FIELD HOCKEY OPENS 2026 AT HOME FRIDAY NIGHT

Schedule
Roster

WEST CHESTER, PA. – West Chester's field hockey program, a perennial national power at the Division II level, opens its 2026 campaign on Friday night under the lights of Vonnie Gros Field against Assumption University at 7 p.m. The Golden Rams are coming off a national semifinal appearance a year ago and return eight of its 11 starters to help the team run it back to the final weekend of the season once again this fall.
 
"We lost three starters, but we return our two first-team All-Americans," head coach Amy Cohen mentioned. "So, it's not the play ability as much as it is the leadership. But, if you've done your job year after year maintaining players in those leadership roles, then you are OK. That is why it is great to have Mikenna Price coming back as a two-year captain. Last year's team set the table, and this year's team should eat. I think we will pick up right where we left off last fall."
 
West Chester went 14-7 a year ago and made a run to the semifinals, before a setback to Newberry up in Bloomsburg ended the campaign one game short of the goal. Coming off a 6-3 effort in league play and a tie for third place in the final standings, the Golden Rams were picked to finish third in a poll of the league's coaches last month. Kutztown was slated as the preseason favorite in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) while defending conference and national champion, Shippensburg, was picked second.
 
Flock Talk
Back in the fold is last year's National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Division II Scholar-Athlete of the Year in sophomore Veerle Hersman (Lisse, The Netherlands). She led West Chester in scoring in 2025 with 16 goals and 36 points. Hersman was a first-team All-American on the field who also claimed first-team Academic All-America honors as well.
 
Fellow first-team All-American, Gianna Funari (Voorhees, N.J./Bishop Eustace), returns as well in a very similar role as a year ago – that is to say that she will play a little of everything. A staple in the back last season, Funari moved around a bit during the campaign logging time at both forward and in the midfield. She will probably do that again, but most likely will begin the season up top on the forward line. Funari scored three goals and finished with eight points while serving as the cornerstone in the back. She was also credited with two defensive saves. Cohen calls Funari the most vocal player on the field who will float between the three lines.
 
Joining Hersman in the middle of the field will be Allison Patel (Mickleton, N.J./Kingsway Regional) who Cohen describes as somebody who takes care of the ball and can distribute it quickly. That tandem in the middle is very talented. Flanking them on the sides will be a pair of seniors, Sofia Brown (Broomall, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara) on the right and Laura Rogers (Delmar, Del./Delmar) on the left. Brown is an explosive, offensive midfielder who really came into her own a year ago earning all-conference accolades while scoring four goals and posting 15 points. Rogers is a fundamentally sound athlete who never seems to get rattled by any situation. Mikenna Price (Henryville, Pa./Pocono Mountain East) will see plenty of minutes in the midfield as well while sophomore Lily Coombs (Leonardtown, Md./Leonardtown) will be one of the first off the Golden Rams' bench. Junior Gabrielle Brightbill (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin) has been a pleasant surprise in camp.
 
Up front with Funari will be returning starter, Nina Scott (Schwenksville, Pa./Spring-Ford), who posted five goals and 16 points in 2025. The Golden Rams are anxiously awaiting the debut of junior Ciara Margetich (Downingtown, Pa./Downingtown West) in the purple & gold. She sat out all of last year with an injury, but helped lead Saint Joseph's University to the Division I National Championship in 2024 as a sophomore. Transfer Grace Shepherd (Church Hill, Md./The Gunston School) boasts a tremendous amount of speed and has done a nice job acclimating herself to her new squad after coming in from Central Michigan.
 
"Obviously, we just have to wait and see with Ciara how she does after a year off," Cohen admitted. "But, I feel like we haven't had a group like this up top since 2019."
 
Lending support to that first line is senior Bella Schute (Chalfont, Pa./Central Bucks South), and freshman Victoria Guano (Collegeville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley). They round out a group of six forwards that Cohen says could all see playing time.
 
The back line and in the cage is where West Chester had to fill some roles. However, junior transfer Anna Finn (Windsor, N.Y./Windsor), from Rider should fill that void nicely. It will be her job to control the defense when she is not showing off her strong shot on penalty corners. She serves as Cohen's field general out on the pitch. She is joined on 'D' by another transfer from Central Michigan in Nora Evans (Dalton, Pa./Lackawanna Trail) and returner Alexa Lehman (Hummelstown, Pa./Lower Dauphin). Lehman is making the transition from forward to defense, but has the ability to strike the ball well. Local product and sophomore Sarah Zamrowski (West Chester, Pa./Villa Maria Academy) will also work for playing time.
 
In goal, there are two young keepers battling for the starting position. Cohen is hoping one of them separates themself from the other and takes over the No. 1 spot. Returner Addison van Rensler (Newark, Del./Caravel Academy) and freshman Erin O'Brien (Marlton, N.J./Cherokee) have really done well in the preseason.

The Slate
Competing in the PSAC is difficult, year-in and year-out. Three of last year's four semifinalists came from the conference. But, this year, Cohen has added two long-distance trips to the schedule to take on some teams that will certainly challenge the Golden Rams outside of its nine league games.
 
"We have two flights this year," Cohen explained. "We are willing to travel. We go down to South Carolina to take on Newberry, who is obviously a quality opponent who made the semifinals last year, and we play a very good Converse team down there as well. Then, we fly out to St. Louis to visit Maryville. They needed a home game, and it was a chance for us to fill out our schedule."

Up Next
West Chester travels to Adelphi on Sunday for a 1 p.m. showdown with the Panthers on Long Island.