Staten Island, NY – The Wagner College field hockey team will open its 2022 campaign against Hofstra on Monday, August 29.

This is the second consecutive season the Green & White will open the season against Hofstra as the Pride hosted the Seahawks last season.

Second In The Preseason Poll
After making the playoffs for the first time in program history last season, Wagner checked in at #2 in the Northeast Conference (NEC) preseason poll, the highest Wagner has been picked in the four-year existence of the program.

The defending champion Fairfield was unanimously selected as the preseason favorite ahead of Wagner. Rider and LIU round out the top four ahead of Saint Francis U, Sacred Heart, Merrimack, and NEC newcomer Stonehill. The four playoff teams from the 2021 season were named to return to the postseason.

The Returners
Under fourth-year head coach Niki Miller, Wagner returns three All-Conference players from a year ago. Graduate student Julia Cruces Pastorino returns after being named to the First Team last season. The Buenos Aires, Argentina native is the all-time program leader in points and goals. The Seahawks also return graduate student Augustina Deharbe, who was named Second Team All-Conference last season. The Buenos Aires, Argentina native is the all-time program leader in assists.

Joining Cruces Pastorino and Deharbe is sophomore Liselotte Koop, the reigning NEC Rookie of the Year. Koop finished her first season on Grymes Hill leading the NEC in defensive saves while finishing second in assists and assists per contest. The Hattam, Netherlands native also led Wagner in minutes played.

Wagner also returns netminder Daisy Ruhle, who enters this season with the most saves and wins in program history.

Wagner also returns 20 players from last year's record-breaking squad, including 10 players who started the NEC semifinal.

The Newcomers
Niki Miller added 11 new players to the Seahawk roster, 10 freshmen and one transfer. The transfer is graduate student Kayla Kruk who played the last four seasons at Sacred Heart. Kruk was a two-time captain, a four-time Division I Scholar Athlete of Distinction, and a four-time member of the NFHCA All-Academic Squad.

The Schedule
Wagner's first eight contests will be against non-NEC opponents, before seven of the last nine contests are against NEC opponents.

The final three games of the regular season are against the teams that made the playoffs last season, as Wagner closes the regular season at home against LIU.

About Hofstra
Hofstra was picked to finish sixth in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) and had two players placed on the All-Conference preseason team. Cami Larsson and Lieke Gorsse. A four-time All-CAA Second Team selection, this marks the third time in Larsson's career she has been tabbed preseason All-CAA.

Hofstra is the first of three CAA teams Wagner will take on this season, as the Seahawks will host Towson on September 23 before heading to Monmouth on September 25.

A familiar face will be in attendance in the Seahawks' home opener as former assistant coach Caitlin Bennett was named assistant coach at Hofstra. Bennett departed Wagner after a two-year coaching stint under Miller.

Next Up
The Seahawks will welcome Yale to the Wagner College Field Hockey Complex on Friday, September 2, before its first road game of the 2022 season at UMass Lowell on September 5.