Field Hockey | 11/5/2025 4:20:00 PM
Saint Francis field hockey recently four recognitions in the 2025 NEC Field Hockey Awards, including sophomore midfielder
Sofia Marciano (Buenos Aires, Argentina/Del Viso Day School) and senior defender
Madison Waldspurger (Hatfield, PA/North Penn) earning first-team honors, along with sophomore midfielder Cruz Cánepa (Barcelona, Spain/Colegio Santo Angel) and junior goalkeeper
Mia DiGenova (King of Prussia, Pa./Bishop Shanahan) garnering second-team distinction.
Waldspurger has achieved significant success during her three seasons at Loretto, becoming the second player in team history to earn three All-NEC honors after picking up a second-team nod in 2023 and first-team honors the last two campaigns. Eva Valentini turned that exact trick from 2021 to 2023 for the Red Flash. Waldspurger has three goals and three assists for nine goals this season and 17 tallies and 15 assists for 49 points in program history to rank in the Top-10 for points. The 2023 NEC Defensive Player of the Year was named NEC Defensive Player of the Week this season and helped anchor the second-ranked NEC defense.
Marciano emerged as one of the Red Flash's leading offensive players this season. She ended the 2025 campaign with 19 goals and two assists, ranking 11th in Division I for goals per game and 17th for points per game. The 19 goals are the second most in Saint Francis single-season history and her 40 points also sit second on the program chart. Her scoring prowess was particularly evident on September 28, when she set a team record with six goals in a 7-0 win over Merrimack. Marciano also received the second-most awards on the team this year, including two Offensive Player of the Week honors and five Prime Performer titles. She now has 22 goals and three assists for 47 points in her career. The 22 goals is sixth most on the career charts and the 47 points is ninth, right behind Waldspurger.
Canépa has been a consistently underrated presence on the field. Although she has only scored one goal this season, her impact goes far beyond scoring. Since the beginning of the season, she has acted as the playmaker, energizing the Red Flash's quick offense with key passes to the top scorers, helping them establish early leads. She leads the team with a single-season program record 17 assists and is seventh nationally in assists per game. She has 23 career assists to sit fourth on the career charts. The sophomore also earned recognition this season, with two nominations for NEC Prime Performer.
DiGenova as the cornerstone of the Red Flash field hockey team, supporting their 14-4 record while allowing only 25 goals over 18 games. This resulted in a 1.38 goals against average (23rd nationally) and a .757 save percentage (21st nationally), establishing her as one of the top college goalkeepers. She recorded 290 consecutive shutout minutes, spanning six games and ultimately claimed the program record for most shutouts in a single season, with nine after shutting out Mercyhurst in a 5-0 win on October 19. DiGenova received the most accolades, ending the season with eight Prime Performer honors and four Offensive Player of the Week awards.
Saint Francis looks to advance to the NEC Championship Game for the first time in program history when it battles No. 3 Wagner on Thursday at 3 p.m. in Fairfield.
