UTICA, NY - The Utica University women's lacrosse team opens its 2024 season at home on Saturday, February 24 at 1 p.m. against SUNY New Paltz.
 
At the Helm: Kristin St. Hilaire enters her 17th season as Utica's head coach. Hilaire has stacked up 137 career victories and has coached 91 All-Empire players throughout her tenure. In 2023, the 2019 Empire 8 Coach of the Year guided her team to a 10-7 overall record and a 5-2 mark in the Empire 8 while also guiding her team to the conference semifinals. The 2022 season was another resounding success, as the Pioneers closed with a record of 11-5 overall, with a 4-2 conference mark. The Pioneers reached the Empire 8 Conference Tournament for a fourth straight season. That season, eight Pioneers were selected to the All-Conference teams, including E8 Goaltender of the Year Claire Frier. Frier was also selected to the IWLCA All-Region Second Team. Assisting St. Hilaire for her third season is former Utica women's lacrosse standout goalie Hali Vandermeulen, as well as Caroline Clowes.
 
Schedule Breakdown: The 2024 season features 16 games, six of them being Empire 8 matchups. Utica's home games at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium include SUNY New Paltz, SUNY Morrisville, Oneonta State, SUNY Canton, Keuka College, Hartwick College and Russell Sage College. Away matchups feature Cortland State, Oswego State, Buffalo State, Bryn Mawr College, Plattsburgh State, SUNY Poly, Nazareth University, St. John Fisher University and Alfred University. The meeting against Keuka on March 30 will be Senior Day, along with the Mike Parnell game. Please Note: all dates and times are subject to change.
 
Key Losses: The Pioneers will be without some key assets from the 2023 season in defenders Delaney Dunham (Auburn, NY/Jordan Elbridge), Megan Hourican (Staten Island, NY/Curtis), and goalie Breese Burlingame (Binghamton, NY/Northfield Mount Hermon). Dunham started all 17 games her senior season, scooping up eight ground balls, four caused turnovers and two draw controls. Burlingame transferred to NCAA Division I University of Virginia. She played one season for Utica, posting a .547 save percentage, 173 saves and a 9.56 goals-against average. Hourican played in 34 games in four seasons, grabbing 16 ground balls and nine caused turnovers.
 
She's Baaaack: The team is headlined by Samantha DeCondo (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) who returns for her fifth and final season at Utica, where she has already cemented herself in the women's lacrosse Pioneer record book in multiple categories over the last four seasons. In 50 games played in four seasons, DeCondo ranks fourth all-time in program history with 174 career points, which is only three points shy of cracking the top three. Her 126 goals are good for eighth all-time and her 48 assists which is good for fifth all-time. DeCondo registered 50 goals and 20 assists last season while averaging 4.12 points per game and collected at least two points in 15 out of 17 games. Her dodging presence from behind the net has made her an exceptional team player as her 20 assists led Utica.
 
 
On the Rise: Grace Stuhlman (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) enters her junior season with 80 career points after a 71-point sophomore season, posting 54 goals and 17 assists. Her willingness to get to the front of the net has made her a nuisance to opposing teams. Stuhlman is on pace to crack the top-15 in Utica women's lacrosse history in both points and goals as she needs 53 points and 29 goals this season. Stuhlman recorded a point in 16 out of 17 games with her most coming against Hartwick College on April 12 as she posted six goals and three assists. Her 85 draw controls in 2023 ranked third in the Empire 8 as she averaged 5.00 per game. As the team's point leader, Stuhlman earned First-team all-conference as a midfielder. 
 
