BUFFALO, N.Y. – D'Youville field hockey is heading into their second year of competition, as the Saints look to build on a 6-8 record to finish their inaugural season.

Head Coach, Bekah Davie, took over as the interim this year and is looking to build momentum heading into the 2025 slate. "Myself and the team are very eager to compete," Davie said, "we're very competitive people, so we're all just ready to take to the field and prove ourselves and demonstrate our discipline and mental toughness."

The Saints have added ten new faces, including nine freshmen and one sophomore, along with eleven returners from last year's team. Freshman midfielder, Caroline Pitarra, is among the newcomers on the roster. In preparation for the season, she explained the importance of leadership on this Saints team. "Our team leaders have created a unified environment, give us constructed feedback and motivate us on and off the field," said Pitarra.

When asked about the home opener, Davie said, "we're really looking to win in our (season) opener, that's a big goal… come out onto the field and be the first ones to score and be in control of the game the whole time."

The highlight of last season came in a 3-2 OT victory over Mercyhurst University, marking the Saints' first victory over a Division-I opponent in the program's brief history. D'Youville will have a chance to add to that total as they travel to Mercyhurst for a matchup on October 28^th.

The greatest challenge on the schedule comes on September 19^th when the Saints travel to preseason #1 ranked Kutztown University. DYU cap off the weekend on September 21^st with another ranked matchup, as they look to knock off #6 ranked Bloomsburg University on the road.

The Saints open the season at home on Dobson Field on Friday, September 5^th vs. Molloy at 7 p.m.