Sparkill, N.Y. - After qualifying for postseason play in three out of the last four seasons (2020 Season cancelled due to COVID), the St. Thomas Aquinas College Women's Field Hockey team returns to the field for the 2023 campaign with a fire and desire to be one of the Northeast-10 Conference's elite programs. The Spartans were selected to finish eighth in the annual NE10 preseason coaches poll released in mid-August, but that hasn't stopped Head Coach Genesis Pacheco and her squad from setting their sights at both the top of the standings and a very long playoff run.
A second straight trip to the Northeast-10 Field Hockey Tournament last November, capped a strong 2022 season, which saw the Spartans go 10-9 (8-5 NE10). STAC ultimately fell in the quarterfinal round of the tournament to the eventual NE10 Champions, Adelphi University.
An off-season of roster retooling by Head Coach Genesis Pacheco brings eight new faces to the Spartans for the 2023 season, including; Jessica Corrente (Defense - Valley Cottage, N.Y.), Aaliyah James (Defense - Kingston, Jamaica), Brianna Cote (Midfield/Defense - Auburn, Mass.), Molly Vengenock (Midfield/Defense - Salem, N.J.), Sarah Paraskos (Midfield - Ossipee, N.H.), Carlijn De Groot (Goalie - Eindhoven, Netherlands), Lilah Magenheimer (Goalie - Eatontown, N.J.), and Meghan Tarantino (Defense - Suffern, N.Y.).
13 members of last season's squad return to Sparkill for the new season, as Rachael Paraskos (8 GP), Adriana Alfisi (16 GP), Katelyn Cerrato (15 GP), Kendra Evans, Erin Bacalles (19 GP), Kayla Martini, Nicola Van Vuuren (19 GP, 10 G & 4 A), Sofia Corominas Cuen (19 GP, 3 G & 4 A), Olivia Cerbo (17 GP), Olivia Calcaterra, Gianna Sacco (2 GP), Madelyn Verstraten (2 GP) and Madeline Schaefer (3 GP, 1 W & 2 L, 1.33 GAA, .556 SV%) comprise the veteran core of players that will mentor the incoming talent and look to make another push to the playoffs.
Head Coach Genesis Pacheco returns to the sideline for her sixth season leading STAC, with Assistant Coach Brianna Jones also returning.
The Spartans will begin their 2023 season on the road at Pace University on Thursday, August 31, with the opening face-off scheduled for 11am at Peter X. Finerty Field in Pleasantville. STAC will open its home schedule on Saturday, September 2, hosting East Stroudsburg University in a Noon affair at Spartan Field.
2023 NE10 Women's Field Hockey Preseason Poll
| School | Pts. | 2022 Record |
| 1. Assumption (5) | 157 | 15-6 (11-2 NE10) |
| 2. Saint Anselm (3) | 153 | 14-7 (11-2 NE10) |
| 3. Pace (4) | 141 | 13-8 (8-5 NE10) |
| 4. Adelphi (2) | 141 | 13-9 (9-4 NE10) |
| 5. Bentley | 127 | 11-8 (9-4 NE10) |
| 6. New Haven | 105 | 9-11 (8-5 NE10) |
| 7. Southern New Hampshire | 95 | 8-11 (7-6 NE10) |
| 8. St. Thomas Aquinas | 86 | 10-9 (8-5 NE10) |
| 9. Saint Michael's | 66 | 5-12 (5-8 NE10) |
| 10. American International | 53 | 2-16 (1-12 NE10) |
| 11. Mercy | 51 | 8-7 (7-6 NE10) |
| 12. Franklin Pierce | 47 | 4-14 (3-10 NE10) |
| 13. So. Connecticut | 37 | 5-13 (4-9 NE10) |
| 14. Molloy | 17 | 1-16 (0-13 NE10) |
( ) - first place votes