Another year is in the books for Lafayette College athletics. As I prepare to sign off as sports editor, I want to take the time to reflect on the successes, championships and challenges the Leopards have faced this year.
Baseball
The baseball team put together a solid season in its third season with head coach A.J. Miller ‘11 at the helm. The Leopards did not struggle to string together runs, boasting the third-best batting average in the league and the second-best hitter (by average) in senior outfielder Easton Brenner. Senior infielder Michael Zarrillo also broke the program career home run record in the Leopards’ April 30 loss at Manhattan University, passing Miller’s record to finish at 24.
However, the Maroon and White were dead last in the league in pitching, with an earned run average of 8.06, which made winning games difficult. The Leopards finished sixth out of six teams in the Patriot League, but only two games out of a playoff berth.
Men’s basketball
In its second full season under head coach Mike McGarvey, the men’s basketball team went on an emotional roller-coaster throughout Patriot League play, losing six one-score or overtime games heading into the playoffs. After finally winning a close game on last-second free throws in their first-round game against Holy Cross, the Leopards couldn’t continue the momentum after holding a first-half lead against eventual Patriot League champions American University.
The Leopards will be graduating Patriot League defensive player of the year center Justin Vander Baan and guard Devin Hines, who was injured most of this season, and will also lose their top scorer in freshman guard Alex Chaikin to the transfer portal. However, the team will have a bright future under freshman guard Caleb Williams, who followed Chaikin in scoring with 362 points and was named to the Patriot League All-Rookie team.
Women’s basketball
The women’s basketball team continued to tread water this year, finishing in the bottom four of the Patriot League for the fifth straight year. Under head coach Kia Damon-Olson’s guard-heavy offense, the Leopards went 6-12 in league play.
The Maroon and White will lose four-year starter and 1,000-point scorer Abby Antognoli, who slid into the all-time top 10 in scoring with 1,301 career points. While the team will be returning a strong core of guards, led by rising junior star Teresa Kiewiet and rising seniors Kay Donahue and Sauda Ntaconayigize, they are thin inside the paint, leading to struggles on the boards.
If the team wants to be competitive in the Patriot League going forward, Damon-Olson will need to focus her recruiting on building a taller base inside.
Cross country
Both the men’s and women’s cross country teams finished towards the bottom of the Patriot League in 2024, with the men coming in eighth out of 10 teams and the women coming in 10th out of 10 teams.
Although the men missed senior A.J. Sanford due to injury for most of the season, senior Emil Arangala and junior Justin Brown led the team. On the women’s side, junior Liz Borah rebounded to guide the team late in the season after struggling with her mental game early on.
Fencing
The fencing team continued to improve this year, qualifying five more fencers for NCAA Regionals this year than last year. Under senior team captains epee Antoine Mannes, foil Anna Silver and foil Benito Hergert, seven fencers placed in the top 30 in the region for their respective weapons.
While the program will graduate seven fencers across the men’s and women’s teams, head coach Dayn DeRose will continue to develop young talent in underclassmen like rising sophomore epee Hilla Wetherill.
Football
After winning the Patriot League championship in 2023, the football team had a disappointing season in 2024, going 2-4 in league play to finish in fifth. Junior quarterback Dean DeNobile wasn’t as sharp as last year, and the Leopards’ special teams unit struggled to score. With both running backs, junior Jamar Curtis and sophomore Troy Bruce, transferring, the offense is in a period of transition as it searches for a complementary playbook.
The defense will also lose depth in the backfield, particularly in senior defensive back Saiku White, who will be competing for a spot on the Denver Broncos’ roster. Next season will be a test for head coach John Troxell, whose recruits will begin to take center stage in his fourth year at the helm.
Field hockey
From 2019-23, the field hockey team fell to American University in three different Patriot League finals, all by one goal. But this time, the Leopards got their golden goal in overtime to take home the championship.
In her 12th season at the helm, head coach Jennifer Stone capitalized on her stellar recruiting, particularly from abroad, that has produced Olympians and first-team All-Americans in Amanda Golini ‘17 and senior Lineke Spaans, respectively, to capture her first Patriot League title. Despite losing Spaans and stellar senior defender India Ralph, the Leopards will retain a strong roster of starters, including first-team All-Patriot League junior honorees goalie Raffi Fragomeni and defender Makenzie Switzer, and 2024 second-team All-Patriot League sophomore midfielder Stella Malinowski.
Golf
The golf team almost had its second individual champion in four years, after senior Quint Dingledine posted the clubhouse lead at -3 at the Patriot League championship, then ended up in a two-way playoff for the gold. Although he fell on the first playoff hole, Dingledine proved the team’s problem does not rest on its individual talent, but in its ability to post five good scores each tournament.
The Leopards will graduate Dingledine and four-year stalwart Sean Saw, but will retain junior Harry Dessel, who plays in the consistent No. 1 slot for head coach Jim Hutnik.
