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Battistelli, Moyer & Francis Headline Big Performances and Championship Opportunities
An impressive senior campaign at Vermont, Halloween heroics, and several conference championship opportunities highlight another week for Lebanon County’s college field hockey alumni.
As the calendar turns to November, Lebanon County’s collegiate field hockey graduates are entering one of the most exciting stretches of their seasons.
With conference tournaments underway and NCAA postseason opportunities approaching, familiar names from Palmyra, Cedar Crest, ELCO, and Annville-Cleona are contributing to programs across all three NCAA divisions.
This week’s LebCo Field Hockey Alumni Check-In begins with a Palmyra graduate who has put together one of the county’s most productive collegiate seasons. From Vermont’s America East Conference to championship pursuits closer to home, there is plenty to celebrate.
Battistelli Leading Vermont’s Scoring Attack
At the University of Vermont, Palmyra graduate Alicia Battistelli has established herself as one of the Catamounts’ primary offensive weapons during an impressive senior campaign.
The 5-foot-9 forward has started all 16 games this season, leading Vermont with eight goals while adding two assists for 18 points. She shares the team lead in points with teammate Addie DelOrefice and has recorded two game-winning goals.
Battistelli’s season has included two particularly memorable afternoons.
On September 22, she recorded a hat trick against Merrimack, scoring three times for the Catamounts. Less than two weeks later, she repeated the accomplishment against Queens on October 4, collecting another three-goal performance in Vermont’s 8-0 victory.
In that contest, Battistelli opened the scoring with a penalty stroke before adding two more goals, helping the Catamounts dominate a game in which they prevented Queens from recording a single shot.
Her senior season has built upon an already successful collegiate career. In 2025, Battistelli scored nine goals and added two assists for 20 points, earning America East First Team All-Conference recognition.
The former Cougar has also distinguished herself academically. On October 31, Vermont announced that Battistelli had earned a place on the 2026 America East All-Academic Team, adding another honor to her collegiate résumé.
Vermont completed its regular season at 11-5 after dropping a 2-1 shootout decision to Maine on October 29. Battistelli started that contest and recorded three shots, including one on goal.
The Catamounts now enter the America East Tournament as the fifth seed, traveling to face fourth-seeded New Hampshire in a quarterfinal matchup on Sunday, November 1, at noon.
For Battistelli, the upcoming postseason provides another opportunity to add to a career that has already featured significant individual accomplishments and contributions to a successful Division I program.
Read Vermont’s October 31 conference honors announcement
Moyer Delivers Five-Point Performance in Conference Semifinal
Halloween afternoon brought one of the week’s biggest individual performances from a Lebanon County graduate.
Anna Moyer, a Cedar Crest alum now in her junior season at Penn State Harrisburg, recorded two goals and an assist in the Lions’ 5-2 victory over Wilson College in the United East Conference semifinals.
The 5-foot-4 midfielder/defender helped Penn State Harrisburg take an early lead, assisting Victoria Castano Colman’s second goal with just 22 seconds remaining in the opening quarter.
With the Lions holding a 3-1 advantage in the third quarter, Moyer added a goal of her own at the 42:38 mark, extending the margin to three.
After Wilson pulled within two early in the fourth, Moyer delivered again. She finished a pass from Sadie Cook with just over 10 minutes remaining, restoring the three-goal cushion and completing her five-point afternoon.
The performance helped Penn State Harrisburg improve to 11-5 overall while advancing to the United East championship game for the second consecutive season.
Moyer, who also serves as a team captain, has been an important presence in the program throughout her collegiate career. She started all 16 games during her freshman campaign and has continued developing into an experienced leader.
The Lions will now host defending champion St. Mary’s College of Maryland on Saturday, November 7, with an opportunity to capture the program’s first conference championship.
For Moyer, the five-point semifinal performance came at an ideal time as Penn State Harrisburg moves one victory away from a conference title.
Read Penn State Harrisburg’s semifinal recap
Hibshman Helps Stevenson Finish Regular Season at 16-1
Former ELCO player Kailen Hibshman continues to contribute to one of the nation’s strongest Division III field hockey programs.
