2026 Fall sports previews

Women’s Field Hockey 

Head Coach: Katharine DeLorenzo

Athletes to Watch: Megan Fuqua ’27, Ally Kennedy ’27, Emma McNealy ’28, Tessa Herbst ’28, Anna Powell ’30

After reaching the elite eight in last year’s NCAA championship, the Middlebury Panthers have their sights set on another successful season and postseason run. The field hockey team graduated six seniors at the culmination of the 2025 season and have welcomed seven new members this fall. Led by captains Megan Fuqua ’27, Ally Kennedy ’27, and Claire McMicheal ’27, the team is in strong hands. Fuqua, who achieved third-team all-american and NESCAC first team last year, has already tallied three goals in three games this season. The Panthers sailed past Union College 8-0 in their home opener, and beat Connecticut College 2-0. They fell to the #6 ranked Babson College Beavers 0-1 on Sept. 13. The team will continue to be led by head coach Katharine DeLorenzo, who achieved 500-career wins last year, an accolade only 14 other NCAA field hockey coaches have achieved. The team added a new face to their coaching staff this year, assistant coach Noah den Hartog, who previously coached field hockey at Dartmouth. Middlebury field hockey hopes to continue to dominate NESCAC play and the postseason while cultivating strong team culture and chemistry on the field.

Key Competitions: Hamilton (Home– Sept. 20), Tufts (Away– Oct. 10), Trinity  (Home– Oct. 17)

Men’s Football 

Head Coach: Doug Mandigo ’96

Athletes to Watch:  Charlie Grant ’27, Matt Shaw ’27, Connor McClellan ’28, Luis Kuehberger ’29

Middlebury Panthers football opens its season Friday at home against Wesleyan, the reigning back-to-back NESCAC co-champions, capping an offseason full of anticipation. The Panthers enter on the heels of a 5-4 campaign last season, closing with a three-game win streak. They now look to carry that momentum forward into the 2026 season. With three top-two conference finishes over the past six seasons, Middlebury is chasing head coach Doug Mandigo ‘96s’ lofty standards. Coach Mandigo took the helm in 2023 and delivered a championship in his first season. Mandigo’s 19 years with the program reflect his deep ties to both the team and the Middlebury community. Leading the offense is running back Connor McClellan ‘28, who topped the NESCAC with 959 rushing yards last year and cracked 1,000 all-purpose yards by adding 130 receiving yards. On defense, Charlie Grant ‘27 returns after finishing second in the conference with three interceptions, bringing valuable senior leadership to a unit looking to take a step forward. This season also marks a new dawn for the NESCAC; for the first time ever the conference will send its champion –– and others if selected with an at-large bid –– as an autobid to the NCAA DIII Football Championship. Friday’s matchup against a deep and proven Wesleyan squad will be an early measuring stick for how far the Middlebury Panthers team has come.

Key Competitions: Wesleyan (Home– Sept. 18), Bowdoin (Away — Sept. 26), Amherst (Away– Oct. 10)

Women’s Volleyball 

Head Coach: Sarah Raunecker ’92

Athletes to Watch: Molly Harrison ’27, Gabby Pribisich ’27, Annabella Rando ’28, Campbell Bartley ’28, Molly MacDonald ’29, Natalie Stanford ’29

Middlebury volleyball is looking to bounce back after a 13-12 (6-4 NESCAC) season that fell short of the program’s 2024 conference championship standard. Their challenge is only growing greater; NESCAC volleyball sent a record-tying four teams to the NCAA tournament last year, and Middlebury will need to rise to that increasing competition. On the court, the Panthers are running a new 6-2 offense with a 10-player rotation split between two seniors, three juniors, two sophomores, and three freshmen, giving the team meaningful depth and minutes across the roster. That depth is matched by a tight-knit culture ––annual preseason gatherings, swim days, and movie nights have helped this year’s freshman class acclimate quickly. This foundation has already shown promise, as the Panthers opened the season 7-1, with its only loss coming to a talented St. John Fisher’s squad at a tournament in upstate New York hosted by Skidmore College. Anchoring it all is outside hitter Molly Harrison ’27, the reigning 2024 NESCAC Player of the Year, a three-time first-team All-NESCAC selection, and a 2024 AVCA Third-Team All-American, whose experience as a four-year starter will be critical in guiding the new offense and young talent through NESCAC play and playoffs.

