GAME PROGRAM INFO
Slippery Rock has moved away from printed game programs for all sports in 2024-25. This page will serve as the "Digital Game Program" for this week's game. To navigate to all gameday info for any SRU home events this year, simply visit rockathletics.com/gameday or scan the QR code on the "Gameday Info" posters hanging in each facility.
 

Slippery Rock vs. Frostburg State
The Rock (0-0)	Bobcats (0-0)
Roster	Roster
Schedule	Schedule
2023 Statistics	2023 Statistics
Coach Rayell Wallace	Coach Kaitlin Thompson
Program Records	Program Records
Mihalik-Thompson Stadium
PSAC Standings
PSAC Leaders
PSAC Schedule

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - The Slippery Rock University field hockey team will open its 2024 season when it hosts Frostburg State University for a non-conference game 7 p.m. Thursday at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.
 
LEAVE YOUR PETS AT HOME
Fans are reminded that there are NO PETS allowed at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium, or in any SRU athletics facilities. Please do not bring dogs or any other pets to the game. Unless they are a registered service animal, you will be asked to remove your pet from the facility.
 
WATCH ON YOUR TV - "ROCK ATHLETICS DIGITAL NETWORK" APPS
• Fans can watch Thursday's game live and on-demand for free on the Rock Athletics Digital Network, created and operated by the SRU athletic communication office.
 
• Search for Rock Athletics Digital Network in the app stores on Amazon Fire TV, Apple RV, Roku and Android TV devices. The streaming web player linked above will also integrate with Chrome Cast devices to allow viewers to cast the game to those devices.
 
FACULTY AND STAFF APPRECIATION DAY
As a way of showing appreciation to the hard-working faculty and staff at SRU, and in an effort to strengthen the bonds with all employees within the campus community, Slippery Rock field hockey is extending an invitation to all campus employees and their families to attend Thursday's game.
 
Grace Bennett, who is the Assistant Director of Life Design & Academic Success at Slippery Rock, will represent the faculty and staff on the field prior to the game by taking part in a ceremonial pass back.

HALL OF FAME WEEKEND
Slippery Rock will induct its 40th Athletics Hall of Fame class Friday evening and will recognize the seven-person class during halftime of Saturday's football game against New Haven.
 
Among this year's honorees is 1973 graduate Susan Myers, who was a two-time MVP of the Slippery Rock field hockey team and the team's leading scorer for three straight years before going on to a decorated career coaching field hockey that included 24 years at Old Dominion University.
 
More information about the Hall of Fame Class of 2024 is available HERE.

GAME 1 DETAILS
Opponent: Frostburg State University
Date: Thursday – 7 p.m.
Location: Mihalik-Thompson Stadium
Video: Link
Live Stats: Link
In-game Updates: X (formerly Twitter)
All-Time Series: SRU leads 17-11-1
Last Played: Oct. 3, 2023 (FSU won 1-0)
 
SERIES HISTORY
• Slippery Rock holds a 17-11-1 record all-time against Frostburg State. The Rock and Bobcats have played annually since 2019, with SRU winning six of the eight meetings over that time range.
 
• SRU and FSU played a home-and-away series a year ago as Frostburg State narrowly edged Slippery Rock in both games with matching 1-0 wins.
 
• Each of the last three games in the series have been overtime contests.
 
• Thursday's game marks the first of two meetings this season between Slippery Rock and Frostburg State – the two teams will also square off in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference matchup Oct. 8 at FSU.
 
• Leslie Colliver and Bailee Christman have each tallied goals over their careers against Frostburg State while goalkeeper Grace Burker has made four starts against the Bobcats, going 2-2 with nine saves and a 1.41 Goals Against Average.
 
• Frostburg State goalie Zoe Barnes did not surrender a goal and stopped 11 shots in 145:05 over the two-game series last year. Ashlyn Cave has compiled two assists and a goal against The Rock during her career while Paige Leitzel has a pair of goals.
 