The Stevenson University sophomore put together another productive week, recording a goal and two assists across the Mustangs’ final two regular-season contests.
On October 28, Hibshman scored on a penalty stroke during Stevenson’s 4-0 victory over Hood College. She later assisted on the Mustangs’ final goal, setting up Hailey Mertz to complete the shutout.
Hibshman finished with three points, leading the team’s individual scoring production for the afternoon.
Three days later, the Mustangs erupted for 11 goals in an 11-4 victory over Eastern University. Hibshman contributed another assist, feeding Mertz for her third goal of the game during the second quarter.
The victories helped fifth-ranked Stevenson complete its regular season with a remarkable 16-1 overall record and a 7-1 mark in MAC Commonwealth competition.
Through 17 games, Hibshman has recorded four goals and six assists for 14 points while starting every contest.
Her success follows a freshman season in which she collected 10 goals and six assists while helping Stevenson capture the MAC Commonwealth championship and make its first NCAA Tournament appearance.
Now comes another meaningful postseason challenge.
Stevenson earned the No. 2 seed in the MAC Commonwealth Tournament and will host third-seeded Messiah University on Wednesday, November 4.
That matchup will feature a pair of former ELCO teammates on opposite sidelines, with Hibshman representing Stevenson and Addie Weiler competing for Messiah.
Read Stevenson’s October 31 victory recap
Francis Among Division II’s Most Productive Scorers
Another Annville-Cleona graduate enjoying an outstanding collegiate season is Grace Francis, now a junior at Pace University.
Francis has emerged as Pace’s leading goal scorer, recording 13 goals and two assists for 28 points through 16 games.
The former Dutchman has also collected four game-winning goals, demonstrating her ability to deliver in important situations.
Her latest scoring contribution came October 27 against American International College.
With Pace trailing 2-0 early in the third quarter, Francis converted a penalty corner opportunity off an assist from Olivia Martinez, cutting the deficit to one.
Although the Setters eventually fell 2-1, Francis remained active throughout the contest, finishing with a game-high six shots, including three on goal.
Pace held a 16-5 advantage in shots and a 13-2 edge in penalty corners but was unable to complete the comeback.
Francis’ 13 goals place her comfortably atop the team’s scoring list, while her 28 points rank second on the roster.
For a player who previously competed in the Lancaster-Lebanon League, the continued offensive production represents an impressive junior campaign at the Division II level.
Margut Sets Up Dramatic DeSales Comeback
Few games this week provided as much drama as the October 28 matchup between DeSales University and Lebanon Valley College.
Cedar Crest graduate Sierra Margut played an important role in the Bulldogs’ remarkable 4-2 victory, helping complete a four-goal fourth-quarter comeback.
Lebanon Valley carried a 2-0 advantage into the final period after scoring in the second and third quarters.
DeSales quickly began chipping away at the deficit, with Abigail Antipas scoring twice to tie the contest at two.
With less than three minutes remaining, Margut helped deliver the decisive play.
The junior assisted on Antipas’ third goal of the afternoon at the 57:03 mark, giving DeSales its first lead of the game.
The Bulldogs added another goal with just over a minute remaining to complete the comeback and secure the victory.
Margut’s contribution helped DeSales lock up the No. 2 seed in the MAC Freedom Tournament.
The Bulldogs followed that performance with a 1-0 victory over Marywood on October 31, completing the regular season at 10-7 overall and 7-1 in conference play.
The postseason now presents another Lebanon County connection.
DeSales will host third-seeded Lebanon Valley on Wednesday, November 4, at 7 p.m. The Dutchmen feature Annville-Cleona graduates Danika Setlock and Maggie McAteer, along with Cedar Crest alum Reese Arnold.
Lebanon Valley finished its regular season at 11-7 following a 3-2 loss to King’s on October 31.
With Margut facing several fellow Lebanon County graduates, the MAC Freedom semifinal provides another opportunity for local athletes to play meaningful roles in postseason competition.
Read DeSales’ October 28 comeback victory
Wolfe Scores as Elizabethtown Advances in Landmark Tournament
Palmyra graduate Ava Wolfe joined the list of Lebanon County alumni finding the cage during postseason competition.
