The University of Scranton men's and women's soccer, field hockey, volleyball and men's and women's cross country teams will all kick off the 2024 season on Friday, Aug. 30.

Check out a preview and Landmark Conference preseason poll for each sport below.

Women's Soccer

Coming off a fourth consecutive Landmark Conference title, the Royals bring back a loaded veteran group that features five United Soccer Coaches' All-Region selections and six All-Landmark honorees.

Reigning two-time Landmark Offensive Player of the Year graduate student Niamh Healy (Orangeburg, N.Y./Tappan Zee) returns after leading the conference in goals (19), points (40) and game-winning goals (eight) a season ago. Healy earned USC All-American Second Team honors and is one of five All-Region selections to return along with senior forward Emily Bannon (Middletown, N.Y./Minisink Valley), junior defender Liv Enderle (Sparta, N.J./Sparta), graduate student midfielder Mary Haggerty (Garden City, N.Y./Garden City) and senior goalie Nicole Olson (Stoughton, Mass./Ursuline Academy).

Scranton returns their top eight in points from a season ago including Bannon and Haggerty who both tallied 17 points on four goals and a Landmark Conference-best nine assists. Graduate student Emily Tantala (Langhorne, Pa./Neshaminy) added 11 points with four goals and three assists, while classmate Claire Mulholland (Marlton, N.J./Cherokee) added two goals and five assists en route to earning All-Landmark Second Team honors.

Olson started all 20 games in goal for the Royals and recorded a 0.81 goals against average, .795 save percentage and eight shutouts.

The Royals open the season at the Cougar Classic hosted by Kean University this weekend and will host Vassar in the home opener on Sept. 7.

Landmark Conference Preseason Poll

        1)      Scranton – 81 Points (9)

        2)      Catholic – 72 Points (1)

        3)      Moravian – 61 Points

        4)      Drew – 60 Points

        5)      Elizabethtown – 47 Points

        6)      Susquehanna – 44 Points

        7)      Lycoming - 30 Points

        8)      Wilkes – 26 Points

        9)      Goucher – 18 Points

        10)   Juniata – 11 Points

Men's Soccer

Scranton tallied eight victories a season ago and brings back five players that scored multiple goals a season ago led by a pair of All-Landmark selections in senior forward Ciaran Corr (Newtown, Pa./Marple Newtown) and junior defender Logan Campbell (Chalfont, Pa./Central Bucks South).

Corr led the team in goals (seven) and points (15), while Campbell anchored a backline that conceded the fewest goals in the Landmark Conference with 15. The latter also scored two goals on the season, both of which proved to be game-winners.

Junior forward Justin Curran (Media, Pa./The Shipley School) is back after adding three goals and an assist and classmate Tyler Colton (Syracuse, N.Y./Central Square) added two goals of his own.

In goal for the Royals, junior Charlie Smith (Devon, Pa./Conestoga) led the conference in goals against average at 0.79 and added an .810 save percentage to go along with six shutouts.

Scranton opens the campaign with consecutive home games versus Messiah (Aug. 30) and Muhlenberg (Sept. 1).

Landmark Conference Preseason Poll

1)      Catholic – 80 Points (8)

2)      Drew – 68 Points (2)

3)      Scranton – 57 Points

Lycoming – 57 Points

5)  Elizabethtown – 48 Points

6) Moravian – 43 Points

7) Goucher – 40 Points

8) Juniata – 20 Points

9) Wilkes – 19 Points

10) Susquehanna – 18 Points

Field Hockey

The Royals bring back five of their top six in points from 2023 including NFHCA All-American Third Team selection Katie Redding (Havertown, Pa./Haverford), a graduate student, who led the Landmark Conference in goals (17) and points (41) a season ago. The Havertown, Pa., native also shared the conference lead in assists (seven) and game-winning goals (four).

Scranton won 16 games a season ago and advanced to the Landmark Conference Championship game before dropping a penalty shootout to Susquehanna.

