Sparkill, N.Y. - The St. Thomas Aquinas College Women's Soccer team returns to action for the 2023 season with big expectations, as the program looks to a retooled roster to propel them into the postseason. The Spartans were selected to finish sixth in the annual ECC preseason coaches poll released last week.

In 2022, STAC showed a marked improvement, finishing with an overall record of 5-10-3 and a 3-4-1 mark in ECC play under second-year Head Coach Chris Nichol. However, Nichol continued with his robust recruiting plan, spending the offseason on the trail searching for a mix of size, speed and skill to bolster his lineup.

The Spartans return 19 players from the 2023 season, as Heidi Torre (16 GP, 1 G), Kiley Metcalf (16 GP), Ileana Santiago (18 GP, 2 G & 1 A), Megan Murphy (18 GP, 1 A), Sarai Rodriguez (15 GP, 7 G, 2 A), Rachel Brownell (4 GP), Natalie Oden (17 GP, 2 G & 1 A), Elle Chipperfield (17 GP), Dharma Kotecha (6 GP), Kaitlyn Mcguire (18 GP), Lilly Lawson (13 GP), Jasmine Blue (4 GP, 1 G), Chloe Fletcher (16 GP, 1 G, 2 A), Ashley Argento (14 GP, 1 A), Emily Ras (15 GP, 2 G & 1 A), Larymar Herrara, Madison Powers (3 GP), Samantha Cardaci (3 GP) and Arianna Tribble (16 GP) will make up the core returning to Sparkill this fall.

A good mix of freshmen and upperclassmen in; Haley Liss (Goalkeeper - Odessa, Fla.), Jo Porter (Midfield/Forward - Bend, Ore.), Sophie Stanley (Forward - Bakersfield, Calif.), Kate Suazo (Midfield/Forward - Carmel, N.Y.), Nicole Savage (Back/Midfield - Manalapan, N.J.), Ellie Croshaw (Midfield/Forward - Carnation, Wash.), Britany Delao Romero (Midfield/Forward - Huntington, N.Y.), Ella Connolly (Midfield/Forward - Dumont, N.J.), Olivia Gaillard (Midfield/Forward - Bradenton, Fla.) and Catalena Robson (Goalkeeper - Nutley, N.J.) have been brought in to help give STAC the additional talent and depth necessary to make a push for the playoffs.

Head Coach Chris Nichol returns for his third season at the helm of the Spartans. Assistant coaches Adrian Palau, Autumn Becker, Karl O'Neill and Lee Glover return as well. Merari Rodriguez joins the coaching ranks for the new season, following her stellar career in maroon and gold.

St. Thomas Aquinas will begin its 2023 season on the road at Holy Family University on Thursday, August 31, with the opening kick-off scheduled for 4:00 p.m. in Philadelphia. STAC will open its home schedule on Saturday, September 9, hosting Bloomfield College of Montclair State University in a Noon tilt at Spartan Field.

2023 ECC Women's Soccer Preseason Poll

( ) - first place votes