Field Hockey | 8/29/2025 7:10:00 PM

Granville, Ohio-The Denison Field Hockey team looks to continue its conference play success from last season, as they sit second in the North Coast Athletic Conference  preseason poll behind last year's champion, Ohio Wesleyan.

2024 Season Recap
The Big Red had a bumpy start to their season last year, facing some top-ten teams, resulting in a 1-5 out-of-conference record, with their lone win coming against Concordia University (Wis.). The tough start did not slow the team down, however; once they met conference opponents, they flipped the season back around and notched a 9-1 record in NCAC play, two of them coming in overtime. Going into the NCAC Tournament, the Big Red came in with a 10-6 record and on a six-game win streak, outscoring their opponents 22-3. They would go on to win their semifinal matchup 1-0 against Wittenberg in overtime before falling to Ohio Wesleyan in the championship game 1-0. The season featured four All-NCAC recipients, including the Offensive Player of the Year Emma Gebhart and Defensive Player of the Year Tabitha Chandler.

• Emma Gebhart won Offensive Player of the Year for the fifth time in program history. She led the NCAC in goals (15), points (35), and shots (78). She also received NFHCA Second Team All-Region honors.

• Tabitha Chandler earned Defensive Player of the Year for the seventh time in program history. She helped anchor a defense that recorded six shutouts and only allowed five goals through conference play.

• The Big Red have won nine conference games in back-to-back seasons. The last time they reached that mark was in 2018, when the team went 14-0 in conference play and reached the First Round of the NCAA Tournament.

• Denison ranked second in the conference in goals, with 45, averaging 2.5 per game, which also ranked second.

2025 NCAC Preseason Poll

Position-By-Position Breakdown

The team returns an extensive group on both the defensive and offensive ends, as it only graduated two seniors and brought in six first-year players to round out the roster.

Midfield/Forward

The group brings back Offensive Player of the Year Emma Gebhart, who started all 18 games for the Big Red. Gebhart, a rising junior, finished last season with a conference-leading 15 goals and 35 points. She also tacked on five assists and had four game-winning goals. In her career, Gebhart has 24 goals, six assists, 50 shots on goal, and eight game-winning goals. 

Also returning are Second Team All-NCAC recipients Lila Smith and Reilly Desmond. Smith was second on the team in goals with nine and also added two assists. She has started in all 37 games she has played in her Big Red career. Desmond also had nine goals while adding an assist and two game-winning goals.

Senior Nina Casingal and junior Claire Willoughby also return with a great amount of experience. Casingal has started in all 53 games in her Big Red career, and last season posted two goals and an assist. Willoughby started 12 games last season, tacking on two goals and an assist while being named to the NCAC All-Tournament Team. Rising sophomore Maddie Gaines returns after a standout first year last season. She started in 12 games and scored three goals.

Defense

Reigning Defensive Player of the Year Tabitha Chandler returns after a breakout sophomore season. Chandler, a rising junior, finished last season with two goals and three assists. In her career, she has started in 36 of her 37 games played, scoring four goals and adding five assists, including two game-winning goals.

Also returning is Second Team All-NCAC honoree Rachel Gilio. Gilio, a senior, returns after her third consecutive All-NCAC recognition. She tallied three assists on the season and helped the defense to seven shutouts. Casingal, Helen Breen, and Bella Thoms have all contributed on the defensive front, all starting in double-digit games, respectively. Breen and Thoms both added a goal last season to go along with their defensive efforts.

Goalkeeper

The Big Red will be tasked with replacing Athena Joannou, who started all the games at goalkeeper the last three seasons and had a save percentage of 75.5% last season. Sophomore Therese Lucian looks to make an immediate impact inside the cage after appearing in two games and recording two saves.

A Look at the Schedule

The season opener will kick off at home against the University of Lynchburg on August 30 and will play Shenandoah University on August 31. The first conference matchup will come on Sept. 10 as the Big Red play Wittenberg University. The last regular-season game will take place on Nov. 1, as the team travels to Lexington, Kentucky, to face Transylvania University.