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2025 Field Hockey Season Preview

8/27/2025 2:05:00 PM

LEXINGTON, Va. - The Old Dominion Athletic Conference released its 2025 Field Hockey Preseason Poll, and Washington and Lee was selected third overall with 50 points and one first-place vote. The Generals sit just behind co-favorites University of Lynchburg and Shenandoah University, who tied atop the poll with 60 points each while splitting the final eight first-place votes.

With three different programs earning first-place consideration and only 10 points separating first from third, the 2025 ODAC field hockey season is expected to be tightly contested.

Bridgewater College rounded out the top four with 42 points, creating a clear upper tier of teams expected to battle for postseason positioning. Randolph-Macon (34), Virginia Wesleyan (29), and Roanoke (26) filled out the middle of the poll, while Sweet Briar (13) and Eastern Mennonite (10) completed the voting.

Zoe Dolfis gets set for a reverse hit in a scoring attempt on the offensive end of the field.

2025 ODAC FIELD HOCKEY COACHES' POLL

T1 - University of Lynchburg (4) 60 pts.
T1 - Shenandoah University (4) 60 pts.
3 - Washington and Lee University (1) 50 pts.
4 - Bridgewater College 42 pts.
5 - Randolph-Macon College 34 pts.
6 - Virginia Wesleyan University 29 pts.
7 - Roanoke College 26 pts.
8 - Sweet Briar College 13 pts.
9 - Eastern Mennonite University 10 pts.

ODAC PREVIEW RELEASE

Elaina Bellone prepares for a corner insert at the top of the critical scoring area.

NATIONAL POLL

The National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) released its 2025 Division III Preseason Poll, and Washington and Lee will face several nationally ranked opponents as part of a challenging schedule.

The Generals open the year on Friday, Aug. 29 at No. 5 Johns Hopkins, a program that went 17-3 last fall and enters 2025 as one of the nation’s top-five teams. Just over a week later, W&L heads to No. 6 Christopher Newport on Sunday, Sept. 7, giving the Generals two early-season road tests against nationally elite competition.

In league play, the Generals will square off against two ODAC rivals appearing in the preseason poll: No. 11 Shenandoah (18-2 in 2024) and No. 17 Lynchburg. The Hornets split the ODAC’s top billing in the conference preseason poll alongside Shenandoah, and both programs provide highly anticipated challenges on W&L’s October slate.

The Penn Monto/NFHCA Division III Coaches Poll is a composite ranking of the top 25 teams in the nation each week. Each Division III conference has one NFHCA designated Coaches Poll Committee member coach submitting one vote weekly. The 2025 Preseason Poll will be released on August 26, followed by the first week’s poll released on September 9, 2025, after two weekends of regular season competition. The last date of the 2025 Poll is November 11, 2025. The 2025 National Championship is scheduled for November 23, 2025.

For more information, visit NFHCA DIII Coaches Poll.

Our team has really shown a strong commitment to playing together with energy and effort. The consistency in practice has stood out and we’re pushing each other every day. We’re moving the ball well, communicating at a high level, and staying focused on the details. Our first-year players have stepped in with confidence, while our leaders and returning players are setting the tone.

The attitude across the group has been very positive, and the team is coming together with a lot of support for one another. We’ve made real progress in the areas we’ve emphasized, and I’m proud of the way the team continues to work hard to improve each day.

Head Coach Gina Wills

Jordan Hoover sweeps a ball out of the defensive end.

2025 Washington and Lee Field Hockey Season Preview

The Washington and Lee University field hockey team is ready to open the 2025 season with a challenging non-conference slate, a competitive ODAC schedule, and plenty of opportunities for fans to support the Generals both in person and online. To view W&L's complete schedule, click HERE.

Non-Conference Slate

The Generals begin their campaign on Friday, Aug. 29 at 7 p.m. with a tough road test at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore. The home opener follows on Friday, Sept. 5 at 6 p.m., when W&L welcomes Denison to W&L Turf Field under the lights.

Two days later, the Generals travel to Christopher Newport for a Sunday, Sept. 7 matchup at Noon in Newport News, before returning home to host Rhodes College on Saturday, Sept. 13 at Noon.