The freshman midfielder/forward scored in Elizabethtown College’s commanding 8-0 victory over Drew University in the opening round of the Landmark Conference Tournament on Halloween afternoon.
With the Blue Jays already leading 4-0 during the third quarter, Wolfe received a pass from Carly Schumacher near the center of the circle.
She collected the ball, turned onto her backhand, and finished past the Drew goalkeeper to extend Elizabethtown’s advantage to five.
The Blue Jays continued pouring on the offense, eventually finishing with 31 shots while limiting Drew to just two attempts.
The victory improved Elizabethtown to 13-6 overall, matching the program’s highest single-season win total since 2018.
Wolfe is one of three Palmyra graduates on the Blue Jays roster, joining fellow freshmen Avery Mettle and Kami Van Zant.
Elizabethtown now advances to face top-seeded Scranton in the Landmark Conference semifinals on Tuesday, November 3, at 7 p.m.
Read Elizabethtown’s Halloween victory
Kutztown Continues Winning as Bucher Celebrates Senior Day
At Kutztown University, Lebanon County graduates Olivia Kirkpatrick and Paige Bucher remain part of one of Division II’s most successful programs.
The top-ranked Golden Bears improved to 16-1 overall and 7-1 in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference competition following a 3-0 victory over Frostburg State on October 31.
The contest was particularly meaningful for Bucher, a Cedar Crest graduate who was among four Kutztown seniors recognized before the game.
Bucher was also part of the Golden Bears’ starting lineup as Kutztown recorded another shutout, limiting Frostburg State to seven shots on goal.
Kirkpatrick, a Palmyra graduate, continues her decorated collegiate career after earning First Team All-American recognition and PSAC Defensive Athlete of the Year honors in 2025.
The victory followed another important result earlier in the week, when Kutztown defeated nationally ranked East Stroudsburg 3-2 on October 28.
With the postseason approaching, Bucher and Kirkpatrick remain part of a program positioned to compete for another conference championship and a deep NCAA Tournament run.
Read Kutztown’s October 31 recap
More Local Alumni Preparing for Postseason Competition
Several additional Lebanon County graduates remain part of programs approaching meaningful postseason opportunities.
At Messiah University, ELCO graduate Addie Weiler has continued building upon a productive freshman campaign. The Falcons defeated Albright 5-0 on October 31, completing the regular season at 10-6 overall and 6-1 in MAC Commonwealth competition.
Messiah will now face Stevenson in Wednesday’s conference semifinal, bringing Weiler and former ELCO teammate Hibshman together on opposite sides of an important postseason matchup.
At Boston University, Palmyra graduates Maddie Hudson and Mallory Hudson are preparing for Patriot League postseason competition after helping the Terriers secure a tournament berth.
Meanwhile, Syracuse University freshman Jovie Weaver, another Palmyra graduate, continues her first season competing in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Other county graduates, including Monmouth’s Keely Bowers, Richmond’s Avery Russell, and Millersville’s Peyton Bean, have also contributed to their respective programs throughout the fall.
Those athletes represent just a portion of Lebanon County’s collegiate field hockey community, with 35 graduates now identified on 2026 college rosters.
Championship Opportunities Await
For Lebanon County’s college field hockey alumni, the upcoming week promises some of the most significant games of the season.
Battistelli and Vermont will begin their America East Tournament journey against New Hampshire, while Moyer and Penn State Harrisburg have advanced to the United East championship game.
Closer to home, former ELCO teammates will meet in the MAC Commonwealth semifinals, while Cedar Crest and Annville-Cleona graduates will find themselves on opposite sidelines in the MAC Freedom Tournament.
With individual honors, big performances, and postseason opportunities continuing to accumulate, Lebanon County graduates have provided plenty of reasons for local fans to follow the college game.
Their high school playing days may be behind them, but their contributions to the sport remain very much alive.
LebCoSports will continue checking in on Lebanon County’s collegiate field hockey alumni as conference championships and NCAA postseason competition unfold.
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