Mahwah, NJ: The Ramapo College field hockey team has been picked as the dark horse in the 2022 New Jersey Athletic Conference Preseason poll announced today by the league office. The Roadrunners were also slated to finish 5th in the league after a history 2021 season.
 
The 2021 squad won the ECAC Championship, the first in program history, in a 2-1 thriller on November 14th at home. Head coach Jennifer Tafro, who enters her sixth season, will look to the veterans of the team and a talented incoming class to propel the Roadrunners on the field this season. Ramapo boasted a 15-7 overall record last season, which marks a program record for wins. The Roadrunners also earned a spot in the NJAC Tournament for the second consecutive season.
 
Victoria Docherty and Mariah Tovar led the team last season on offense. Docherty, who was named ECAC Tournament MVP, led the team by setting a new single season record of 25 goals including six game-winners. For her efforts on the field she earned numerous post-season honors including; Synapse Sports Division III Third Team All-American, NFHCA Division III All-Region First Team, NJAC First Team All-Conference, NFHCA National Offensive Player of the Week, and a four-time NJAC Offensive Player of the Week honoree. She finished the 2021 season tied for 5th across NCAA Division III in goals in a season while she was third overall in points in a season (62). Tovar set the single season record for assists when she collected 15 during last year's run to the ECAC Championship while she also set the new career mark with 20 entering the 2022 season. Tovar contributed with seven goals, three-game winners last year along with starting all 22 games for the Roadrunners. Maggie Farrell finished tied for third on the team last season with seven goals while she added nine assists. M. Farrell earned NJAC Honorable Mention All-Conference for her efforts on the field. Katie Yarussi also posted seven goals including a hat-trick on Sept. 18th in a 9-0 win over Centenary (NJ) and the game-winner in the ECAC Championship game. Yarussi also posted six assists and finished fourth on the team with 29 points. Michelle Kukan logged over 1220 minutes in the cage last season with 79 saves while she faced 179 shots. Kukan and the Ramapo defense recorded four shutouts during the 2021 season, the most in program history. Emily Ricciardi and Colleen Farrell, who each started all 22 games last season, will be looked to anchor the defense once again. Ricciardi wrapped up the 2021 season with two defensive saves, one goal and two assists while C. Farrell also recorded two defensive saves on defense.

 
Ramapo opens the 2022 season on Thursday, September 1st when they travel to New Paltz in a non-conference game at 4pm. The Roadrunners will host Lasell University in their home-opener on Saturday, September 3rd at 3pm before going up against seven more non-conference rivals. Ramapo opens the NJAC season against Montclair State on Saturday, October 1st at home at 1pm. Please click here for the 2022 schedule.
 
2022 NJAC Field Hockey Preseason Poll
First-place votes in parenthesis 
1. Rowan (6)
2. Kean (1)
3. TCNJ
4. Montclair State
5. Ramapo (dark horse)
6. Stockton
7. William Paterson