Top SRU Performers vs. FSU
Leslie Colliver: 4 Games – 4 Points (2 G)
Bailee Christman: 4 Games – 3 Points (1 G / 1 A)
Haley Metcalf: 4 Games – 1 Point (1 A)
Grace Burker: 4 Games – 2-2, 9 Saves, 6 Goals Allowed, 1.41 GAA
 

TEAM COMPARISON
The Rock	2023 Stats	Frostburg
4-13	Overall Record	8-9
1-8	Conference Record	-
1.47	Goals*	1.65
2.59	Opp. Goals*	1.88
-19	Goal Differential	-4
8.5	Shots*	10.9
13.8	Opp. Shots*	14.1
6.4	SOG*	6.6
8.5	Opp. SOG*	8.7
4.6	Corners*	6.9
8.9	Opp. Corners*	9.5
6.3	Saves*	9.2
* Per game stats

 
SLIPPERY ROCK PRIMER
2023 Overall Record: 4-13
2023 PSAC Record: 1-8
2023 Home Record: 1-6
2023 Away Record: 2-6
2023 Neutral Site Record: 1-1
2024 PSAC Preseason Poll: 10th
Head Coach: Rayell Wallace | Fifth season at SRU (18-32)
 
TOP ROCK RETURNERS (2023 stats)
POINTS: Gianna Conti (12), Leslie Colliver (11)
GOALS: Conti (6), Colliver (4), Hilary Hoffman (4)
ASSISTS: Colliver (3), Hoffman (2), Bailee Christman (2)
S.O.G.: Hoffman (22)
SAVES: Grace Burker (100)
 
SRU BY THE NUMBERS
9 – Athletes that started at least 12 games in 2023 back for 2024.
79% –  Percentage of returning goal production from 2023.
7 – Number of one-goal games The Rock played in last year.
50 – Consecutive starts by goalkeeper Grace Burker.
.545 – The Rock's winning percentage in non-conference games under head coach Rayell Wallace.
 
SCOUTING THE ROCK
BATTLE TESTED
The 2024 Slippery Rock field hockey team is not a group lacking experience. All told, 17 members of the roster have already logged games played on the collegiate level including 11 that have played at least 16 games.
 
Career Games Played (Starts)
Gianna Conti* 53 (36)
Grace Burker 50 (50)
Bailee Christman 50 (44)
Leslie Colliver 48 (29)
Haley Metcalf 46 (29)
Megan Rude 34 (32)
Sammy Graci 29 (7)
Hilary Hoffman 17 (17)
Paige Shannon 17 (14)
Madison Shomo 17 (12)           
Lucy Hutchinson 16 (0)
* Spent freshman season at Belmont Abbey
 
CONSTANT IN THE CAGE
Senior Grace Burker enters her fourth year as The Rock's starting goalkeeper. Over the previous three seasons, Burker has started all 50 games and played all but 130:25 minutes over the entirety of her collegiate career.
 
Burker, who enters her final season ranked third in program history for saves in a career and sixth in wins, finished 2023 with 100 saves, a 2.55 GAA and ranked second in the PSAC with 5.88 saves per game.
 
It is very likely that Burker will finish her collegiate career as just the fourth four-year starter at goalie in Slippery Rock's 52-year program history, joining Lisa Belcastro (2007-10), Kerry McKnight (1996-99) and Judith Johns (1986-89).
 
RETURNING FIREPOWER
SRU brings back 79 percent of its goal production from 2023 (19 / 24).
 
Not only does Slippery Rock return its top three goal scorers from a year ago in Gianna Conti (6), Leslie Colliver (4) and Hilary Hoffman (4), but Bailee Christman and Madison Shomo are also back after tallying two goals apiece in 2024 as well as one-goal scorer Megan Rude.
 
PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE
In addition to accounting for 10 of Slippery Rock's 25 goals in 2023, Hilary Hoffman, Bailee Christman and Leslie Colliver also totaled seven of SRU's 12 assists. Colliver passed out three with Christman and Hoffman chipping two apiece.
 