The mid-September stretch continues with a road contest at Mary Washington on Wednesday, Sept. 17 at 6 p.m., followed by one of the marquee home contests of the year against Franklin & Marshall on Saturday, Sept. 20 at 5 p.m..

W&L then heads to New Jersey for a challenging road weekend — Stevens on Saturday, Sept. 27 at Noon and Montclair State on Sunday, Sept. 28 at 11 a.m. The non-conference slate wraps up with a neutral-site matchup against Muhlenberg at Shenandoah University on Saturday, Oct. 11 at 4 p.m.

ODAC Schedule

The Generals open conference play on the road against Virginia Wesleyan on Saturday, Oct. 4 at Noon. The first ODAC home contest comes quickly after, when W&L hosts Roanoke College under the lights on Wednesday, Oct. 8 at 7 p.m.

W&L continues league play with a road trip to Shenandoah on Wednesday, Oct. 15 at 6 p.m., before returning home for a key Saturday matchup against Randolph-Macon on Oct. 18 at 2 p.m. The Generals then travel to Sweet Briar for a Tuesday, Oct. 21 contest at 7 p.m.

The final stretch of the regular season features three important ODAC games:

University of Lynchburg – Saturday, Oct. 25 at Noon (Home)
Eastern Mennonite – Wednesday, Oct. 29 at 7 p.m. (Home)
Bridgewater – Saturday, Nov. 1 at 2 p.m. (Away)

Postseason Schedule

Should the Generals secure a spot in the ODAC Tournament, they will host throughout postseason play:

ODAC Quarterfinals – Tuesday, Nov. 4

ODAC Semifinals – Thursday, Nov. 6

ODAC Championship – Saturday, Nov. 8

If W&L earns a bid to the NCAA Tournament, action begins on Wednesday, Nov. 12 with first-round play. The second weekend will take place on Saturday, Nov. 15 and the quarterfinals on Sunday, Nov. 16 before heading to Hartford, Conn., for the national semifinals (Friday, Nov. 21) and championship (Sunday, Nov. 23).

Beginning in 2025-26, the Old Dominion Athletic Conference’s five-year media rights agreement with FloSports ensures that all ODAC and W&L home contests will stream live on FloCollege with a subscription.

How to Watch

FloSports/FloCollege can be accessed through the FloSports app or on major streaming platforms, including Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Apple TV, and Google Chromecast which provides access to FloSports’ full library of more than 40,000 events across 25 sports. Subscriptions can be purchased here and are available in two options HERE:

Monthly: $19.99/month
Annual: $107.88/year ($8.99/month)

Fans with an ODAC institution .edu email address are eligible for discounted pricing:

Monthly: $9.99/month
Annual: $71.88/year ($5.99/month)

For those who can’t watch live or do not want to subscribe to FloCollege, free replays will be available on Generalssports.com/live beginning two days after each game. For example, a Saturday contest will be available starting at midnight on Monday morning.

Admission to regular-season home games is free, while ODAC semifinal and championship games and any NCAA postseason contests will require paid admission regardless of host institution.

Fans planning to attend should review W&L’s tailgating and parking operations HERE.

A group of Generals hug Co-Captain Sydney Baggtet after she scored a goal during a 2024 contest.

Generals Return Offensive Firepower and Defensive Stability in 2025

The Washington and Lee University field hockey team heads into the 2025 season with a balanced mix of proven scorers and defensive anchors, building off a 2024 campaign that saw the Generals post their fifth straight year of double-digit wins. W&L finished 12-7 overall, including 5-3 in ODAC play, while outscoring opponents 52-27 and averaging 18.3 shots per game to their opponents’ 8.1.

Offensive Leaders

The Generals return an explosive offensive unit responsible for 71 percent of last year’s scoring output.

Sydney Baggett led the charge with 13 goals, six assists, and 32 points, including four game-winners and a hat trick in a 7-0 victory over Virginia Wesleyan. She earned Second Team All-ODAC, All-State, and All-Tournament honors after also scoring in the ODAC semifinals.
Betty Boatwright, a co-captain and three-time All-ODAC honoree, added 11 goals and three assists for 25 points. She proved clutch with four game-winners, highlighted by a two-goal effort against Virginia Wesleyan, and was recognized on the NFHCA All-Region Second Team.
Margaret Cover finished third on the team in points with eight goals and four assists (20 points), boasting a .229 shooting percentage and two game-winners.
Anne Burns Fiveash started every contest as a first-year, producing four goals and one assist, including the decisive tally in a 3-2 win at Mary Washington. She was rewarded with Third Team All-ODAC honors.
Zoe Dolfis, a two-time Second Team All-ODAC selection, contributed one goal and four assists while firing 58 shots. She proved reliable in transition and consistent in creating offensive opportunities.