Men’s lacrosse
The men’s lacrosse team recorded one of its best seasons ever this year, winning its first Patriot League tournament game and making it to the Patriot League semifinal. Senior attacker Riley Sullivan led the team in both goals and assists, tallying a total of 75 points over the course of the season, and earned first-team All-Patriot League honors.
Under the Patriot League Coach of the Year Patrick Myers, the Leopards finished with an overall winning record for the first time since 2010. The Maroon and White also have a bright future in rising sophomore attacker Joshua Heaney, who scored 25 goals this season.
Women’s lacrosse
The women’s lacrosse team had its best finish in the Patriot League since 2018 this year, going 2-7 in league play to finish in eighth. With two nationally-ranked teams in Loyola Maryland and Navy in the league, the Leopards had to fight an uphill battle in many games, but relied on a strong mix of attackers, with seven players tallying 10 or more goals over the course of the season.
Head coach Katie McConnell will miss her top scorers in midfielder Sophia Spallone and attacker Sara Rogers, but young talent in rising sophomore midfielder Sadie Martiesian will hopefully help the Leopards keep the momentum going.
Men’s soccer
After making the Patriot League final in 2023, the men’s soccer team struggled to keep opponents out of the net in late-game situations this year, recording all of its Patriot League losses by one-goal margins. The Leopards failed to make the playoffs — a disappointing end for a talented and capable roster.
While head coach Dennis Bohn will miss senior starters at key positions, including forwards Lawrence Aydlett and AJ McIntyre, midfielders Carter Houlihan and Digger Iqbal and goalie Griffin Huff, rookie freshmen standouts Cade Maglione and Jackson Vajda should help the Maroon and White transition.
Women’s soccer
Much like the men, the women’s soccer team contested all of its Patriot League matches closely in 2024, but struggled to score game-winners in tight games. Despite only recording three Patriot League losses, four draws meant the Maroon and White missed out on the playoffs by a point.
The Leopards were the second-best defense in the league — conceding only 16 goals — following the lead of second team All-Patriot League selections senior goalie Catherine Apker and senior defenders Alexa Jindal and Lauren Stewart. However, the offense struggled to produce, finishing the season as the worst offense in the league.
As they graduate their defensive core, the Leopards will have to ramp up their offensive production as they bring new faces into their system.
Softball
The softball team had one of its most successful seasons in recent years after head coach Karavin Dew resigned just two weeks before the start of the season to take a job as a performance coach with the Cincinnati Reds. Interim head coach Kelliner Croushore took the reins and guided the Leopards to a 5-13 Patriot League season, their best since 2017. The team will miss senior outfielder Mary Grace O’Neill, who finished second in the Patriot League in batting average this season.
By all standards, this was a successful season for the Maroon and White, but they still finished second-to-last in the league, which raises questions about the program’s ability to compete against Division I schools.
Swimming and diving
The swimming and diving team continued to break school records this year, but struggled to compete against Patriot League heavyweights in Navy and Army. Despite breaking 17 school records at the championship, the Leopards’ highest event finish was seventh, which the men’s 400-yard relay team and junior Isabella Van Ess in the women’s 200-yard breaststroke achieved.
Two divers, senior Shaylee Daniels and sophomore Landon Orth, also qualified for NCAA Zones.
Tennis
Both the men’s and women’s tennis teams had up-and-down seasons this year, with both ultimately falling 4-0 in the Patriot League quarterfinals. The sibling duo of senior Arman Ganchi and sophomore Hanna Ganchi led their respective teams, and each earned second-team All-Patriot League selections.
The women’s team will only be graduating Olivia Boeckman, while the men’s team will lose Arman Ganchi and senior William Woolley, so the teams have a young base of talent to develop next year.
Track and field
The track and field team continued to trend upwards this year, with multiple individuals breaking school records. Sophomore sprinter Ida Moczerniuk won the 60-meter dash at the Patriot League indoor championships, becoming the first Lafayette athlete to win gold at the indoor championships since 2016. She followed that up with a silver in the 200-meter at the indoor championships and a silver in the 100-meter dash at the outdoor championships on May 3.
Senior Nava Chevan also made two podiums in the 800-meter, winning silver at the indoor championships and bronze at the outdoor championships. She broke the indoor 800-meter record thrice over the season, pushing the time from 2:12.45 to 2:07.42. She also broke her own record from last season in the 800 four times, including back-to-back records at the outdoor championships, lowering the record from 2:09.57 to 2:06.79.
Volleyball
In the three seasons since the volleyball team was the No. 2 seed in the 2021 Patriot League tournament behind Patriot League Player of the Year Leanna Deegan ‘22, the Leopards have failed to make the playoffs or finish with a winning record. They finished this season with a 2-14 Patriot League record, with both wins coming against Holy Cross.
After two subpar years with the team, head coach Christian Kiselica resigned in April. The team will look to transition under a new head coach, but will retain its kill leaders in rising junior Emma Patmon and rising senior Carol Ulichney.
Disclaimer: Sports Editor Grace Sanborn ’25 is a member of the golf team.
