Who Will Win the WNBA Championship?

by Dorothée Durivage ‘28 and Emilia Farrell ‘28 on October 2, 2025

PCI

Providence College Investigates: WNBA

Lynx: Dorothée Durivage

One win away from the WNBA finals, the Las Vegas Aces are likely to come out on top in the championship. This win would be their third title in the last four seasons, after wins in 2022 and 2023 that demonstrate that the team has what it takes to win. The core players on the Aces have not really changed, except for the addition of All-Star guard Kelsey Plum in February. As the No. 2 seed, the Aces have been able to secure wins even with injuries among the team and some players not playing their best games. To combat that, Las Vegas’ guards have stepped up, with Chelsea Gray at 7.3 assists per game for the postseason, compared to 5.4 during the regular season. Another important player for the Aces is NaLyssa Smith, who was traded from the Dallas Wings back in June and contributed to a 30–14 record for Las Vegas since joining the team. At first, the trade raised some questions and left people confused, but it has become clear that it was the right move for the Aces. It is hard to imagine where the team would be without her at this time; she has been a major upgrade over former starting center Kiah Stokes, who opponents generally pretended did not exist on the offensive end. With Smith engaged on both ends, she is able to take away the scoring burden from A’ja Wilson, making the team harder to beat. The Aces’ strength lies in their players, and Wilson was named this season’s WNBA MVP, earning the top individual honor in the league. She has become the league’s first four-time MVP, after receiving the title in 2020, 2022, 2024, and 2025, which goes to show just how strong a player she is. The finals are scheduled to start on Friday, Oct. 3, and will be the first WNBA finals to be played as a best-of-seven series, where the higher seed would host games one, two, five, and seven.

Aces: Emilia Farrell

Up until earlier this week, it looked like the Minnesota Lynx were going to run away with the WNBA title. However, the Phoenix Mercury were not about to just let it happen. The Mercury were riding high on the emotions of a first-round series win against the defending champions, the New York Liberty. The No. 4-seeded Mercury overcame a 20-point deficit to defeat the No. 1-seeded Lynx in game two of the WNBA semifinals, proving that they have what it takes to overcome any team in their path. On Sept. 26, in game three of the semifinals, the Mercury dominated the Lynx yet again with an 84–76 statement win. The Mercury are more than just their wins; they have the versatility and focus to win the entire tournament, mainly through their “Big 3” trio of star players. Kahleah Copper has been the driving force behind the offense, using her speed and dexterity to create crucial scoring opportunities for both herself and her fellow teammates. Satou Sabally makes opposing teams’ defenses work through her impressive scoring ability. Alyssa Thomas does a little bit of everything, from scoring to rebounding to facilitating plays. In game two of the semifinals, Thomas had a commanding 13 assists and a total of 19 points, showcasing her grit and determination for the win. In game three, the trio combined for a total of 65 points, leaving only 19 points to be scored by other teammates. The “Big 3” is one of the most dynamic groups in the WNBA and works together to keep the Mercury balanced. Phoenix has shown that they can adjust to any challenge and will make big moves this season, which proves all the more important now in the postseason. The Phoenix Mercury are just one game away from a trip to the WNBA finals, where they have a huge chance to win the whole tournament.

The Rise of Women’s Rugby

by Pippa Jones ‘28 on October 2, 2025

Friar Sports

With women’s rugby rising to fame amongst the sports community, we can largely give credit to two-time Olympic champion Ilona Maher. Known for playing the tough sport with a shade of bright red lipstick on the pitch, Maher promotes body positivity and women in sports with her brand Beast Beauty Brains. Following her win in the 2024 Summer Olympics in France, she began to gain traction as an athlete and an internet personality. After her debut on the popular show Dancing with the Stars, Maher has gained lots of followers on social media and helped to promote the rugby community to a wider audience. Since the show, she has starred in several advertisements, her most recent partnership with Maybelline’s Only in Matte Ink lipstick. She also starred in Sports Illustrated, where she premiered her modeling career. Maher excelled in her rugby career at Quinnipiac University, where she won three NIRA championships. She now plays for the U.S. Sevens team and recently signed with the Bristol Bears club team.