Together, this group accounted for 37 of W&L’s 52 goals and 18 of the team’s 32 assists last season.

Defensive Standouts

The Generals also return strength on the back line, anchored by veteran leadership and consistent shot-stopping.

Julia McDonald, the starting goalkeeper and senior leader, played and started all 19 games in 2024. She posted a 1.33 goals-against average, allowing only 26 goals all season, while making 61 saves with a .701 save percentage. McDonald finished the year with seven complete-game shutouts and helped hold opponents to just 93 shots on goal across 19 games.
Jordan Hoover anchored the defense in front of McDonald, playing in 18 games and leading a unit that limited opponents to 1.42 goals per game and just 154 total shots. Hoover’s steady defensive play contributed to seven team shutouts and a conference-low 0.175 opponent shooting percentage.

Team Statistics

Statistically, W&L’s dominance was clear in 2024. The Generals:

Outscored opponents 52-27 (2.74 goals per game to 1.42).
Outshot foes by nearly double, 348-154 (18.3 per game to 8.1).
Generated 153 penalty corners while conceding just 94.
Recorded seven shutouts behind McDonald and the defense.

Senior forward Sydney Baggett returns as one of the ODAC’s top offensive threats after leading W&L with 13 goals, six assists, and 32 points in 2024. Baggett’s breakout season earned her Second Team All-ODAC, a place on the ODAC All-Tournament Team, and All-State honors, with highlights including a hat trick in a 7-0 win over Virginia Wesleyan and a goal in the ODAC semifinals against Shenandoah. She led the Generals in shots (61) and shots on goal (39, .639) while recording four game-winners.

Baggett is also a standout in the classroom, earning multiple W&L Scholar-Athlete honors, Academic All-ODAC recognition, and placement on the NFHCA National Academic Squad in each of her seasons. Off the field, she works as a child care professional, youth club coach, and SPCA volunteer, and she gained industry experience as an electrical engineering intern in summer 2024 while pursuing a degree in Integrated Engineering.

A consistent offensive presence, senior forward Betty Boatwright enters 2025 as a co-captain after another standout campaign in 2024. Boatwright started all 19 games, finishing with 11 goals, three assists, and 25 points, including four game-winners. She earned Second Team All-ODAC honors for the second time in her career and was also named to the NFHCA All-Region VI Second Team. A two-sport athlete, Boatwright balances field hockey with her role on the W&L women’s lacrosse team, while excelling academically as a W&L Scholar-Athlete.

Her resume includes Second Team All-ODAC recognition in both 2022 and 2023, as well as ODAC Rookie of the Year and a spot on the Synapse Sports All-Rookie Team as a first-year. Off the field, Boatwright has interned with Weller Development Company, MRP Realty, and the House of Representatives, and is majoring in Journalism/Mass Communications with an emphasis in creative writing.

Senior goalkeeper Julia McDonald anchors the Generals’ defense and enters 2025 as a co-captain following a career-best junior campaign. McDonald started all 19 games last fall, logging more than 1,170 minutes in the cage. She posted a 1.33 goals-against average, allowing just 26 goals on the season, while making 61 saves for a .701 save percentage. She also recorded seven complete-game shutouts and was named ODAC Defensive Player of the Week (10/28/24).

McDonald has been recognized for both her athletic and academic achievements throughout her career, earning multiple W&L Scholar-Athlete awards, spots on the NFHCA National Academic Squad, and Academic All-ODAC honors. At W&L, McDonald is a Biology and Environmental Studies major who spent summer 2024 as a research scholar studying trout population declines in the Jackson River. She is active on campus as a member of the Pre-Health Club, Gender Action Group, and Spanish Honor Society.

2025 W&L Field Hockey Co-Captain Betty Boatwright