"We have high hopes for this season," said defender
Pilar Torres '26. "After making it to the Final Four last year, we hope to make it even further this year and secure a national championship. I am excited for my class to lead the charge and to have nine first-years join the squad. We will be a strong, focused and motivated team."
Since head coach
Alix Barrale '93 took over the program ahead of the 2000 season, the Ephs have qualified for 10 NCAA Tournaments and emerged victorious in NESCAC Championships during 2001, 2002 and 2004. She has coached 21 Ephs to All-American status, while earning her 250th victory at Williams and 300th triumph as a Division III field hockey head coach during a 4-0 win at Trinity on Sept. 21, 2024, in Hartford, Connecticut.
The three-time NESCAC Coach of the Year (2001, 2004, 2024) has compiled the most wins of any field hockey coach in program history, as she has gone 260-151 overall for a .633 winning percentage. The outstanding leader has led the Ephs to 14 or more wins seven times and 15 or more victories during four seasons.
"Last year was a remarkable season for our program, reaching the Final Four and setting new standards for Williams' field hockey," said Barrale. "We are proud of what that group accomplished, but we also know success is not something we can take for granted. This year is about staying grounded, embracing the journey and taking one game at a time."
The Ephs begin the 2025 season against Union on Wednesday, Sept. 3, at 6:30 p.m. on Williamson Field. The unit starts NESCAC competition with a 1 p.m. game at Tufts on Saturday, Sept. 6, in Medford, Massachusetts, and then hosts its first conference game of the season on Saturday, Sept. 20, against Trinity, starting at noon.
Williams has a tough non-conference schedule with games against Union, Babson (Sept. 7), Smith (Sept. 17), Christopher Newport (Oct. 12) and Johns Hopkins (Oct. 17). The Ephs compete in 15 regular-season games, 10 NESCAC contests and nine events in front of the home crowd at Williamson Field. The group travels to Amherst for an 11 a.m. matchup on Saturday, Sept. 13, and then hosts Wesleyan on Saturday, Oct. 11, at noon.
"The key is always the same, which is to focus on one game at a time," said Torres. "We give each opponent equal respect and attention, but more importantly, we will focus on our own game. As Coach Barrale always says, 'It is not who we play, but how we play."
The 2025 team includes returning student-athletes in captainsÂ
Kiki Higgins '26 and Torres,
Chloe Bush '26,
Natalia Nolan '26,
Anna Miller '26,
Grace Rebak '26,
Madeline Rowland '27,
Haley McAuslin '27,
Claire Colvin '27,
Laura Ryan '27,
Keira Harder '27,
Tess Everett '27,
Aggie Ryan '27,
Miriam Silver '27,
Isabella Mitreska '28,
Ali Meyer '28,
Sienna Alday '28,
McKenna Dwyer '28,
Mikaela Condran '28 and
Ellie Smith '28.
"We return 20 student-athletes from last year's run," said Barrale. "Their resilience, work ethic and character set the tone for the season ahead. They understand that culture and consistency drive success, and we are excited to see how they will continue to grow."
Williams is thrilled to welcome nine newcomers in
Sawyer Rowland '29,
Nola Peressutti '29,
Kate Morreale '29,
Caroline Kroh '29,
Leah Hong '29,
Katie Sigrist '29,
CeCe Upton '29,
Bridget Lesch '29 and
Savoy McMahon '29. Assistant Coach
Kate Lenox returns for her third consecutive season, while she also served in an assistant role from 2017-20.
During the 2024 season, Higgins was named a National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Division III First Team All-American, while Torres and Smith garnered Second Team All-American status. Those three student-athletes were recognized with NFHCA Region II First Team and NESCAC All-Conference First Team accolades, while Smith was named the NESCAC Rookie of the Year. Barrale and Lenox were honored with NESCACÂ Field Hockey Coaching Staff of the Year honors, to go along with Bush, Harder and Smith being named NFHCA Scholars of Distinction.
"Last year, we had five seniors who set standards about effort and culture, while contributing strong and supportive leadership," said Higgins. "This year, we will look to build upon the culture, standards and success the teams in prior years have established, while creating our own team identity. We have strong returning and incoming groups, and I am excited to watch how the student-athletes step into their new roles. We have set goals for ourselves, but collectively, our goal is to compete at our highest level and foster a positive team environment."
