Springfield, OH- Wittenberg will open their 2022 campaign at home this year against a familiar Centre team on February 12th. The Tigers who were projected at number eight in the NCAC this season return with a new head coach at the helm. Rejoining the Red & White in her first season as Head Coach is Wittenberg alumna, Becca Joseph. Coming from the OAC, Joseph helped lead her previous university to their first conference tournament appearance. As Wittenberg's newest head coach, she hopes to take the Tigers back to NCAC play.
Wittenberg will return fourteen players, including leading scorers Jessica Flick and Kelly Mamula. The duo returns for their second season with Wittenberg and combined shooting percentage of 40.8%. The Tiger offense also returns draw control specialist Katie Wadds who tallied 21 draw controls and landed at number three in the NCAC for ground balls. Wadds also led the NCAC at number five for caused turnovers in the 2021 season. Just behind Wadds for ground balls is Grace Kennedy who will be rejoining the Tigers for her second season. Kennedy ended the 2021 season inside the top twenty for ground balls for the NCAC.
Wittenberg is returning three key seniors for the 2022 season, including Antavia Horne, Alli Ormsby, and Joanna Stecz. Horne helped lead the Tigers in points, ground balls, caused turnovers, and draw controls. Ormsby, who received All-Region and All-NCAC honors for the most recent field hockey season, will look to translate her skills onto the lacrosse field in her final season with the Tigers. Returning to goal for Wittenberg is Joanna Stecz. Stecz saw action in nine games last season with 45 saves and her highest save percentage of her collegiate career.
Joining Wittenberg in their inaugural season are Grace Hehman at attack, Allyson Miller and Courtney Odom on defense, and Sidney Sheridan along with Gabrielle Weckerly in goal.
Joseph says she is excited to be back at her alma-mater coaching and looks forward to seeing the progression of the team this year especially from the leadership held within the team.
Wittenberg will host nine games this season beginning in February including three conference match-ups.