WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ — The Hawks are determined.
After claiming a Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) regular season title for the third time in the last four seasons, Monmouth Field Hockey eyes are on a postseason trophy for the first time since joining the CAA in 2022.
The Hawks, who were voted No. 1 in the CAA Preseason Poll, enters 2026 ranked at No. 18 in the first Penn Monto/NFHCA Division I National Poll. They dominated through the regular season in conference play last season, going 5-0 and allowing just four goals against in that stretch while averaging 3.8 goals per game. They led the league in goal differential (3.00), shots (115), save percentage (.862) and corners (50).
Monmouth returns all but two players from last year's squad and added seven newcomers including six freshmen and junior Éabha Curran who spent last season playing for the University College Cork in Cork, Ireland. Curran also starred on the Ireland Field Hockey U21 team this summer, competing on the national stage for the third straight year. She was featured up top in all three scrimmages for the Hawks and will no doubt elevate Monmouth's attack.
Freshmen midfielders Codi Damerau
(Point Pleasant, NJ/Point Pleasant Boro HS),
Addison Povilaitis (Macungie, PA/Emmaus HS), defenders Maja Schröder (Berlin, Germany/Sportschule im Olympiapark),
Morgann Orobono (Allentown, PA/Emmaus HS),
Olivia Oliver (Shavertown, PA/Lake Lehman HS) and forward
Alexia Mesmaeker (Lasne, Belgium/College Cardinal Mercier HS) round out the incoming class for the Hawks.
The team returns all six of their All-CAA selections last season including CAA Rookie of the Year
Florence van Doorn (Zoetermeer, Netherlands/Erasmus College Zoetermeer) and Defensive Player of the Year
Eulalie Brouwers (Uccle, Belgium/Notre-Dame des Champs). The two, along with junior midfielder
Milla Frye (Ratingen, Germany/Immanuel-Kant Gymnasium) and junior forward
Claire Campen (Hawley, PA/Honesdale HS) also earned NFHCA All-Region honors and were recently named to the Preseason All-CAA list.
Gallery: (8-21-2026) Field Hockey vs St. Joe's Scrimmage 8/21
Reigning CAA Coach of the Year,
Carli Figlio (19th season) also returns All-CAA picks junior midfielder
Lilly Ricks (Munich, Germany/Oskar von Miller Gymnasium) and graduate defender
Luisa Schlueter (Braunschweig, Germany/Ricarda Huch Schule), along with seven players who made seven or more starts last season in junior goalie
Charlie Bowman (Hillsborough, Northern Ireland/Wallace HS), senior forward
Ava Zerfass (Macungie, PA/Emmaus HS), sophomore midfielder
Maia McCourt (Innishannon, Co. Cork, Ireland/Bandon Grammar School), sophomore midfielder
Alicia Vanderlyde (Wechelderzande, Belgium/Kardinaal van Roey-instituut), senior midfielder
Hannah Tromble (Reisterstown, MD/Franklin HS) and senior defender
Audrey Mullen (Catonsville, MD/Mount de Sales Academy) with 2024 All-Region pick
Anna Moors (Tilburg, Noord-Brabant, Netherlands/Odulphus Lyceum) working her way back to the field after suffering a season ending injury following 10 starts where she totaled eight goals and an assist, which still ranked second and sixth in goals and points, respectively, on the team last season.
The Hawks held scrimmages against Lafayette College and Saint Joseph's, both victories, with goals coming from Frye, junior forward
Lauren Relik (Zwijndrecht, Belgium/Sint Maarten Campus), Vanderlyde and Campen. The team then concluded their preseason with one last tune-up against No. 3 nationally ranked Princeton Tuesday afternoon with Monmouth playing tough against the perennial program in a 1-0 loss with goalies Bowman and
Djoeke van Helsdingen combining (De Meern, Netherlands/Minkema College) combining for 11 saves.
No. 18 Monmouth opens the season at home on So Sweet A Cat Field against Big Ten opposition No. 17 Rutgers at 4 p.m. Friday. The Hawks bested the Scarlett Knights in their matchup last season, 4-2 with Monmouth getting out to a 2-0 lead and never trailing in the victory. The win broke a six-game losing skid against Rutgers with the Scarlett Knights holding the all-time series record at 9-5. It will be the first time the Hawks open against Rutgers, and a victory Friday would clinch the program its 13th home opening win since its inception in 1997. A victory over the Scarlett Knights would also secure Monmouth its seventh top 20 win in the last seven years and back-to-back victories over Rutgers since 2010-11.
Gallery: (8-19-2026) Field Hockey Scrimmage vs Lafayette 8/19
Following the Hawks' home opening bout Friday, the team stays at home to host Delaware on So Sweet A Cat Field at 12 p.m. before hosting Rider Sept. 9 and traveling for the first time on the year the following Friday on Sept. 11 to face Temple.
For Monmouth Hawks Field Hockey full schedule, click here.
Monmouth vs Rutgers (Game 1) — Friday, August 28 at 4 p.m. on So Sweet A Cat Field
WATCH:
FloCollege/NBC Sports Philadelphia
LIVE STATS:
Monmouth.statbroadcast.com
*****
To follow along with everything Hawks Athletics follow @muhawks on Instagram and @MonmouthHawks on X and Facebook. To followe everything Hawks Field Hockey follow @monmouthfh on Instagram and @MonmouthFH on X and Facebook.
