Delaware, the Raiders are well-positioned under new head coach Rayell Wallace, joined by assistant coach Annabel Skubisz, a recently graduated All-American goalkeeper at Northwestern.

Assumption

Riding off a dominant season that saw the Greyhounds capture another NE10 title, Assumption has once again emerged as a premier contender. After defeating Saint Anselm 3-0 in the conference title game, the Greyhounds faced the Hawks again in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament, suffering a narrow overtime loss. Assumption was selected to finish second in the recently released NE10 Preseason Poll, slotted just behind the defending national champions.

Now in her 14th season, Head Coach Annie Lahey aims to capitalize on last year’s 18-4 campaign, which included an unblemished 13-0 conference record and NE10 crown. Assumption has seven returning starters, in sync with the team’s seven-deep rookie class. Standout incoming players include Giada Broccoli and Madylan Alves.

Among their returners, the Greyhounds boast four standout players named to the 2025 NFHCA Division II Watchlist: Julia Carbone, Paige Gillette, Jillian McSorley, and Elle Murray. Carbone, a junior forward, tallied ten goals and five assists last season and earned All-NE10 Third Team honors. A stalwart in goal, Gillette finished out last season ranked fifth nationally in goals against average (0.94), while McSorley helped to anchor the stingy defense that led Division II in shutouts. Murray closed out as the team's top scorer with 12 goals, including two in key tournament matchups.

Other teams to watch:

East Stroudsburg

East Stroudsburg is another strong contender, rounding out last season as PSAC runner-up and posting a semifinal finish in the national tournament. This year, the team secured the number two spot in the PSAC preseason poll. While the Warriors will suffer the loss of standout PSAC Player of the Year Jady van Gils, they return all-conference talent like senior midfielder Kerry Kaufman and their 2024 leading goal scorer, junior Minke Klijn. Joining those two on the NFCHA Watchlist are defenders Charlotte Simon and Bella Viruet.

West Chester

Right in the middle of the PSAC pack, the Golden Rams ended their 2024 season in the PSAC Tournament Quarterfinal, finishing with a 12-7 overall record. While West Chester missed out on last year’s national tournament and lost their three leading scorers, the Golden Rams return seasoned upperclassmen like Ella Shockley and Gianna Funari. Five freshmen and two transfers will round out the squad.