Maher’s teammate, Sarah Bern, is another internet personality who has promoted the women’s rugby community with her platform. Both playing for the Bristol Bears, Bern and Maher have advertised the positive atmosphere of the community. Bern is a 28-year-old front row prop for England’s women’s rugby team, the Red Roses. Bern started her career as a back row forward with England’s U20 team. She has a record of 30 tries and 150 career points. Bern has a strong internet presence that accompanies Maher’s empowering brand.

Both Bern and Maher starred in this year’s 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup. This year, the Women’s Rugby World Cup had a notable following with 42,473 viewers just on the opening game, which featured the U.S. vs. England. The World Cup will wrap up with the final and bronze matches in London on Sept. 27. The final game will feature a showdown of Pool A leader, England, with 15 points, against Pool B leader, Canada, also with 15 points. It is hard to tell who the winner of the final match will be, considering both teams lead their individual pools with identical point totals. England’s Red Roses have been crowned the favorites of the match with their record of 32 successive matches, according to BBC Sport. Team USA stands at No. 3 in Pool A with a record of one win, one draw, and one loss. Pool C leader, New Zealand, with 15 points, and Pool D leader France, with 14 points, will play each other for bronze. I would put New Zealand as the favorite with 382 points scored this season vs. France’s 195. Although this proves to be a large gap, New Zealand only has seven wins against France’s five, making this a closer matchup than expected.

Contrary to the leaderboard, the top scorer for the World Cup is New Zealand’s Braxton Sorensen-McGee with 11 tries and 69 points. At only 18 years old, Braxton was newly named to the Black Ferns as of this July. Braxton was named player of the match in New Zealand’s match against Japan. Following the World Cup, the next main events for women’s rugby will be HSBC SVNS and the Pacific Four series, both in 2026.

If interested in getting involved with rugby locally, join PC’s Club Women’s Rugby! Practice is every Tuesday, 5–7 p.m., and every Thursday, 6–8 p.m., on Hendricken Field. For inquiries to play, reach out to President Christina Andruss at (203) 832-9400.

Kim English: One of the Best Recruiters in the Country?

by Connor Whalen ‘28 on October 2, 2025

Friar Sports

Kim English’s recruiting ability has proven to be elite over his three years at Providence, each year seeming increasingly impressive. In his first year, Garwey Dual—initially recruited by former head coach Ed Cooley—chose to recommit to Providence College, ultimately deciding to play for English despite the abrupt coaching change. Dual’s tenure at Providence was short-lived and certainly disappointing, averaging a meager 3.3 points per game, which resulted in his transferring out after his freshman year. Dual was, however, the third-highest rated commit in Providence’s history, behind only Ricky Ledo (a top-ten national recruit in 2011 who never actually played due to academic ineligibility) and Kris Dunn ’16, a name Friars fans are more than familiar with. In 2024, English made another big splash with the recruitment of Oswin Erhunmwumse ’28, ranking just outside the top ten in Friars history. He also recruited Ryan Mela ’28, a three-star forward who was unranked nationally and has impressively carved out a role for himself in the upcoming season. English’s increased aggressiveness in the transfer portal was also evident, despite a few of the transfers posting underwhelming seasons. This past offseason showed exponential improvement in English’s recruitment; he landed Jamier Jones ’29, ranked ninth in his position, and another top 100 recruit in Jaylen Harrell ’29. The transfer portal also brought in proven talents like Jason Edwards ’G26, Jaylin Sellers ’G26, and Duncan Powell ’G26, showing even further improvement from last year’s portal.