Key Competitions: Amherst (Away– Sept. 18), Wesleyan (Away– Sept. 19), Tufts (Home– October 3)

Men’s Tennis 

Head Coach: Andrew Thomson ’10 

Athletes to Watch: Thehan Wijemanne ‘27, Noah Lewis ‘27, Reif Larsen ‘28

Middlebury men’s tennis, ranked #19, begins the fall season determined and hungry to prove themselves. With four freshmen and nine returning players, the group is eager to build on the program’s tradition of success. With the season underway, their identity is still taking shape, although the Panthers are already showing a combination of senior leadership and enthusiasm. The team’s first test came at home with the Middlebury Invitational on Sept. 12-13, a flighted event where all 13 players compete in singles and doubles –– Thehan Wijemanne ’27 paced the crew with a singles win over teammate Noah Lewis ’27 in the final. Middlebury will then host the ITA New England Regional Championships, where players from across the region will compete for spots at the national event. While the Panthers expect all 13 players to contribute, their coaches see the newcomers’ enthusiasm and the returning players’ leadership as important pieces of the season.

Key Competitions: Middlebury Invitational (Home–September 12-13), ITA Regional Championships (Home– Sept. 25-27)

Women’s Tennis 

Head Coach: Olivia Leavitt

Athletes to Watch: Elsie Van Wieren ’28, Ananya Annapantula ’27, Ren Barton ’29 

After winning the NESCAC championship for the first time in 2024, Middlebury women’s tennis followed up with another successful season, reaching the NESCAC semifinals. Elsie Van Wieren ’28 went on to represent Middlebury in the national individual championships. However, after losing three seniors in the Spring, the team is down to just seven players (five in the fall as two are abroad). That’s smaller than a normal roster, so head coach Olivia Leavitt hopes to bring in a transfer mid-year. In the meantime, the team’s biggest test is the ITA Regional Championships this fall — doing well there could mean a spot in the national tournament. Although it’s still too far out to know the double pairs, Leavitt plans to use the practice time before then to nail down the fundamentals with this young team. 

Key Competitions: ITA Regional Championships (Away– Oct. 2-4), New England Women's Intercollegiate Tennis Tournament (Away– Oct. 3-4)

Men’s Soccer 

Head Coach: Alex Elias ’08

Athletes to Watch: Will Sawin ’27, Dylan Payne ’28.5, Leon Brody ’28

The question isn’t whether Middlebury men’s soccer will be competitive — they’re ranked 19th in the country; it’s whether they can end a trophy drought that’s plagued them for 16 years. For decades, Middlebury has been one of the top D3 teams in the country, but they haven’t managed to get their hands on silverware since the 2010 NESCAC championship. Last season they came close, falling to Tufts in the NESCAC semifinals. And in 2024, the team reached the national semifinals. This season, Elias will try to get Middlebury’s hands on a trophy once again. The lineup is familiar, with Will Sawin 27’, who played for USL League 2 champions Vermont Green over the summer, leading the offense. And in the midfield, England native Dylan Payne ’28.5 is getting more minutes, while Leon Brody ’28 has found his home as the team’s starting keeper. They’re off to a roaring start so far, rolling past 9th-ranked Conn. College last weekend for the third win of the season.

Key Competitions: Tufts (Away– Oct. 10), Wesleyan (Away– Oct. 13), Williams (Home– Oct. 27)

Women’s Soccer 

Head Coach: Peter Kim

Athletes to Watch: Frankie Marston ’27.5, Fiona Linnau ’28, Taya McClennen ’28

Middlebury women’s soccer hopes to build upon their strong post-season performance in 2025 as the 2026 season gets underway. The Panthers opened with a 1-4 loss against Wesleyan University, followed by a tie with a 0-0 tie against Union College. Middlebury clinched their first win of the season against Connecticut College with a 5-0 victory. The game was a true team effort with all five goals being scored by different members of the squad. On Sunday, they faced-off against Vassar College, tying 1-1. Led by captains Chloe Swindle ’27, Olivia Irwin-Porkorny ’26.5, Stella Espinasse ’27 and Gigi Day ’27, the Panthers are poised for an excellent season of leadership and competitive play. After adding nine first years, the team is ready to leverage new talent and existing. Junior Feb Frankie Marston has been starting in net for the team, and achieved NESCAC player of week on September 14th. Marston has already made 17 saves this season, proving to be integral to the squad’s defense. Coming off a successful 2025 season, and a preseason filled with hard work, the Panthers are ready to tackle the competition.

Key Competitions: Colby (Home– Oct. 3), Tufts (Away– Oct.10), Williams (Home– Oct. 27)

Men’s Golf 

Head Coach: Justin Kumpulanian

Athletes to Watch: Julian Galindo Macias ’27, Logan Wang ’27, Jake Forrest ’29

Middlebury men’s golf looks to bounce back this fall with a strong crop of underclassmen. The Panthers struggled last year, posting bottom-half scores throughout the spring and finishing 7/10 at the NESCACs. They also lost captain Charlie Schulman ’26, the last remaining contributor to the 2022-23 NESCAC championship. But last year’s freshmen ––Jake Forrest ’29, Evan Fulgieri ’29, and Lincoln Mackay ’29 –– shone through. Forrest tied for 17th in the championship, Fulgieri posted a T36 in the same tournament, and Mackay broke through to a T6 at the Williams Invitational. This year, The Panthers will add three freshmen to the crew, adding exuberance and competition to the ranks as the golfers fight for five spots. Looking to the spring, Middlebury will host the 2027 NESCAC championship at Ralph Myhre Golf Course, from May 7-9. The Ralph offers a significant home-course advantage, and if the Panthers can earn their stripes this fall, they should be well positioned to stand out come spring. 

