FOREST, Va. --- The start of the ODAC field hockey season is upon us, and for the first time league history, the sport enjoys a spring setting. The conference's programs are set to compete in a full round-robin format, with Sweet Briar College returning to the league schedule for the 2021 spring campaign.

In the sections below, we recap the last time we saw ODAC field hockey compete in 2019 and take a look at what to expect entering the new season. Be sure to have to check out the capsules at the bottom of this page for a more targeted view at each squad entering the spring campaign.

2019 ODAC TOURNAMENT | BRACKET

• For the second straight season, top-seeded Lynchburg and #2 Shenandoah met to decide the ODAC title; both teams had byes thru the first round in the 6-team field
• Lynchburg defeated #5 Roanoke, 3-0, and Shenandoah posted a 2-1 win over #3 Washington and Lee in the semifinals
• Maggie Chiappazzi scored in the 18th minute and Jackie Lerro added a second goal in the 52nd minute to propel Lynchburg to a 2-0 victory at home
• The victory increased Lynchburg's ODAC record to 20 conference field hockey titles with this marking the program's second straight

2019 NCAA and ECAC TOURNAMENTS | NCAA BRACKET

• Lynchburg's season continue with the NCAA Tournament for the 18th time in program history, which is the most all-time in the ODAC
• Lynchburg, ranked 16th in the country by the NFHCA, traveled to Centre (Ky.) to take on the 12th-ranked Colonels in first round play; the Hornets upset Centre, 2-1, to book a trip to Salisbury University for its next two games
• Lynchburg took down 8th-ranked Rowan University for the second time in the season thanks to a 13th-minute goal from Emily Dudley
• The Hornets' magic ran out in the quarterfinals against 3rd-ranked Salisbury, with the host Sea Gulls claiming a 2-0 result; 2019 marked the second time Lynchburg made the quarterfinals, joining its deep run in 2012
• Shenandoah competed in the East Coast Athletic Conference (ECAC) postseason as the #2 seed in the four-team field
• The Hornets set a new program ranked with their 16th win in defeated 3rd-seeded Alvernia, 4-1, to move on to the championship
• SU squared off with host and top-seed Lebanon Valley for the title; Tournament MVP Taylor Hayes scored all three Hornets goals as Shenandoah claimed its first ECAC crown with a 3-2 overtime triumph; that also increased the program record for wins in a season to 17

RETURNING STATISTICAL LEADERS
The athletes listed below represent the top-three returning statistical leaders for each category from the 2019 fall season.
Save Pct./GAA Minimums | 33% of team goalkeeper minutes played

• Points | 55 - Jackie Lerro, LYN; 49 - Emilee Wooten, RC; 42 - Maria-Teresa Ambrogi-Torres, R-MC/Kelsey Jones, SU
• Goals | 21 - Jackie Lerro, LYN; 18 - Maria-Teresa Ambrogi-Torres, R-MC/Emilee Wooten, RC
• Assists | 24 - Kelsey Jones, SU; 13 - Jackie Lerro, LYN/Emilee Wooten, RC
• Defensive Saves | 17 - Brandy Troutman, EMU; 9 - Rachel Breslin, EMU; 4 - Clover Cooper, EMU
• GK Saves | 209 - Mia Holmes, FC; 122 - Ann Ghally, EMU; 92 - Gatlin Snyder, R-MC
• Save Pct. | .802 - Isabella Morande, SU; .791 - Laurel Nicks, LYN; .785 - Sara Amil, W&L
• Goals Against Avg. | 0.97 - Laurel Nicks, LYN; 1.11 - Sara Amil, W&L; 1.12 - Isabella Morande, SU

RETURNING ALL-ODAC TALENT | 2019 ALL-ODAC FIELD HOCKEY AWARDS
The 2021 season features 24-of-33 All-ODAC honorees from the 2019 campaign plus all five winners of major individual honors. Below we take a look at those returning to league rosters.

   FORWARDS

• Maria-Teresa Ambrogi-Torres, R-MC | All-ODAC 1st Team
• Courtney Cooke, BC | All-ODAC 1st Team
• Emily Dudley, LYN | All-ODAC 3rd Team
• Julie Fassl, VWU | All-ODAC 3rd Team
• Martha Hurley, RC | All-ODAC 2nd Team
• Kelsey Jones, SU | All-ODAC 1st Team
• Jackie Lerro, LYN | All-ODAC 1st Team - ODAC Offensive POY
• Tess Muneses, W&L | All-ODAC 3rd Team
• Grace Weise, W&L | All-ODAC 3rd Team
• Emilee Wooten, RC | All-ODAC 1st Team

   MIDFIELDERS

• Faith Bibbo, FC | All-ODAC 3rd Team
• Austyn Faries, R-MC | All-ODAC 2nd Team
• Kailey Fitzgerald, W&L | All-ODAC 2nd Team - ODAC ROY
• Lauren Heffron, RC | All-ODAC 1st Team
• Karinne Moyer, BC | All-ODAC 3rd Team
• Kessa Romero, LYN | All-ODAC 3rd Team
• Emma Strouse, LYN | All-ODAC 2nd Team

   DEFENDERS

• Alexis Brown, LYN | All-ODAC 1st Team
• Taylor Green, LYN | All-ODAC 3rd Team
• Claire Magill, R-MC | All-ODAC 1st Team
• Colleen Schneider, SU | All-ODAC 2nd Team
• Brandy Troutman, EMU | All-ODAC 2nd Team

   GOALKEEPERS

• Isabella Morande, SU | All-ODAC 1st Team - ODAC Defensive POY
• Laurel Nicks, LYN | All-ODAC 3rd - ODAC/Virginia Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete

THE SCHEDULE AND TOURNAMENT

• The ODAC field hockey season will feature a nine-game round-robin schedule. The matchups and game locations are the same from what would have been played in fall 2020 in addition to matchups added against Sweet Briar (not originally part of the fall setup).
• As is consistent with other ODAC sports, non-conference opportunities can be scheduled at each school's discretion.
• The ODAC Field Hockey Tournament will feature four teams with seeding determined by results from conference games. The semifinals will be played at the #1 and #2 seeds on Tuesday, April 13. The championship will be hosted by the highest remaining seed on Friday, April 16.

For more information on ODAC field hockey, visit the websites of any of the participating schools, or go to the ODAC's home on the Internet at www.odaconline.com.  Don't forget to become a fan of the ODAC on Facebook and follow @odacathletics on Twitter and Instagram.