Huge news struck PC’s campus this month when 5-star high school prospect Caleb Holt went on an official visit to Friartown. Holt is a top-five national prospect, a legitimate one-and-done college player, and on track to be an early 2027 NBA first-round pick. This is absolutely groundbreaking news for Friars basketball, and by no means does Holt even have to commit to the Friars to make it so. To put this into perspective: imagine Jaylen Brown visiting PC a decade ago, or Jayson Tatum in 2016, or VJ Edgecombe or Dylan Harper a year ago. Providence’s basketball program is certainly storied and prestigious, but not of the caliber to attract immense talent like this. It has been speculated that Providence is among a select few schools that Holt is considering for a decision. Now, some of the other schools in that group are powerhouses like Alabama, Kentucky, and Auburn, meaning it is probably not likely that he commits to PC, but the very fact that Providence is on the list with top-tier programs like those is massive news.

In August, coach English and his staff also hosted Abdou Toure, a top 40 national prospect from Connecticut. Toure recently announced he is down to his final three schools: UConn, Arkansas, and Providence. Another massive offer for the Friars, Toure would be the highest-rated freshman to ever play for PC outside of Dunn. English joins elite company in making Toure’s final list among Arkansas’ John Calipari and UConn’s Dan Hurley, two of the most well-respected coaches in college basketball. Toure’s decision announcement will come this Friday, Oct. 3. If Toure were to commit to PC, the 2026 season would start to look even more exciting for Friars fans.

Whether Holt and/or Toure commit to PC—and realistically, they very well may not—the fact that English is drawing massive talent to Providence, and also the fact that they are truly considering his offers, shows huge potential for this program with him at the helm. While the results have yet to be seen, it takes time to build a program as a new and largely unproven head coach, and the future, starting with this season, looks very bright in Friartown.

Golf is Back

by Sarah Wolff ’28 on October 2, 2025

Friar Sports

The 2025–26 season will mark a revival in Providence College athletics as they have officially reinstated the men’s golf program as an NCAA Division I varsity sport. The Friars had a golf team from 1960–2002 until the sport was dropped, along with other men’s programs, due to Title IX compliance. In revamping the men’s program, Providence is simultaneously creating a women’s varsity golf team. The revived men’s team is operating on a non-scholarship basis, and it is a way to strengthen the school’s overall competitiveness in the Big East and the expansion of all kinds of student athletes. The head coach of the new program is Lou Parente, who was officially named in October of 2024. Parente’s roster could be seen as relatively young or new to this level of competitiveness; however, that can be very promising. He has time to bring up his roster and build on it. The incoming class, announced in July 2025, includes three freshmen, three juniors, and two graduate students. The first graduate student is Logan Jaeger ’25, ’26G, who graduated from PC last year and was on the club golf team. In April 2024, he became a co-individual champion of the National Collegiate Club Golf Association, and in December 2024, he was a part of the team that won the National Collegiate Club Golf Invitational Championship. Jaeger will bring lots of experience and guidance to his team. The second graduate student is Kevin Legnard ’25, ’26G, who was also a part of the team that won the NCCGA Invitational, as well as the president of the Providence club golf team. The freshmen to look out for are Will Spring ’29, Callan Fahey ’29, and Liam O’Grady ’29. Finally, the juniors on the team, Joe Halferty ’27, Evan Buddenhagen ’27, and Campbell Skelly ’27, do bring prior competitive experience that should help the Friars stand out.

Although this is the first time in over 20 years that the program has been active, Providence has wasted no time getting some fall tournaments under its belt. Their first tournament was the Sacred Heart Fall Classic, where they placed No. 8 out of 13 teams. Then, just two weeks later, the Friars had already made great strides as they placed No. 6 out of 15 teams at the Ryan T. Lee Memorial Collegiate Tournament. Up next for them includes the UConn Invitational (Sept. 28–30) in Hampden, MA, the Bash in the Boro (Oct. 13–14) in Statesboro, GA, and the Crusader Invitational (Oct. 20–21) at Worcester Country Club. Reestablishing a varsity program from the ground up is—in just one word—tough. The team must build its chemistry and cohesion, be able to compete at a consistently high level, and with that, have the confidence to perform under pressure. There is no denying that the program entered with a strong momentum. The club team had huge success, including a national championship in 2024, and as that preceded the varsity switch, there is automatically an established team of culture and competitiveness. After more than two decades of inactivity, the Friars are teeing off once again, and expectations and intrigue for this team have not fallen short.

