ALFRED, NY - Following their third consecutive appearance in the Empire 8 Tournament, the Alfred University women's soccer team will look to build off their success during the upcoming fall season. The Saxons will feature a variety of returning players, along with six first-year talents.

Alfred University will be led by Head Coach Craig Yanni, who enters his seventh season with the program.

"Early last season we were able to put an emphasis on our defensive play," Yanni said. "We handled injuries and adversity along the way, but we did a great job limiting our opponents, which allowed us to return to the postseason."

Last season, the Saxons finished with a 6-7-5 overall record, including an impressive 4-1-2 record at home. The strong play from AU resulted in eight shutout performances in the regular season, which is the highest single-season total dating back to 1996. Alfred University clinched the No. 6 seed in the Empire 8 Tournament before coming up short to Russell Sage College in a contested first round matchup.

"We have a great group of players set to return this season," Yanni said. "The early challenges of non-conference play will allow our team and coaching staff to see what we need to work on and prepare for success in Empire 8 competition."

Up front, the Saxons will be led by Abby Scanlan (Albion, NY/Charles D'Amico). Last fall, Scanlan scored twice across 13 shots on goal, including a game-winning goal in a 1-0 win over Utica University. Scanlan received All-Empire 8 Third Team honors as part of her efforts with Alfred University.

"We're looking to produce more scoring opportunities in the offensive third this season," Yanni said. "It all starts with our forwards and midfielders and finding chances to put ourselves in a position to score."

The midfield for AU will include Olivia Gilbert (Ontario, NY/Wayne Central) and Nyah Solly (Colden, NY/Springville-Griffith Institute). Both Gilbert and Solly have been named as team captains ahead of the fall season. In 2022, Gilbert found the back of the net twice while dishing her first career assist in a 3-1 win over Pitt-Bradford. Solly enjoyed a successful sophomore season with the Saxons, totaling six points from two goals and two assists. Solly was named to both the All-Empire 8 Second Team and Empire 8 Women's Soccer All-Tournament Team.

"Olivia brings a great work rate and is capable of playing a full 90 minutes for us," Yanni said. "She constantly finds herself in the right place at the right time and has proven to be a dependable teammate. Nyah is athletically gifted and when she is playing to her full potential, she is one of the better players in the conference."

Jacey Palmgreen (Rochester, NY/Greece Olympia) will be among the veterans in the defensive third for Alfred University this fall. Palmgreen was named as a team captain for the Saxons for the second consecutive season, as she has appeared in 38 career games.

"Jacey returning to the field after being injured last season will allow her to grow as a leader," Yanni said. "She is going to be able to step up for us. We missed having her on the field last season, so it's great to have her back."

In goal, the Saxons will turn to sophomore goalkeeper Kiani Barnard-Pratt (Westford, MA/Westford Academy). Last season, Barnard-Pratt maintained a 0.88 Goals Against Average, which is the lowest mark dating back to the 2008 season. Barnard-Pratt finished last fall with a 86.5 save percentage to go with eight shutout performances for AU. Her efforts resulted in being named as the 2022 Empire 8 Goalkeeper of the Year and an All-Empire 8 First Team honoree. Barnard-Pratt additionally received All-ECAC Second Team recognition.

"Kiani has a lot of room to grow and hasn't scratched the surface of her potential yet," Yanni said. "She will emerge as a vocal leader for us and is one of the best goalkeepers in the conference."

Alfred University will begin their season on Friday, September 1 on the road against SUNY Geneseo. The Saxons will begin Empire 8 competition when they take on St. John Fisher University on September 16. The Empire 8 Tournament is scheduled to run from October 28 through November 4.

"I'm looking forward to seeing us grow into a well-rounded team this fall," Yanni said. "We have been one of the more consistent defensive programs in the Empire 8, but we will look for more opportunities to score as well."