CHRISTMAN'S THE LYNCH PIN
Entering 2024 having never missed a game over her career, Christman has been a mainstay on the field for The Rock with 50 consecutive appearances. Simply put, when Christman is involved on scoring plays Slippery Rock wins. Her 11 career goals and six assists have come in 15 games with 13 of those contests ultimately resulting in SRU victories.
 
COLLIVER LOOKS TO JOIN ELITE COMPANY
After totaling 14 points in 2022 and 11 a year ago on four goals and three assists, Leslie Colliver heads into her senior campaign with the opportunity to become the eighth athlete in program history - and just the fifth in the last 35 years - to record double-digit point totals in three consecutive seasons.
 
Double-digit point scorers at SRU
(3 Consecutive Seasons)
Audrey Davison: 1973-76
Ann Motyka: 1976-78
Christine Peuplie: 1986-88
Kelsey Gustafson: 2012-14
Kailee Krupski: 2015-17
Kayla Ulrich: 2017-19
Jessie Trube: 2018-21
 
SRU IN SEASON OPENERS
Slippery Rock is 5-6 in its last 11 season-openers but will be looking to snap a string of four straight season-opening losses when it takes the turf against FSU.
 
Thursday's game marks just the third time in the last nine years that Slippery Rock has hosted its season-opener. The Rock also began the year at home in 2017 against American International (W, 4-1) and in 2021 vs. Lindenwood (L, 3-1).
 
NO PLACE LIKE HOME
54 of The Rock's 88 wins (61.4 percent) over the last 11 years have come at the friendly confines of Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.
 
THE ROCK IN PRIME TIME
The lights of Mihalik-Thompson Stadium will be shining bright Thursday night. Dating back to the 2012 season, Slippery Rock is 6-5 when playing night games (start time of 7 p.m. or later).
 
In its most recent night game, Madison Shomo scored a pair of goals and Grace Burker made six saves as part of a 2-0 Rock shutout victory on the road a year ago at Mercyhurst.
 
SHOOTERS SHOOT
The quartet of Hilary Hoffman (22), Bailee Christman (16), Leslie Colliver (16) and Gianna Conti (15) combined to account for 63.9 percent of The Rock's shots on goal last season (69 / 108).
 
ROUNDING OUT THE RETURNERS
Alongside SRU's returning offensive leaders and starting goalkeeper, The Rock also returns seven others who appeared in at least 11 games a season ago in Paige Shannon (17), Lucy Hutchinson (16), Haley Metcalf (13), Sammy Graci (12), Julia Boettler (12), Lacey Berghorn (12), Haylie Sucharski (11).
 
WALLACE BACK FOR YEAR 5
The 2024 season will mark the fifth year in which head coach Rayell Wallace has overseen the Slippery Rock field hockey program. She enters the year with an 18-32 record at SRU.
 
Wallace's 18 wins are the third most of any field hockey coach in program history through their first three years leading the program (her official first season at SRU in 2020 was canceled).
 
The 13th coach in program history, Wallace came to Slippery Rock following six years as an assistant coach on the NCAA Division I level and before that a playing career in which she competed at the highest levels of the sport.
 
MELTING POT AT THE ROCK
The 2024 Slippery Rock field hockey team has an extensive footprint. Not only does the 24-athlete roster consist of players from seven states, it also spans four countries.
 
SRU's roster feature players from the states of Pennsylvania (9), New York (4), Maryland (2), New Jersey (2), Ohio (1), Virginia (1) and California (1) as well as athletes hailing from Canada (2), England (1) and Germany (1).
 
