Flock Talk
On paper, West Chester appears to lose three of its top four scorers from a year ago, while this is accurate as Hannah Stanislawczyk (92 Goals, 30 Assists), Julia Littlewood (35 G, 35 A), and Meg O’Donnell (25 G, 28 A) graduated a year ago, the Golden Rams are excited to welcome back Barnett, who scored four goals and added one assist in her lone game a year ago after being injured in the season opener. Wasdick ended the year third on the team in scoring and is the top returning scorer from that 2024 squad with 48 goals and five assists for 53 points, while Madeline Edinger (Perkasie, Pa./Pennridge) is the second returning scorer from that squad with 36 goals and 11 assists, to rank fifth on the team in scoring. Amanda Wolfe (Kennett Square, Pa./Unionville) also had a strong 2024 season, scoring 25 goals and adding 11 assists to finish the year with 36 points. West Chester can also look forward to the return of Lila McMahon Skates (West Linn, Ore./West Linn) and Kendall Fortune (Jarrettsville, Md./North Harford), who will look to build off strong 2024 seasons, which saw them finish the year with 12 points (six goals/six assists), and 26 points (20 goals/six assists), respectively.
The Golden Rams also return Alana Mandato (Telford, Pa./Gwynedd Mercy Academy) and Alexis Smallwood (Margate City, N.J./Ocean City), who are all expected once again to be a big part of the Golden Ram midfield.
“Our offense is continuing to gel and look better and better as each day passes,” said Martino. “They are a very talented group, and the more they play together, the more we see deadly connections. They enjoy being creative, and it is a deep squad with uncapped potential. Getting Keri back this season adds a great spark to an explosive and dangerous attack. Our returners like Lila, Amanda, Madeline, Sydney, Kendall, Alana, and Alexis have worked hard in the offseason. I’m excited to see them in action with our new players this season.”
The West Chester defense, led by DiCamillo, is perhaps the biggest question that remains for the Golden Rams as they enter the 2025 season. On the backline, West Chester will need to replace the departure of a few pieces, namely Grace Frasso. Still, the Golden Rams can look forward to the return of a number of talented players, including Katie Byrne (Wall, N.J./Wall), Lauren Rush (Perkasie, Pa./Pennridge), Kara Stewart (Bowie, Md./Archbishop Spaulding), Piper Hammond (), Kerry Seiler (Allentown, Pa./Salisbury), Fiona Shadis (Baltimore, Md./Baltimore City College HS), Alexa Urbanski (Wilmington, Del./Charter School of Wilmington), and Natalie Goldsmith (Oceanport, N.J./Shore Regional).
Byrne, DiCamillo, Goldsmith, and Hammond all saw significant time as starters on the Golden Ram defense a year ago, while Rush and Stewart saw considerable time off the bench for Martino and the Golden Rams a year ago.
The question that remains a work in progress to answer for the Golden Rams remains the goalkeeper question, as West Chester must replace a multi-time All-American in Jess Gorr with either Hannah Cornelius (Medford, N.J./Shawnee) or Morgan Koons (Mountain Top, Pa./Crestwood) as the duo continues to work hard to prepare for a starting role in 2025. Cornelius saw limited time a year ago as she played 15 minutes over the course of three games with an 8.34 goals-against average after playing against Jefferson, Shippensburg, and Millersville during her rookie season.
“Hannah and Morgan are continuing to fine-tune their game,” acknowledged Martino. “They have both stepped up early and are filling that leadership role that Jess Gorr commanded for so many years. They are both really hard workers and pick things up fast so I don’t think it’ll take long for them to get comfortable in goal. We don’t have a clear starter at this point, and they are pushing each other to improve each day. Every day is a chance to earn the position, and with how competitive they both are, this should be a fun season for them.”
“Overall, the defense is looking strong,” said Martino. The returners have looked strong early, and we have some fierce young players who have impressed us early on. We are still working on that cohesiveness, but I know that will get better as the season progresses.”
Along with its strong group of returners, West Chester also welcomes several talented newcomers, including Morgan McClintock (Chadds Ford, Pa./Garnet Valley), Nicolette Giordano (Toms River, N.J./Toms River North), and Grace Rosica (Dublin, Pa./Pennridge), who all join West Chester as transfers along with true first-year student-athletes in Montana Jones (Rehoboth Beach, Del./Cape Henlopen), Caitlin Trickett (Sinking Spring, Pa./Wilson), Audrey Miller (Sinking Spring, Pa./Wilson), Maddy Mela (Newtown, Pa./Council Rock North), Olivia Burkentine (Milton, Del./Cape Henlopen), Avery Roberts (Mantua, N.J./Clearview), Sylvie Hipp (Medina, Oh/Medina), Anna Vaccerelli (Medina, Oh/Medina), and Koons.
“It feels like they have already been with us longer than just a semester,” noted Martino. “Our transfers have brought great energy and a great deal of experience to our team and are fitting right in. Across the board, this group has shown that they are fully on board with our mission this year and are already proving to be great assets to our program.”
The Slate
When West Chester gets its season underway on Saturday afternoon, it’ll be the first of eight straight at home, including a February 28 matchup against American International (AIC), which will see former player Jess Harrison coach her third career game after opening her head coaching career at Saint Anselm on February 15 with a 24-4 setback.
When asked about coaching against a Golden Ram alum in Harrison, Martino said, “It is so much fun! It definitely brings an added layer of excitement to the games. We know that we have to be creative because they usually know our tendencies as a team, and it forces us to think outside the box. It is always a great challenge. I think it’s awesome to watch them grow in coaching and put their stamp on their programs.”
After concluding February with its matchup against AIC, West Chester will play Bentley and Assumption on March 2 and 8 before kicking off PSAC play against East Stroudsburg on Wednesday, March 12. The Golden Rams date with the Warriors will be a rematch of the 2024 Atlantic Regional final and the season's first matchup as the two teams begin to write the newest chapter of the rivalry.
Asked about opening PSAC East play vs the rival Warriors, Martino said, “We know that we need to approach it the same way we approach every game. The PSAC is getting better and better every year, so we have to be prepared and ready to battle every time we take the field.”
The Golden Rams will conclude Spring Break week with a matchup against Shippensburg on Sunday the 16th at 1 p.m. before hosting Millersville on the 19th and concluding its homestand with a PSAC Championship game rematch against Kutztown at 4 p.m. on March 26.
West Chester will conclude March with a trip to Shepherd on March 29 before heading to East Stroudsburg for a rematch against the Warriors on April 2 at 3 p.m. An April 5 matchup against Bloomsburg will be Senior Day for West Chester and the Golden Ram's final home game until an April 23 matchup against Shepherd. West Chester will visit Shippensburg, Millersville, and Kutztown on April 9, 12, and 16 before concluding its regular season with a visit to Bloomsburg on April 16.
Asked about the uniqueness of starting the season with eight straight at home, Martino said, “Some seasons are like that, but I have to admit it is a bit lopsided this year. I think this early stretch will play in our favor, though, as our home fans are the absolute best, and they will be a great encouragement for a young team. We will lean on that support to get us going early in the year, and by the time we do hit the road to go to Shepherd, we will be a really well-seasoned group.”
