Field Hockey | 8/29/2024 4:00:00 PM

PITTSFORD, N.Y. – St. John Fisher University field hockey players Emma Cooper (forward), Audrey Grieb (forward) and Mary Kate McPhee (midfielder) have been named to the 2024 Division III NFHCA Watchlist, the organization announced Thursday. 

The preseason list showcases the players around the nation with the strongest potential to be considered for NFHCA All-Region and All-American honors at the end of the season. 

Cooper played and started all 19 games for Fisher last season, recording five goals, 12 assists and 22 total points. The senior earned All-Region second-team and Empire 8 first-team honors. 

Grieb, another senior who earned first-team All-Empire 8 honors in 2023, led the team in goals (11) and total points (32) while playing in all 19 games with 17 starts last season. She finished second on the team in assists with 10. 

McPhee, a sophomore, had 10 goals, two assists and 22 points in 18 games (11 starts) as a freshman. She earned second-team All-Empire 8 honors. 

Cardinals Open 2024 At Home against William Smith On Friday, Travel To Ithaca on Sunday

The Cardinals open the 2024 season against William Smith at 4 p.m. Friday at Growney Stadium before heading to the Finger Lakes region for a matchup against Ithaca College at 1 p.m. Sunday. Ithaca is ranked No. 23 in the Penn Monto/NFHCA Division III National Coaches Poll to start the season. 

Friday's home contest will be streamed live on the Empire 8 Network. Sunday's game at Ithaca will be streamed live on the Bomber Sports YouTube page. 

Fisher Looks To Defend Regular-Season Title, Returns Five Empire 8 Selections

The Cardinals return 10 seniors and five players who've earned Empire 8 honors throughout their respective collegiate careers from a team that won the league's regular-season title last year.

The Cardinals went 11-8 overall and 7-0 in Empire 8 regular-season play in 2023. They lost 2-1 to Hartwick in the Empire 8 championship game. 

"We have 10 seniors coming back with something to prove and wanting to go out with a bang this season," head coach Lauren Scorza, entering her third season in charge of the Fisher program, said. "I know they're motivated to have the best season they've had yet. I am excited to see what they can do as a group."

In addition to Cooper, Grieb and McPhee, senior defender Selena Emery (second team) was an all-Empire 8 performer last season. Senior forward Molly Fisher was a second-team pick back in 2022. 

Emery had six assists and a defensive save as a junior in 2023, while Fisher scored five goals, had one assist and tallied 11 total points. Haley Acevedo, Emma Muchow, Sarah Woods and Claire Dearie each recorded two defensive saves. Rileigh Luste, who graduated, led the team with seven. 

Senior goalkeeper Senja Matson played in eight games and made two starts last year, making 36 saves.

Scorza and assistant coach Kelly Bergamo earned the Empire 8's 2023 Coaching Staff of the Year award. 

Series History vs. William Smith, Ithaca

• The Cardinals are 2-4 all-time against William Smith, which has won the last three meetings. Fisher last beat William Smith in 2019 at Growney Stadium. 

• St. John Fisher owns an 8-4 all-time edge over Ithaca. The Bombers, however, have won the last two meetings, 4-1 in 2022 and 2-0 in 2023. 

• The Cardinals won seven straight games in the series from 2014-2022.