MANCHESTER, N.H. - Head Coach Carolyn King-Robitaille and the Saint Anselm College field hockey program are set to open their 2023 campaign on Friday, September 1st at Grappone Stadium. The Hawks, who are ranked seventh in the latest National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Division II national poll, play host to nationally-ranked number five Millersville University at 2 p.m. Saint Anselm was also ranked second in the Northeast-10 Preseason Coaches' rankings.

"This group is going to be interesting because we lost seven starters," said King-Robitaille, who enters her 12th season as head coach of the Hawks. "That group of core players that were subbing in off the bench are now going to work into our starting roles, so they did have that really valuable experience last year of being on the field and I think that is going to serve us really well this year."

Saint Anselm will turn to several returners as well as an incoming class to help bolster their defensive unit after graduating their entire back line from a season ago.

"On paper coming into this year, losing that back four is so tough; they started four-plus years," commented King-Robitaille, the 2022 Northeast-10 Coach of the Year. "But the new group has come in and just owned their new positions. I feel so good about that group, they are playing incredibly strong, they are so talented, and I am so excited to see what they can do."

In addition to a new defensive core, the Hawks are hoping for some new names to light up the score sheet this fall. Last season, senior Maggie Malloy set program records for goals (19) and points (45) in a single season, earning the 2022 Northeast-10 Conference Player of the Year, NFHCA East Region Player of the Year, and First Team All-American recognition.

Despite losing Malloy to graduation, King-Robitaille is confident that a new cast of forwards will compliment some returning offensive pieces, including senior Maddie Davis (Exteter, N.H.), who set a new program record for assists in a single season with 12 last fall.

"We have two returning forwards, and we have some younger experience coming in," noted King-Robitaille. "I think that forward line will step into that same mold and I am excited to see a lot of different names score some goals this year."

One area where the Hawks will not have to rebuild is the goalkeeper position.

When talking about senior starting goalkeeper Mackenzie McConnell (Concord Township, Maine), King-Robitaille said, "Mack is an incredible goalkeeper. I think the thing we keep talking to [McConnell] about is that the defensive is new. They have experience, but they are not starters yet, and so we all just have to really communicate and work together and pay attention to the small details, the fundamentals, to make sure we are moving in that linear direction. Having [McConnell] back there and knowing all the things we do allows us to focus more on the defensive players."

King-Robitaille, who has racked up 133 career wins and has reached five NCAA tournaments with Saint Anselm, also praised junior reserve goalkeeper Sidney Falterer (Fairfield, Conn.). "She could start on many of these NE10 teams, I believe that 100 percent."

Saint Anselm College has also been selected to host the NCAA Division II Field Hockey Final Four at Grappone Stadium this November. Although not looking that far ahead, King-Robitaille is confident that that this squad could make a deep run if they unlock their potential during the season.
 
"I am thrilled that we are hosting," King Robitaille explained. "The last time it's been in the northeast was Stonehill in 2016 and I don't know that it has ever been north of Stonehill. New Hampshire has such a rich field hockey culture and I think it's going to be exciting for players in the state to be able to come here and see this level of play,"

"All I am going to say about the Final Four is that I am never going to count us out."