Get to Know Two Key New Friars: Duncan Powell and Daquan Davis

by Connor Whalen ‘28 on September 25, 2025

Friar Sports

On top of adding dynamic scorers in Jason Edwards ’G26 and Jaylin Sellers ’G26, Kim English further bolstered his squad with the additions of forward Duncan Powell ’26 from Georgia Tech and guard Daquan Davis ’28 from Florida State University. One lacking component of last year’s team was their energy; the team seemed to lose their momentum—their offense often stalling and displaying an apparent lack of intensity on the defensive end. Powell and Davis are two key additions that should help the Friars immensely this year on both ends of the floor, both of whom are giving the Friars that desperately needed intensity.

Powell, also known as “The Shagman” (a nickname given to him for his unusual haircut), is a 6’8” power forward known to use emotion on the court and provides the Friars with a tertiary scoring option behind Edwards and Sellers. Powell’s commitment to North Carolina A&T made him the highest recruit in NCAA history ever to commit to an HBCU before transferring to Sacramento State, where he caught the eyes of Georgia Tech’s head coach and accepted his transfer offer. The Friars desperately needed wing shooters with the losses of Wesley Cardet Jr. ’25, Jabri Abdur Rahim ’G25, and Bensley Joseph ’25—and Powell gives the Friars just that. A catch-and-shoot hazard and corner specialist, Powell is not only a threat from behind the arc, but he also possesses solid post work to round out his offensive game. The addition of Powell gives English more versatility, as Powell has enough size to play as a stretch big man, giving the Friars the option to spread the floor more and play with five players behind the arc. Adding Powell to this year’s team makes the Friars more dangerous offensively and gives the team an energetic, aggressive player on the defensive end.

Davis, another key addition to PC’s squad this year, is a 6’1” point guard. Incorporating Davis adds another playmaker to the Friars’ rotation, posting 2.5 assists and showcasing his passing ability in his freshman year at FSU. He also proved to be a great on-ball defender, always a threat to pick an opponent’s pocket and play with an unmatched level of energy. On the offensive side of the ball, Davis’ explosiveness makes him a threat to beat defenders to the rim, and his unselfishness allows him to pick out open shooters and locate big men for a lob. His downfall last year was his shooting, only converting 27.9 percent of his threes and struggling on mid-range attempts. I strongly believe Davis can turn this around; he posted an impressive 82.6 percent free-throw percentage, indicating a solid shooting stroke, and shot 46 percent from behind the arc in high school at Overtime Elite. As a freshman, essentially thrown right into Florida State’s starting point guard role in a competitive Atlantic Coast Conference, low shooting figures and some initial all-around struggle should not come as a surprise. Davis has plenty of time to develop—and he will—with three years of eligibility remaining, potentially providing the Friars with a long-term backcourt solution.

Davis and Powell are two further reasons for Friar fans to be amped about the upcoming season, as they render the Friars an even hungrier, more fiery squad. Last year’s team felt like it had too many pure shooters and not enough pure athletes—Cardet and Abdur-Rahim being prime examples—especially proving costly on the defensive end. At the bare minimum, this year’s team will play a far more exciting brand of basketball. Should this team reach its full potential, the Friars could pose a genuine threat to the Big East.

