HOBOKEN, N.J. (August 31, 2016) – Coming off a 14-win season that resulted in an Empire 8 Conference title and an NCAA win, the Stevens Institute of Technology field hockey team is primed for continued success this fall.

SEASON REWIND
Sitting at 8-7 15 games into the 2015 season, Stevens reeled off three-straight wins to close out the regular season before topping St. John Fisher College and Ithaca College to win the E8 championship. The Ducks continued the streak in the NCAA Tournament with a 3-1 win over Mount Holyoke College before falling in round two.

Stevens became the first three seed to capture the title in what was the first championship since 2010. 

NEW HEAD DUCK
Meredith Spencer-Blaetz will begin her first season as head coach of the Ducks this year after a two-year stint as an assistant at Mount Holyoke. The Lyons made the NCAA Tournament in each of her two seasons, reaching the Sweet 16 in 2014. 

Joining Spencer-Blaetz on the staff will be Brandi Ritz who's coming off a stint as a graduate assistant at New England College. 

BACK IN QUACK
Stevens returns four of its top five goal scorers from last season in junior Victoria Alvarez (13 goals, eight assists), senior Nolie Prouty (eight goals, 13 assists), senior Taylor Welch (nine goals, four assists), and junior Katti Thomasian (six goals). Together, the four combined for 64 percent of Stevens' scoring in 2015.

Prouty's 13 assists led the E8 in a First Team All-Conference season, while Alvarez was named to the second team after finishing fourth in the conference with 35 points. Welch was one of just five Ducks to start all 22 games, and Thomasian's 12 points set a career high.

The Ducks will also count of offensive contributions from junior Cassidy O'Hearn, sophomore Janet Vill, and sophomore Regan Littell. O'Hearn is a seasoned veteran who's appeared in 41 games over her two seasons, and is coming off a three goal two assist season despite playing defense primarily. 

Vill and Littell made immediate impacts as freshman with 22 and 11 starts respectively between them. 

Junior Haines Duff will also see action in the offense after making 14 appearances with a pair of shots on goal in 2015, while the midfield will be rounded out by juniors Victoria Zanlunghiand and Marley Brackelmanns-Puig.

Brackelmanns-Puig has started 31 games for the Ducks over her first two seasons, playing a key role on both ends of the field for Stevens while Duff appeared in 14 games to tally two shots on goal. Zanlunghi also saw her share of action in 2015, and will be looking to earn an increased role this season.

DUCKS ON D
Junior Alana Best brings back the most experience on the Ducks defense after making 40 starts in her first two seasons on Castle Point. Best was top-10 on the team in minutes played last season.

Sophomore Hannah Silvestri will also play a crucial role on the backline after appearing in all 22 games as a rookie last fall with two starts. Silvestri logged major minutes in both of Stevens' NCAA games, tallying a defensive save in the matchup with Ursinus College. 

Juniors Drew Lustig and Kendall Pelletier will also compete for time on the backline after logging minutes last season in the NCAA Tournament. 

STONEWALL STUKE
Back for her final season on the squad is senior goalie Emily Stukenborg, a veteran with more than 60 starts to her name over her first three seasons. Stukenborg has registered at least 100 saves in each season, becoming the program's all-time saves leader last fall.

Stukenborg is coming off a season in which she made 141 saves, registered a 2.17 goals against average, and recorded double-digit save marks in six different games. 

WELCOME TO THE FOLD
Freshman Michaela Thompson will play a utility role for Stevens this fall, playing minutes in both the midfield and backline while also contributing to the scoring. Freshmen Ireland Tawney and Jillian Brauer will also each compete for time in the midfield.

Serving as the primary backup goalie will be freshman Darci Rota, while freshman Emily Sneddon will look for minutes of her own in the cage.

THE SCHEDULE
The Ducks will play eight of their 18 games at the De Baun Athletic Complex, welcoming in non-conference foes Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham, The College at Brockport, Drew University, and William Paterson University. 

For more information on the 2016 slate, click here. 

WHERE TO FOLLOW
Check stevens.com throughout the season for all things Stevens field hockey. Be sure to also follow the team on social media through Facebook (Stevens Athletics), Twitter (@stevensducks), Instagram (@stevensducks), and snapchat (ducks_athletics).

Facebook: "Like" Stevens Athletics
Twitter: @stevensducks
Instagram: @stevensducks
Snapchat: ducks_athletics