As the semester wraps up, so do so many of Colgate’s fall sports. While these teams may not be returning to competition in the near future, winter sports remain in full swing, and spring sports will begin ramping up after the winter break. Many of these teams had very successful seasons and are well-prepared for the future.
Cross Country
This past fall, Colgate University hosted the Patriot League Cross Country Championship, holding a home-field advantage on the Harry H. Lang Cross Country Course. The men’s team finished seventh out of ten, while the women’s team finished eighth in a field of ten. Yet, this was not the end of the season for the Raiders, as they also competed in the NCAA regional race. Colgate’s performance was led by junior Owen Holland on the men’s side, while first-year Audrey Luell was the first finisher for the women. While cross country may be over, many of Colgate’s distance runners will take their talents to the track for the indoor season.
Field Hockey
Colgate’s field hockey team was led by standout senior Ella Murphy, who was named to the All-Patriot League First Team as well as the NFHCA All-Mideast Region Second Team. Murphy chipped in with four goals and eight assists across 12 games. Senior Rachel Alderfer was also named to the Patriot League All-Academic Team, truly embodying what it means to be a student-athlete. Wins over Rider University, Lindenwood University and Saint Louis University were a few of the highlights for the Raiders this season.
Football
2023 was a pivotal season for the Raiders. Colgate won three Patriot League Championships in four years between 2015 and 2018, yet has struggled since then to reclaim dominance; this year marked a step towards that return. The Raiders finished 4-2 in the Patriot League and over .500 overall. They also finished on a high note, winning their last three games including one against eventual Patriot League Champion Lafayette College. The team had 10 Raiders named to All-Patriot League Teams: sophomore Treyvhon Saunders, junior Shelby Pruett and seniors Owen Goss and Max Hurleman all earned first-time honors.
Golf
In the first season of Head Coach JP Kircher’s tenure at the helm, Colgate Golf was able to cap off the fall by winning the Bucknell Invitational, a major confidence boost going into the spring season. The Raiders will have to work hard to match their second-place finish during the 2023 Spring season, however, and with their newly renovated indoor practice facility, junior Robbie Herzing is confident they can win it all this spring. In their five matches this fall, the team finished no lower than eighth while also taking home third, fifth, and seventh. Junior Kevin Hollomon had a particularly strong season, finishing second at both Bucknell and Cornell.
Men’s Rowing
Although the fall season is rather short, spanning only a couple of weeks, the calendar for Men’s Rowing was packed with action. The team’s campaign was kicked off on Oct. 20 at the Head of the Charles Regatta, where the Raiders’ varsity eight took eighth place out of 42 — the team’s second top-ten finish at this Regatta in a row. Six days later, on Oct. 28, the team headed down to Philadelphia for the Head of the Schuylkill. Colgate’s varsity eight continued to move up the ranks, placing fourth and beating out other major schools, such as the University of Pennsylvania. The fall season capped off at the Princeton Chase on Nov. 5. The Raiders finished eighth once again in a pool of 35. Three top-ten finishes in three straight regattas culminate into a rather strong season for men’s rowing.
Women’s Rowing
After becoming head coach in August, the nationally-renowned Jim Lister brought excitement and high expectations. At the Head of the Charles on Oct. 21, the team placed 23rd out of 40 boats, just seconds behind League rivals Boston University and College of the Holy Cross. A week later, on Oct. 28, the Raiders went to Saratoga, N.Y., for the Head of the Fish Regatta, where the varsity four finished second and earned silver, and four out of seven total Raider boats placed in the top 11 of their races. Finally, on Nov. 4, Colgate competed in the Autumn Classic against local rivals Cornell University, Syracuse University and Ithaca College. The 1v8 boat ended the season on an extremely high note, finishing in third place. Evidently, Coach Lister has come in with a bang, leading the women’s team to two top-three finishes.
Men’s Soccer
While Men’s Soccer fell in the Patriot League Semifinals, this marks a strong upward trajectory for the Raiders. They finished 8-10-2 overall and 4-3-2 in Patriot League play. This was a dramatic improvement since the 2021 season in which the Raiders were unable to pick up a win all season. The end of the Raiders postseason run came at the hands of eventual Patriot League Champions: Boston University. The Raiders were led this season by senior Aidan Davok, who picked up a spot on the Patriot League First Team. Junior Alejandro Coury and sophomore Liam Winograd also received Patriot League Honors.
Women’s Soccer
A strong finish to the regular season, including an emphatic 3-0 win against Holy Cross, allowed Women’s Soccer to snag the final spot and the number-six seed in the Patriot League Playoffs. The Raiders carried their momentum from the regular season to upset number-three Loyola away from home in their quarterfinal matchup. Although they eventually fell to one-seed Army, the season will be considered a success as the team took significant steps towards contention. The Raiders finished 5-13-2 and 3-5-1 in Patriot League play. Sophomore Ari Bezanson earned First Team All-Patriot League honors, while junior Olivia Anderson was named to the Second Team.
Volleyball
After winning their third consecutive Patriot League Championship, there is evidence to claim that Colgate’s volleyball team is a dynasty. The Raiders finished 13-3 in the Patriot League and 22-8 overall. While their season came to an end in the first round of the NCAA tournament against Creighton University, the Raiders were able to post a strong offense, scoring 19, 23 and 20 points in each of the three sets. They also opened the season on a strong note as in their home opener; they took down West Virginia, the first win for Colgate against a Big-12 opponent. The Raiders also earned individual accolades, one of which was awarded to senior Taylor Cigna. Cigna earned Patriot League tournament MVP.