** Update: The men’s squad won the Duke Nelson Invitational this past weekend for the first time since 2013, by a tight 2-stroke margin, with each of the freshmen contributing to the winning score of 596.

Key Competitions: Williams Fall Invitational (Away– Sept. 19-20), Skidmore Fall Invitational (Away– Oct. 10-11)

Women’s Golf 

Head Coach: Tim Walko

Athletes to Watch: Ella Han ’27, Season Wei ’29, Elizabeth Whalen ’28, Julia Hua ’29

#10 ranked Middlebury Women’s Golf opens their season with budding confidence, following last year’s 9th place finish at the NCAA championships and a runner-up finish at the NESCAC championships. Buoyed by young contributors — like All-American & NESCAC Rookie of the Year Season Wei ’29, and Julia Hua ’29 — the Panthers stormed into contention last spring with a runner-up finish at the Hartford Blackledge Invitational, followed by a win at the Northeast Invitational. The 2025-26 season marked the group’s second straight top-10 NCAA finish —they’ll look to set their sights higher this season. To make a leap towards the top of the pack, captains Ella Han ’27 and Julia Whalen ’28 must galvanize their squad to perform at an elevated level in the fall. If the Panthers can notch a win or two on their belts before the snow arrives, they should be in fantastic shape headed into championship season in spring 2027. 

** Update: Looks like the Panthers have a notch in their belts already– they won last weekend’s Polar Bear Shootout by 5 strokes over Bowdoin and Amherst. 

Key Competitions: George Phinney Classic (Home– Sept. 19-20), Williams Fall Invitational (Away– Sept. 26-27), Hamilton Invitational (Away– Oct. 3-4)

Men’s Cross Country 

Head Coach: Nicole Wilkerson

Athletes to Watch: Ben Prestes ’28, Benjamin Hughes ’27, Nate Johnson ’29

#15 ranked Men’s Cross Country kicked off their campaign with a 3rd place finish at the home Aldrich Invitational last Saturday.. Captain Benjamin Hughes ’27 paced the Panthers with a 13th place finish and a time of 26:30.44, with junior standout Ben Prestes ’28 not far behind at 26:30.87. Hughes led the squad to a fifth overall finish at last year’s NESCAC championship with his 12th place finish, and notched a  third place finish at the NCAA Mideast Regional Championships. Looking towards the future, the squad can rely on a strong crew of sophomores – including Nate Johnson ’29 and Nathan Szubin ’29, who set a personal record at the end of last spring with a 25:37.77 time. As Head coach Nicole Wilkerson leads the team in her 16th season, the Panthers will look to build off their third place Aldrich finish towards a 16th national championship appearance.

Key Competitions: Connecticut College Invitational (Away– Oct. 17), NESCAC Championship (Home– Oct. 31), NCAA Championship (Away– Nov. 21)

Women’s Cross Country 

Head Coach: Nicole Wilkerson

Athletes to Watch: Audrey MacLean ’27, Annelise Jensen ’29, Claire Palmer ’29

The Middlebury women’s cross country team opened its season with a second-place finish at the 15th Annual Aldrich Invitational on Saturday, scoring 43 points behind Williams. Audrey MacLean ’27 led the Panthers with a third-place finish in 22:38.2, followed closely by Annelise Jensen ’29 in fifth and Claire Palmer ’29 in sixth. The result continued Middlebury’s streak of having all five scorers finish in the top 15 at the invitational for eight consecutive years. The Panthers entered the season with a strong blend of experience and new talent, returning seven of the nine runners who traveled to last year’s NCAA Championships. The team welcomes a strong group of first years who are expected to make an impact as the season progresses. After a year marked by consistent training and few injuries, the Panthers hope to  prioritize their health while balancing training with the demands of the semester. Middlebury will have several opportunities to test itself against top competition, including the Paul Short Run at Lehigh and the Connecticut College Invitational. The Panthers will also host the NESCAC Championships on Oct. 31, an opportunity that comes only once every 11 years.

Key Competitions:  Paul Short Invitational (Away– Oct. 2), Connecticut College Invitational (Away– Oct. 17),  NESCAC Championship (Home– Oct. 31)