Defending the Backend: Utica's senior defensive trio brings back a plethora of experience in Aana Blaszka (Hampstead, NH/Pinkerton Academy), Mara Cunningham (Queensbury, NY/Queensbury) and Devin Ryan (Orchard Park, NY/Buffalo Academy of the Sacred Heart). The trio nearly started every game in 2023 as they combined for 72 ground balls and 31 caused turnovers. Blaszka led Utica on the backend with her stout defense, collecting a caused turnover in 12 out of 15 games and a groundball in 11 out of 15 games. Blaszka also received Empire 8 First-Team All-Defense in 2022 and 2023 and second-team in 2021. Cunningham started all 17 games in 2023, grabbing 22 ground balls, six points (3g, 3a), 16 draw controls and 14 shots on goal. Her play all over the field has got her First-Team Midfield in 2022 and Third-Team Defense in 2023. Ryan recorded 23 ground balls and four caused turnovers.
 
New Faces: Utica will feature 15 new faces. The attack of Bella Kolb (New Hartford, NY/New Hartford), Olivia Muscatelli (Franklin Square, NY/Valley Stream North), Claire Bruley (Shoreham, VT/VAL), Courtney Fish (Albany, NY/Albany), Alanna Fragapane (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) and Jordan Kowalski (Chicopee, MA/Plattsburgh State (NCAA DIII)) look to make an impact on an already solid unit with DeCondo and Grace Stuhlman (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro). At Attack, Kolb and Fragapane are both Utica field hockey team members, while Kowalksi plays on the women's hockey team. The midfield has three fresh faces joining the unit. Maria Stuhlman (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro), Meghan Brennan (Southbury, CT/Pomperaug) and Kerry Carr (New Hartford, NY/Manhattanville College). Maria Stuhlman (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) and Brennan are two-sport athletes, Stuhlman (cross-country) and Brennan (volleyball). Carr transfers to Utica from both NCAA DIII Chatham University and Manhattanville College. As a Chatham Cougar, Carr registered 75 goals and 17 assists in 16 games played. In 2019, as a freshman, she grabbed 66 ground balls and 25 caused turnovers. She played two games in 2020 due to COVID, where she posted nine goals and two assists. As a Valiant, Carr won several honors and awards and accumulated 120 points (87g, 33a) in 39 games.
 
Veteran Presence: The point production of Abigail Gerling (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro), Alyssa Drell (Mastic, NY/William Floyd), Daniela Muscari (Millbrook, NY/Millbrook), Alyssa Pisano (Hopewell Junction, NY/Arlington) and Katie Crofoot (Montgomery, NY/Valley Central) will be pivotal to Utica's success in 2024. Gerling registered 18 goals and seven assists as she was ranked third on Utica with 25 points. During the last five games in 2023, Gerling recorded eight goals and three assists. Drell finished last season starting all 17 games, scoring 20 goals and dishing out four assists. Over Utica's last seven games played in 2023, Drell scored eight goals to go with one assist. Muscari registered 18 goals, five assists, 27 ground balls, and nine caused turnovers. Crofoot recorded 14 goals and eight assists. Pisano returns after scoring 19 goals and three assists along with winning 54 draw controls which was second most on the team. 
 
Between the Pipes: Utica introduces four new faces for the 2024 season. Freshman Angela Borowiec, Makayla Purdy (Shirley, NY/William Floyd), junior Karen Troche (Amsterdam, NY/Amsterdam) and graduate student Erica Sheaffer (New Hartford, NY/Wilkes University).
 
About New Paltz: The New Paltz Hawks completed the 2023 season 9-7 overall with a 5-4 SUNYAC record. The Hawks finished their season in the Quarterfinals of the SUNYAC Tournament, falling to SUNY Brockport 11-7. New Paltz finished second overall in caused turnovers in the conference with 178. The Hawks will be returning midfielder Kaitlyn Shaw. She led the team with 63 points, 52 goals, 85 shots on goal, 53 draw controls and 18 free-position goals. Shaw's 52 goals were tied for fourth overall in the SUNYAC, and her 85 shots on goal ranked fifth. Julia Longo ranked second on New Paltz's with 35 points, leading the team with 17 assists. Gabriella Tommaso returns in goal for the Hawks in 2024. Last season, she posted a 9-7 record, 131 saves and a 9.15 goals-against average
 
Looking Ahead: Utica will travel to Cortland, NY to face SUNY Cortland at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, February 28.