DANBURY, CT - Madison Ranalli (Cicero, NY/Cicero-North Syracuse) of the Utica University field hockey team has been named the Eastern College Athletic Conference North Defensive Player of the Month for September, as announced by the ECAC on Thursday. 

Ranalli has logged a team-high 540 minutes this season while helping anchor a Pioneer defense to a top-three ranking in the Empire 8 with 2.44 goals allowed per game. The junior finished the month of September with five defensive saves as well before upping her total to nine with four against Ithaca College on Wednesday night. Her nine defensive saves also ranks third in NCAA Division III. 

The ECAC (Eastern College Athletic Conference) is an eighty-four-year-old organization with well over 200 member schools across all three NCAA Divisions - I, II and III. The ECAC exists to enhance the experience of student-athletes participating in intercollegiate athletics and provides great value for universities and colleges by sponsoring championships, leagues, bowl games, tournaments and other competitions throughout the Northeast. The ECAC's esports platform is growing and now totals more than sixty colleges and universities and is expanding the geographic footprint for the conference nationally. The ECAC is also sponsoring competitions and leagues involving other varsity and club sports that do not fall under the umbrella of the NCAA.