Field Hockey | 10/7/2025 1:20:00 PM

Reigning NEC Defensive Player of the Year Madison Waldspurger (Hatfield, Pa., North Penn), a member of the Saint Francis field hockey team, has been named NEC Defensive Player of the Week for the first time in her career.

This comes on the heels of an impressive weekend where the upperclassmen anchored the Red Flash defense to its fourth-straight shutout holding Wagner, who ranks fourth in the conference in shots, to just five shots and only three on goal in a 3-0 win on Friday. Waldspurger then helped the defense to allow only four shots and two on goal in Sunday's 4-1 win against Lock Haven.  Despite the Red Flash's 280-minute scoreless streak being snapped, Saint Francis won its fifth straight game, 4-1, where Waldspurger added a goal in the win.

Waldspurger becomes the fourth different player in team history to earn NEC Defensive Player of the Week honors, and the first non goalkeeper. 

Saint Francis also had a series of Prime Performer selections. This week, the Red Flash's Sofia Marciano (Buenos Aires, Argentina, Del Viso Day School) and Mia DiGenova (King of Prussia, Pa./Bishop Shanahan)were selected for their ever-impressive performances this weekend. DiGenova has won the NEC Defensive Player of the Week twice and Marciano was named NEC Offensive Player of the Week last week after her six-goal performance against Merrimack. 

Sophomore midfielder Marciano swept another fast stick this weekend as she recorded her second multiple-point game this season, scoring two goals and an assist in her start against Wagner on Friday.

Junior goalkeeper DiGenova picked up another two wins, one being a shutout, adding to her already impressive resume of six so far this season.

Saint Francis is back in action this weekend as it take on Rider University at Ben Cohen Field in Lawrenceville, N.J., at 7 pm.