Pennsylvania (9): Julia Boettler, Bailee Christman, Christina Clymer, Sammy Graci, Hilary Hoffman, Payton Kane, Roz Mikulak, Paige Shannon, Madison Shomo
 
New York (4): Grace Burker, Lacey Berghorn, Haley Metcalf, Megan Rude
 
Maryland (2): Riley Cloude, Grace Williams
 
New Jersey (2): Gianna Conti, Emily Newton
 
Ohio (1): Haylie Sucharski
 
Virginia (1): Leslie Colliver
 
California (1): Coral Piramo
 
Canada (2): Leah Riegling, Hazara Sandhu
 
England (1): Lucy Hutchinson
 
Germany (1): Feli Stockler    
 
PORTAL SHOPPING
Slippery Rock brought in a pair of transfers over the offseason in junior midfielder/back Christina Clymer and sophomore midfielder Hazara Sandhu.
 
Clymer comes to The Rock after beginning her career at Division I Ball State University while Sandhu arrives at SRU from York University (Toronto).
 
2024 ROOKIE CLASS
Rock head coach Rayell Wallace brought in seven freshmen as part of SRU's rookie class. Making their collegiate debuts in 2024 will be midfielder/back Riley Cloude, back Payton Kane, midfielder/back Roz Mikulak, goalie Emily Newton, forward/midfielder Coral Piramo, back Feli Stockler and forward/midfielder Grace Williams.
 
CLOSE CALLS LAST YEAR
While The Rock finished last season with a disappointing 4-13 record, five of the setbacks were one-goal decisions while two others were two-goal defeats.
 
NON-CONFERENCE SUCCESS
Dating back to the 2010 season, Slippery Rock holds a commanding 38-21 (.644) record against non-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference teams. SRU is 12-10 in non-conference games under head coach Rayell Wallace.
 
TOUGH SLATE
In addition to its always-daunting nine-game PSAC schedule, a conference that has produced 30 of the last 34 national champions, Slippery Rock will play seven non-conference contests.
 
Alongside non-league games against fellow PSAC institutions Frostburg State and Shippensburg, Slippery Rock also steps out of the conference to face Adelphi, Pace, Newberry, D'Youville and Mercyhurst.
 
Four of The Rock's non-conference opponents that competed in 2023 – D'Youville's first year of varsity competition is this season – closed the year with winning records.
 
KEY LOSSES
While The Rock does return the bulk of its lineup from last year it will be without the services of two long-time fixtures on the field in the now-graduated Kayla Del Vecchio and Samantha Karmonick. Del Vecchio started 47 of her 67 games played and totaled 11 assists over the last four years while Karmonick scored six career goals over the span of 42 games (37 starts).
 
NFHCA TOP-10
Seven future Rock opponents were named in the National Field Hockey Coaches Association preseason top-10 poll.
 
NFHCA Top-10
(Date vs. SRU)
1: Kutztown (10/25)
2: East Stroudsburg (10/13)
3: Shippensburg (9/21, 10/19)
4: Assumption
5: Saint Anselm
6: West Chester (9/28)
7: Mount Olive
8: Bloomsburg (11/1)
9: Pace (9/16)
10: Millersville (10/4)
 
ACTIVE STREAKS (Top 3)
Starts: Grace Burker (50), Bailee Christman (37), Hilary Hoffman (17)
Games Played: Bailee Christman (50), Grace Burker (50), Gianna Conti (43*)
Games With a Goal: Hilary Hoffman (1), Gianna Conti (1)
Games With a Shot: Hilary Hoffman (1), Gianna Conti (1), Bailee Christman (1)
Games With a SOG: Hilary Hoffman (1), Gianna Conti (1)
Games With an Assist: Hilary Hoffman (1)
* Played 18 games as a freshman in 2021 at Belmont Abbey
 
2024 HOME GAME THEMES ANNOUNCED
The Slippery Rock field hockey program has announced its special events calendar, which features an array of notable celebrations, tributes and commemorations for the 2024 season.
 
