GAME ON: Fall 2024 Edition
Cross Country
Both men’s and women’s cross country teams are nationally ranked for the first time in several years as the men are No. 26 in the national coaches’ poll while the women sit No. 27 as of October 15. The Cardinals earned the national rankings following a stellar showing at the Pre-National Championship held in Terre Haute, Indiana on October 4 as the Wesleyan men placed seventh out of 46 teams, finishing ahead of three nationally ranked programs in the process. The women mirrored the success at Pre-Nationals as the Cardinals placed eighth out of 44 teams at the event, finishing ahead of a pair of Top 20 ranked teams.
Two-time NCAA Qualifier Stephanie Ager ’26 has led the women’s team with a first-place finish at the Cardinal Invitational, runner-up showing at the Little Three Invite, and placing fifth overall out of 389 runners at Pre-Nationals.
Field Hockey
The Cardinals have backed up an incredible 2023 campaign with another stellar year in 2024. After the debut of Hicks Field, a brand-new blue AstroTurf playing surface that the team now calls home, Wesleyan has climbed up the national coaches’ poll, where they are currently ranked No. 11.
The team has nine wins heading into the latter stages of the regular season including a 5-1 win over Top 10 ranked Bates on the Cardinals’ Alumnae Game. One week after defeating the Bobcats, Wesleyan took down another Top 10 ranked NESCAC team in Tufts, landing a 2-1 come-from-behind win over the Jumbos. Two more noteworthy wins came in a 4-1 triumph over Trinity, which signaled the first time the Cardinals defeated the Bantams in Hartford since 2005, while a recent 3-2 overtime win at Bowdoin marked the first time Wesleyan defeated the Polar Bears since 1999.
Women’s Tennis
The reigning NCAA national runner-up Wesleyan women’s tennis team enjoyed a sensational fall season as the Cardinals swept the ITA New England Regional Tournament with Jackie Soloveychik ’27 winning the singles draw while Renna Mohsen-Breen ’25 and Lane Durkin ’27 took down Soloveychik and Natalia Leroy ’28 in an all-Wesleyan doubles final.
With four members of the team qualifying for the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Cup held in Rome, Georgia, Soloveychik went on another thrilling run to capture the 2024 ITA Singles National Championship. Soloveychik joined elite company as her title win placed her next to Eudice Chong ’18 as the only Cardinals to have ever won the ITA Cup.
Soloveychik’s path to the title featured straight set wins in her round of 16 and quarterfinal round wins before she overcame a 6-1 first set loss, winning the second and third sets by a 6-2 scoreline to defeat Erica Ekstrand in the semifinals. She then dominated Clara Zou of UChicago 6-1, 6-3 in the final to win the championship.
Women’s Soccer
Off to their best start in team history, the Cardinals enter the week of October 21 with an undefeated 10-0-2 record while the team stands in first place in the NESCAC standings at 6-0-2 in league play. The 12-game unbeaten run is the second-longest in team history and the Cardinals have leaned on one of the best defenses in the country.
Through 12 games, the Cardinals have allowed just four goals, recording nine shutouts on the year. The 0.333 goals against average ranks Top 10 in the nation while the Cardinal goalkeepers combined .918 save percentage is seventh-best in the country among all NCAA Division III teams. Goalkeeper Molly Brumbach ’26 earned NESCAC Player of the Week honors on October 7 and her .911 save percentage is 10th best nationally. Katie O’Connell ’25 is in the midst of a career year, having recorded 15 points on four goals and seven assists through 12 games while Tori Rideau-Winds ’26 headlines a back line that has been stellar defensively all season.
Football
Currently 5-1 for the third time in five years, the Wesleyan football team has clinched yet another winning season as this marks the 12th straight year the Cardinals have finished above .500. Defense has been the calling card all year for the Cardinals, as the team has allowed just one team to score 20-plus points while the 13.0 points allowed per game is the best in the NESCAC.
The Cardinal defense ranks first in the league in most major statistical categories including total yards allowed, rushing defense, passing defense, defensive efficiency, fumbles forced, opponent third down conversions, and red zone defense. Ben Carbeau ’25 leads the team in tackles (44) and sacks (four) while Dylan Connors ’26 has seven tackles for loss while leading the team with seven pass breakups through six games.
Women’s Golf
The women’s golf team enjoyed their best fall season in team history, recording four Top 10 results across four tournaments including a stellar sixth place finish out of 23 teams at the Williams Invitational. Competing against a talented field that included all eight NESCAC teams, Wesleyan finished in a tie for sixth with Hamilton while finishing ahead of Middlebury, Bates, and Trinity.
Amanda Phillips ’28 burst onto the scene, firing a team record low weekend total of 146 strokes to finish even par in her first career tournament, at the Bowdoin Invitational to start the season. Phillips carded back-to-back 73’s over the two rounds, hitting an eagle in Round 1, to finish in fourth place out of 80 golfers on the player leaderboard.
Women’s Crew
The two-time reigning NCAA runner-up had a stellar showing at the Head of the Charles, as the varsity 8 placed second overall in a field of 34 boats. The Cardinal boat, which featured four underclassmen, recorded the team’s best finish at the Head of the Charles since Wesleyan was runner-up back in 2017.
By Maxx McNall
