College students have begun their semesters nationwide as the 2025-2026 academic year kicks off. A new semester ignites the action for Keene State’s fall sports season as teams prepare to embark on the season-long hunt for the Little East Conference (LEC) championship. Each team has its share of impressive first-year athletes, new mindsets and a drive for success for the fall season.
Keene State Field Hockey is coming off of a season where the team captured the conference championship and competed in the national championship. Prior to 2024, the team had last won the conference in 2018, their sixth in a row at the time. Senior Captain and forward Grace Bazin was a part of last season’s success and said if another championship is headed to the nest, there is still hard work to do.
“I try to forget about the prior season because, honestly, it does not matter. It’s definitely something we can learn from and grow from, but we are not the same team at all; we have new players and had players who graduated. Taking a step back and just thinking of that, we’re not expecting anything,” said Bazin.
The defending champs enter the season with their sights set on the LEC title as Head Coach Amy Watson enters her last season with the Owls. The Equinox previously reported on Watson’s departure, which was announced in the spring.
“Everyone is sad and upset that she is retiring, but she deserves to retire after all these years and all the hard work that she’s done. Right now, we are just trying to live in the moment and enjoy the season, and I think that’s what she’s trying to do,” said Bazin.
The LEC Preseason Coaches’ Poll listed Keene State second behind Vermont State University at Castleton.
Another KSC fall program that continues to reel in championships is the cross country team. The women’s team is fresh off its 21st LEC title and the team’s third in a row. The men’s team also captured the conference championship in 2024, making it the Owls’ 16th overall. Senior Captain Sarah O’Connell said the team is hungry entering the 2025 season after their previous success.
“We are all really excited coming off of our season from last year. Carrying that momentum into this season is just really exciting, we’re all close and very tight-knit and that makes for a great team experience,” said O’Connell.
O’Connell added the team’s connection and bond before the season is stronger than ever following the death of Anna O’Reilly, a then-rising senior on the team at the time of her death over the summer. O’Connell spoke of O’Reilly’s impact and how the team is moving forward following her death.
“Not only did we lose an amazing top 1-2 runner on our team, we also lost an amazing person, friend and teammate. So this year it has made us all closer, because we’ve all decided this season we’re running for her. At the very least, it’s something keeping us all bonded, motivated and ready to go,” said O’Connell.
Both the men’s and women’s cross country teams were listed first in the LEC Preseason Coaches’ Poll.
The KSC Volleyball team enters 2025 with the hopes of returning to the LEC playoffs as the Owls did in 2024. The Owls crept into the playoff picture last season, going 6-4 in the team’s last ten to earn itself a quarterfinal game, which it lost. Second-year Head Coach Jacob Girard said he is aiming to fix a large problem that led to many losses last season, finishing tight sets and controlling games.
“We went to the fifth set maybe six or seven times, and we only won two of those. We had the skill and we have the ability to hang with anybody. So now we’re just trying to look and figure out how to push past, instead of a five-set loss, how do we get a five-set victory? How do we just win in three or four?” said Girard.
Girard has implemented some techniques from sports psychology and mental training to help the team push through those tough sets late.
The team retained senior Captain Grace Christian and appointed seniors Gigi Stake and Annaliese Rudberg to join as captains. Girard also mentioned a first-year middle blocker, Katherine Taylor, as a new talent to look out for this season.
“She’s a 6’2” middle blocker, and after losing 6’2” Molly Wetherbee as a middle, I think [Taylor] can come in and really compete for a role on the team,” said Girard.
The KSC Volleyball team is listed sixth in the LEC coaches preseason poll.
The Keene State Men’s Soccer team enters the new season as underdogs in the LEC, but also as a team that knows it can win conference games. In 2024, the team was able to make the playoffs after going just under .500 in the conference, but overall obtained a record of 4-11-3. Senior Captain Dylan Chambers highlighted new senior leadership and a developing team culture that could push this team into the playoffs again.
“There’s a great culture around this team, and Elías [Stowell Alemán], Damir [Hamzic] and I have had a big part in creating that for the last four years; us four holding that high standard for everybody and making sure that the culture stays positive is something that’s super important,” said Chambers.
The captain added, “We’re ready to compete. Nobody is going to look at us after going 4-11-3 last year and expect us to come out and win but we love that. We want to be underdogs.”
The team is ranked third on the LEC Preseason Coaches’ Poll.
KSC Women’s Soccer is another team that is ready to prove people wrong in 2025. Although the team finished 7-10-3 last season, they were unable to make conference playoffs after a rough record in the LEC. Senior Captain Giuliana Stolfi said she is confident that this year’s squad has held each other accountable in the offseason and is ready to jump into the new year.
“We really worked hard over the summer to hold each other accountable, make sure we get touches in, and get our extra running done. So this year’s motto, ‘lock in,’ is on the field, walking into practice, anytime we’re together, we’re locked in,” said Stolfi.
Stolfi added the preseason went well and the team is “playing better than the past; even our last game of last season, we are already playing better than that.”
The team is ranked ninth on the LEC Preseason Coaches’ Poll.
Jacob Enscoe can be contacted at
jenscoe@kscequinox.com
