Hobart and William Smith Colleges Athletics

One of the very best midfielders in William Smith field hockey history, Ami Cammarota Ford ’00 led the Herons to a 64-20 overall record, two conference championships, an ECAC title and a national championship.

Over the course of her career, Cammarota Ford recorded 53 points on 19 goals and 15 assists. When she graduated, she was tied for 15th in career points, tied for 16th in career goals and tied for 10th in career assists. During her four seasons, the Herons captured two Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association Championships and earned four consecutive postseason bids. Cammarota Ford led William Smith to the NCAA tournament in 1996, 1997 and 1998, reaching the pinnacle of college field hockey in 1997 by capturing the program’s second national championship. She capped her career by winning the 1999 ECAC Mid-Atlantic Championship.

During the 1997 national championship run, Cammarota Ford contributed three goals, including the double overtime game winner to beat Hartwick in the New York State semifinals, and three assists. The following year, she recorded career-highs with eight goals and six assists for 22 points.

Cammarota Ford was a two-time first team All-American (1998, 1999), a three-time All-Region pick (1997-99), twice garnered first team All-UCAA recognition and was a NFHCA North-South All-Star in 1999.

In addition to being an All-American on the field, Cammarota Ford was also a standout in the classroom. She was a two-time pick for the NFHCA All-Academic Squad and was selected as a GTE/CoSIDA second team Academic All-American following her senior year. To date, she is the only Academic All-American in William Smith field hockey history.

A member of the Laurel Society, Cammarota Ford graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in economics and writing and public policy and was awarded a prestigious NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship.

After graduation, Cammarota Ford taught and coached at the scholastic level on both coasts. She returned to Geneva as assistant director of career services at HWS and joined the William Smith field hockey coaching staff in 2017.

With the Herons, Cammarota Ford has helped the team earn three Liberty League tournament bids, winning back-to-back championships in 2022 and 2023. In each of the past two seasons, the Herons have reached the second round of the NCAA tournament, falling to the national runner-up in 2022, and the eventual national champion in 2023. She was a part of the Liberty League Coaching Staff of the Year in 2022.

Cammarota Ford’s mentorship and her experience as a former Heron has proven to be a valuable asset to the team. Over the past six seasons, Cammarota Ford has worked with 24 All-Liberty League selections, 10 NFHCA All-Region selections, and two All-Americans.