The sixth-ranked William Smith College field hockey team opens its 2016 season on Thursday, Sept. 1, when the Herons host Morrisville on McCooey Field. The contest is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.
 
William Smith is coming off an 18-3 campaign that saw it capture both the Liberty League regular season and tournament titles and earn the program's 22nd NCAA tournament bid. The Herons' title hopes were dashed by the eventual national champions. William Smith fell to Middlebury 3-0 in the quarterfinals.
 
Head Coach Sally Scatton returns to the sidelines for her 29th season. She will oversee a squad that returns 19 players, including 10 of 11 starters.
 
"We are very excited about the team's depth this season," Scatton said. "To have 10 starters and 19 players returning from last year's team, we will be able to use our depth to fill out the roster at every position. I am also interested to see how our seven new Herons will mesh with the current team."
 
On the offensive end, William Smith will have plenty of options when it comes to putting the ball in the back of the net. The forward line will be led by junior Hannah Wood who finished last season with 65 points (29g, 7a) and senior Alessandra Patrizio who collected 52 points (23g, 6a). The duo also finished 1-2 in scoring in 2014 with 49 and 16 points, respectively. A third team NFHCA All-American selection, Wood put together one of the best seasons in Heron history last year, finishing second on the all-time list in goals and third in points.
 
Joining Wood and Patrizio up front will be senior Lindsay Brandt, juniors Maura Moran, Katie Meyer and Leigh Blackiston, and sophomore Fallon Adair. Moran finished 2015 third on the team with 22 points. Her 10 assists were tied for the team lead. Meyer, who is academically a senior, returns to the squad after spending last fall abroad. As a starter in 2014, she finished third on the team with 14 points and second on the team with seven goals. Adair played her best at the end of her rookie season, earning conference rookie of the week honors twice. She scored twice in William Smith's 2-1 victory over Skidmore and added a multi-goal game against Bridgewater in the NCAA tournament.
 
The Heron midfield also returns a strong group this year and will look to have a major impact on both ends of the field. Second team All-American Alexandra Frary will once again play a key role as the center midfielder, directing William Smith's transition from defense to offense. She finished fourth on the team with 21 points (7g, 7a) in 2015. Frary was named the Liberty League Tournament's Most Valuable Player following a strong performance against Rochester in the championship game.
 
Seniors Jessica Borbee and Austen Gillen-Keeney developed into strong two-way midfielders last year pitching in on the offensive and defensive ends. Borbee notched a career-high eight points on three goals and two assists, including her first collegiate goal. Gillen-Keeney, who recorded an assist, developed into a strong defensive midfielder stopping opposing offenses from entering the Heron attacking zone. Sophomore Caroline Mackin will add support and depth to the midfield.
 
William Smith's lone departure from the 2015 season came on the defensive line. Madison Finn '16 set a single-season record with nine defensive saves and was the anchor of the defense. She recorded multiple defensive saves in one-goal victories over Ithaca and Rochester. In 80 career games, Finn collected seven goals and seven assists for 21 points. She had 11 defensive saves, second most by a Heron all-time.
 
The Herons will turn to their depth to fill Finn's void on the back line. Seniors Cydney Conley, Emily Granger, and Lauren Stevenson will provide leadership and experience for the defensive unit. Conley tallied 12 points in her junior season including a team-best 10 assists. She recorded her first career goal against Lebanon Valley. Granger and Stevenson were important pieces to William Smith's defense that finished third in the conference in goals against average (1.52). Sophomore Alanna Fitzgerald worked her way into the starting lineup at the end of the season. Following a strong performance in the Liberty League Tournament that saw the William Smith surrender a single goal, Fitzgerald was named the Liberty League Rookie of the Week. Sophomore Samantha Petruzzo will look to slot into the defensive rotation.
 
In goal, the Herons return seniors Biz Chirco and Amy Feda and junior Emily King. Chirco started 20 games in goal last year, recording a 16-3 overall record. She stopped 84 shots finishing the year with a .750 save percentage and a 1.63 goals against average. King saw action in eight games last year, starting one. She posted a 2-0 record on the year with a 0.91 goals against average and a .769 save percentage. Chirco, Feda, and King all had strong camps and will be fighting for playing time this fall.
 
Expectations are high as William Smith looks to build off of last season's success. The challenges will come from having a target on their backs as defending champions and learning that this is a new season. Scatton hopes to have the Herons playing at a championship level throughout the season.
 
William Smith faces a challenging schedule that includes four teams ranked in the top 20 and the Herons will be tested right out of the gate. William Smith travels to Collegeville, Pa. to square off with fourth-ranked Ursinus on Sept. 3. In October, the Herons will travel to No. 18 Rochester before wrapping up the regular season with home games against No. 11 Skidmore and No. 8 Messiah.  William Smith begins Liberty League play on Sept. 24, when it travels to Troy, N.Y. for a match against Rensselaer. The Herons will host the 2016 William Smith Classic on Homecoming and Family Weekend, Sept. 17-18. The season will conclude with William Smith hosting the 2016 NCAA Division III Field Hockey Championship Nov. 19-20.