Sept. 5 (7 p.m.) vs. Frostburg State – Faculty and Staff Appreciation Day
Sept. 22 (12 p.m.) vs. Newberry - First Responders Day
Oct. 1 (4 p.m.) vs. Indiana (Pa.) - International Students Day / Make-A-Wish
Oct. 13 (12 p.m.) vs. East Stroudsburg – Alumni Day
Oct. 19 (2 p.m.) vs. Shippensburg – Senior Day
Oct. 23 (4 p.m.) vs. D'Youville - Morgan's Message Game
Oct. 25 (2 p.m.) vs. Kutztown - Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Game
 
NEXT FIVE GAMES
Sept. 15 (12 p.m.) at Adelphi
Sept. 16 (12 p.m.) at Pace
Sept. 21 (11 a.m.) at Shippensburg
Sept. 22 (12 p.m.) vs. Newberry
Sept. 28 (1 p.m.) at West Chester
 
CAREER RECORDS WATCH
Points (No. 15-19)
15. Deb Smith (1988-91): 36
16: Leslie Colliver: 33
t17. Samantha Badaczewski (2007-10): 32
t17. Katie Krouse (2007-10): 32
t19: Bailee Christman: 28
t19. Vicki Peterson (1994-97): 28
t19: Nicole Hess (2001-04): 28
t19: Barb Watson (1974-76): 28
 
Goals (No. 15-20)
t15. Barb Watson (1974-76): 14
t15. Gabrielle Malishchak (2009-12): 14
t15. Vicki Peterson (1994-97): 14
t18. Cathy Copeman (1975-76): 13
t18. Marlene Krieger (1977-80): 13
t20: Leslie Colliver: 12
t20. Four others
Active: Bailee Christman: 11
Active: Gianna Conti: 10
 
Assists
1. Megan McKay (2013-16): 15
2. Allie Hartman (2007-10): 14
3. Samantha Griffith (2001-02): 13
t4. Kayla Del Vecchio (2019-24): 11
t4. Kailee Krupski (2014-17): 11
t4. Gabrielle Malishchak (2009-12): 11
t7. Leslie Colliver: 9
t7. Lindsay Brown (2011-13): 9
 
Saves
1. Lisa Belcastro (2007-10): 689
2. Tara Bailey (2003-06): 627
3. Grace Burker: 312
 
Goalie Wins
1. Judith Johns (1986-89): 33
2. Kerry McKnight (1996-99): 23
t3. Sue Everden (1975-76): 19
t3. Amy Bricker (1991-95): 19
t3. Carlee DuMars (2012-15): 19
6. Grace Burker: 18

FROSTBURG STATE PRIMER
2023 Overall Record: 8-9
2023 Home Record: 2-4
2023 Away Record: 5-5
2023 Neutral Site Record: 1-0
2024 PSAC Preseason Poll: 9th
Head Coach: Kaitlin Thompson | Eighth season at FSU (28-87)
 
SCOUTING THE BOBCATS
• Frostburg State officially joined the PSAC as an associate member for field hockey member in the summer and was picked to finish ninth in the conference this year.
 
• FSU, which has competed as a Division II independent over the last three seasons since moving up from D-III prior to the 2021 campaign, returns seven starters from last year's team which went 8-9.
 
• Defensively, the Bobcats are led by junior goalie Zoe Barnes. In her first season as a starter a year ago, Barnes played all but one quarter on the way to finishing the year with a 1.82 GAA, 111 saves, a .776 save percentage and four shutouts. She was ninth in the nation in save percentage.
 
• Offensively, Frostburg State returns 82 percent of its goal production (23-of-28) from a season ago led by Paige Leitzel who closed 2024 with a team-best 17 points on seven goals and three assists.
 
• Joining Leitzel as FSU's top offensive returners are Femke Hofkamp (4 goals), Emilie Bonhivert (4 goals) and Gracie Daniels (3 goals).
 
UP NEXT
Slippery Rock heads east to play two games in as many days Sept. 15 at Adelphi University and Sept. 16 against Pace University. Start time for both contests is set for 12 p.m.




To stay up to date with all that happens at The Rock, follow our official Athletic Communication accounts on 'X' (formerly Twitter, @Rock_Athletics), Facebook (RockAthletics) and Instagram (RockAthletics).