Graduate student forward Bridget Abraldes (Holbrook, N.Y./Sachem East) earned NFHCA All-Region Second Team and All-Landmark First Team honors after recording 31 points on 12 goals and seven assists. Junior forward Annie Shaw (Exton, Pa./Villa Maria Academy) tallied 21 points on eight goals and five assists and shared the conference lead in game-winning goals with Redding. Elsewhere for the Royals, senior forward Reagan Dolan (Broomall, Pa./Bonner & Prendergast) added 13 points on three goals and seven assists as she earned All-Landmark Second Team honors.

In the midfield, graduate student Elle Collins (Long Valley, N.J./West Morris Central) was named as an All-Landmark First Team selection after starting all 20 games and posting 11 points on five goals and one assist.

Defensively, senior Lauren Franco (West Chester, Pa./B. Reed Henderson) served a catalyst for a unit that ranked in the Top 10 nationally in GAA (0.59), fewest goals allowed (12) and shutouts (11). Fellow senior Gianna Travia (Havertown, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara) led the conference with a 0.61 GAA and started all 20 games for Scranton.

The Royals host Muhlenberg to open the season on Aug. 30 and then hit the road to face York (Pa.) on Aug. 31.

Landmark Conference Preseason Poll

        1)      Scranton – 75 Points (4)

        2)      Susquehanna – 74 Points (3)

        3)      Catholic – 68 Points (3)

        4)      Moravian – 59 Points

        5)      Drew – 40 Points

        6)      Elizabethtown – 36 Points

        7)      Wilkes – 34 Points

        8)      Juniata – 33 Points

        9)      Goucher – 18 Points

        10)   Lycoming – 13 Points

Volleyball

Scranton returns a pair of AVCA All-American selections from 2023 in senior opposite hitter Erin Keaveney (Collegeville, Pa./Villa Maria Academy) and junior outside hitter Deanna Whelpley (Congers, N.Y./Immaculate Heart Academy) to a team that advanced to the Landmark title match before falling to eventual national champion Juniata.

Keaveney played in 28 matches for the Royals and ranked in the Top 10 of the conference in both hitting percentage (.294, fifth) and kills (272, seventh), while Whelpley led the team and ranked third in the conference with 320 kills. She added seven double-doubles on the year and recorded 36 service aces, 228 digs and 16 total blocks.

Senior middle hitter Sophia Hadjiyane (Huntington, N.Y./John Glenn) added 137 kills of her own and tied for the team lead in total blocks with Keaveney at 58.

In 2023, sophomore setter Cammi Quirk (Oakland, N.J./Ridgewood) was named the Landmark Conference Rookie of the Year after ranking fifth in the Landmark with 617 assists.

Junior Maddie Forry (Reading, Pa./Exeter Township) is back after leading the team with 538 digs and she ranked in the Top 10 of the Landmark in digs (third) and service aces (53, seventh).

The Royals will host Misericordia, Coast Guard and New Paltz this weekend as part of the annual Scranton Invite.

Landmark Conference Preseason Poll

        1)      Juniata – 81 Points (9)

        2)      Scranton – 72 Points (1)

        3)      Catholic – 58 Points

        4)      Susquehanna – 54 Points

        5)      Elizabethtown – 52 Points

        6)      Drew – 47 Points

        7)      Moravian – 33 Points

        8)      Lycoming – 25 Points

        9)      Wilkes – 16 Points

        10)   Goucher – 11 Points

Men's and Women's Cross Country

Both the men's and women's cross country programs will open the 2024 season on Aug. 30 at the Misericordia Invitational and will compete in a total of six meets this fall.

Senior Samantha Hoffmann (Millington, N.J./Watchung Hills) finished 13th at the 2023 Landmark Championship meet to earn All-Landmark Second Team honors, while sophomore Kyrianna Nemitz (Sinking Spring, Pa./Wilson) was named as Landmark Rookie of the Year and a Second Team selection after notching a ninth-place finish.

The 2024 Landmark Championships will be held on Nov. 2 at Elizabethtown and a pre-championship poll will be conducted prior to the race.

--ROYALS--