The Assumption Football team had another historic season, as the Hounds reached the NCAA Division II Quarterfinals for the first time in program history. They finished the year with an impressive 11-2 record and were ranked as high as eighth in the nation during the regular season. The team was dominant all year, including a pair of impressive shutouts, defeating Pace University 56-0 in the second game of the season, before dropping Stonehill College 68-0 on Homecoming Weekend. Assumption won its second NE10 Championship in the last three years to earn a trip to the NCAA Tournament, and in the first round took down California (PA) 40-31 at home. In the second round, the team defeated the University of Findlay 45-26, before falling on the road in the Quarterfinals 27-22 to top seed Indiana University (PA). Assumption had 13 student athletes earn honors from the NE10, including MVP Deonte Harris ’19, Defensive Player of the Year Andrew Benson GR, Defensive Lineman of the Year Ray Sarkodieh ’18, and Special Teams Player of the Year Cole Tracy ’18. Bob Chesney was named Coach of the Year. All four players were also named All-Region, while Deonte Harris went on to earn AFCA First-Team All-America honors as a returner and Cole Tracy was named AFCA Second-Team All-America as a kicker.
The Women’s Soccer season ended on Friday, November 3, in the NE10 Semifinals as they fell to No. 2 seed Southern New Hampshire in penalty kicks after playing two overtimes tied 1-1. The team finished the year at 10-6-2 overall, led by NE10 Player of the Year Kallie Villemaire ’19. She ranked third in the nation with 20 goals, which broke the Assumption single-season record of 19 set in 1993. Overall, five different players earned All-Conference honors for the team: Villemaire (first team), Amanda Arnold ’18 (second team), Ania Spina ’19 and Alex Stowell ’20 (third team), and Johnna Caprosucio ’21 (All-Rookie Team).
Women’s Cross Country took first place at the NCAA East Regionals on November 4, winning the program’s first-ever regional title. Five of the team’s runners earned USTFCCCA All-Region honors while four finished in the top 10 to help the team beat reigning champion Stonehill by just one point. Antonia Pagliuca ’18 took second overall, followed by classmate Courtney Fisher ’18 in sixth, sophomore Kialeigh Marston ’20 in seventh, and Megan Corbeil ’18 in ninth. With the victory, the team qualified for the NCAA Championships on November 18 in Evansville, IN, marking the second straight time the team has reached the NCAA Championships.
Women’s Golf won its second straight New England Intercollegiate Golf Association Championship to conclude its 2017 fall season. The team shot 17 strokes better on the second day of competition, led by Catherine French ’20. French shot a 75 to take home the individual title while Christine Cutting ’20 finished fourth overall.
Men’s Soccer finished the year with a pair of All-Conference honorees for the second straight year. Simon Trcka ’20 was named to the second team while classmate Jason Lages ’20 was named to the third team.
Men’s Golf finished its fall season with an impressive victory in the Devil’s Classic in Blue Bell, PA. James Elliot ’19 finished second on the day while Andrew Sanzaro ’21 was behind him in third.
Despite entering as the last team in and a No. 6 seed, Field Hockey made a run to the NE10 Championship Game. The team upset No. 3 ranked Pace 2-1 in overtime on the road and then on November 3 defeated No. 2 seed Stonehill 1-0. Assumption came up short in the NE10 Championship against LIU Post, but still finished the year with a 12-9 record. Allison Sheahan ’18 was an All-Conference selection and finished her career first in program history with 36 goals.
Women’s Swimming & Diving has started the 2017–18 season strong, with victories over conference opponents Franklin Pierce College, Le Moyne College, and Merrimack College. The team also claimed its sixth straight Worcester City Championship on October 28. They scored 883 total points, beating Division I College of the Holy Cross who was second with 856, while WPI took third and Clark University was fourth. Anne Guadalupi ’21 earned a pair of individual wins, with victories in the 50-yard backstroke (29.23) and the 100-yard backstroke (1:01.86).
Women’s Tennis had another impressive season, finishing the regular season with a 12-3 record and earning the No. 3 seed in the NE10 Tournament. In addition, they captured the 2017 Grass Court Doubles Championships at the Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, RI, by winning all three doubles flights during the day. Julia Chappell ’21 earned All-Conference honors for the team.
