The William Floyd High School varsity field hockey team has secured a place in the playoffs for the first time since the early 2000s. Under head coach Maria Carucci, the Colonials have achieved a 9-4 record this season, establishing themselves as one of Division I’s top teams.
Coach Carucci noted the team's long-term commitment: “This team has been together for three years. They set a goal in their first year and wanted to make the playoffs by their senior year and now they are the first team to accomplish this in over two decades.”
Last season, the team narrowly missed playoff qualification, which motivated them to improve and reach their goal this year.
The Colonials’ lineup has seen significant contributions from multiple players. Senior Gianna Trotta leads with 12 points (seven goals and five assists), while senior Kaleigh Benson has 11 points and a team-high nine goals. The defensive unit—composed of seniors Samantha Seaman, Juliana Dolezal, Vanessa DeStefano, and Jasmine Setelius—has played an important role in the team's success. In goal, senior Ava Tiedemann and junior Kalina Sky Permenter have combined for six shutouts this season.
Coach Carucci advised her players to stay focused as they approach postseason play: she emphasized that “nothing changes in postseason play except for the title and that if the team can stay under control and approach every game like the game before, they could reach great heights.”
The regular season concludes with a home game against Newfield on October 21. The team's seed in the Section XI playoff bracket will be determined later in the week.
The roster includes Mia Ashton, Kaleigh Benson, Alexis Caldwell, Olivia Cizan, Melanie Coppola, Gabriella Cucuzzo, Vanessa DeStefano, Juliana Dolezal, Avalynn Furman, McKenzie Giles, Isabella Haynes, Julia Hipperling, Marissa LoDestro, Gianna Mertens, Riley Meyer, Sophia Perez, Kalina Sky Permenter, Mariela Reyes Cabrera, Samantha Seaman, Jasmine Setelius, Gianna Trotta, Courtney Petersen and Ava Tiedemann. The coaching staff consists of Maria Carucci (head coach) and Kim Apicella (assistant coach).
Congratulations were extended to all student-athletes and coaches on their achievement.