Which NBA Team Had the Best Offseason?

by Flagg Taylor ‘27 and Chris Sama ’27 on September 25, 2025

Professional Sports

Providence College Investigates: NBA

Nuggets: Flagg Taylor

For the past decade, the Western Conference has been stacked with all-star talent, and this year is no different. However, the team that had the best offseason didn’t go out and get stars; their front office added much-needed depth and versatility to both ends of the floor. The Denver Nuggets made smart moves to continue to build around their star, Nikola Jokić. Jokić has proven in 2023 that with the right players around him, he can dominate the league and bring championships to Denver. By no means were the Nuggets a bad team last season, but they were certainly not at the standard of their championship team in 2023. The Nuggets’ signings this summer completely refreshed their roster, making them stand out among last season’s successful teams. The Houston Rockets, who finished No. 2 in regular season standings last season, made a blockbuster trade for Kevin Durant. The Oklahoma City Thunder, the current defending champs, retained their squad. I believe we will see another historical season from Jokić with all the roles around him filled, and therefore great success from the Denver Nuggets.

The first key signing for the Nuggets was the acquisition of Bruce Brown, who was a member of the 2023 championship squad. Brown will bring back championship experience— he has guaranteed chemistry and acts as a great glue guy. He is a gritty defender, shoots the ball well, and is a smart player: the perfect guy to come off the bench to provide energy and experience.

The most important moves this offseason for the Nuggets were two key trades. The first was a one-player swap with the Sacramento Kings, trading away Dario Šarič and acquiring Jonas Valančiūnas. Valančiūnas is an underrated veteran big and will be the perfect backup for Jokič, a role that was completely unfulfilled last season. Valančiūnas will allow Jokič to rest and still provide a big presence down low. The second trade—the Nuggets’ best acquisition—was getting Cameron Johnson from the Nets. The Nuggets gave up Michael Porter, Jr. and an unprotected first-round pick in 2032. Johnson will be an immediate upgrade from Porter. He can shoot the ball just as well, but provides a much bigger presence on defense. Johnson is one of the best “three and D” players in the NBA.

The Nuggets’ offseason was extremely intentional, and they succeeded in building a highly versatile roster around Jokic while retaining key guys like Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon. It will be a tight race for first in the West between the Nuggets and the Thunder.

Knicks: Chris Sama

The Knicks improved greatly this offseason and solved some key problems that could lead them to a championship. Their new head coach, Mike Brown, is a good replacement for the former head coach, Tom Thibodeau. Brown revived the Kings—after they faced 16 years with no playoff appearances—by developing their best players, like De’Aaron Fox, into stars and establishing a solid offense. Brown is best known for his defense with prior teams he coached, most notably leading the Cavaliers in 2007 to the finals against the Spurs. Although LeBron was the only star on this roster, Brown was able to get this team to the finals by emphasizing paint protection and prioritizing help defense. Brown fits perfectly with the Knicks, alongside stars like Karl Anthony Towns, who Brown could develop into a great rim protector. Although the Knicks have had relatively consistent depth, with key role players on the bench in the past seasons, such as Miles “Deuce” McBride and Josh Hart—who later became a starter—Thibodeau did not utilize his bench as much. Last season, the Knicks were last in both points off the bench, with 21.7 per game, and bench minutes, with 63.5 per game. Brown is known for developing players to have greater roles, which will give the starters more time to rest and be healthy for the remainder of the season, especially when it matters for the playoffs. Although Thibodeau was a great coach who brought the Knicks to the playoffs four of his five seasons coaching them, Brown has an established track record with playoff performance as a veteran coach, and he fits well into the Knicks’ culture. The Knicks also signed some key players this offseason, namely Jordan Clarkson, who has averaged roughly 17.1 points per game in the 2024-25 season. Veteran guard Malcom Brogdon provides depth for Jalen Brunson and Clarkson, and is a reliable playmaker, averaging 4.1 assists per game. In short, Brown becoming the new head coach of the Knicks, as well as picking up important role-players to give the Knicks even more depth, is why they have had the best offseason this year. The Knicks needed a more well-rounded team as they were overly relying on starters such as Brunson, who faced a series of minor injuries last season, and Mitchell Robinson, who injured his ankle. Less pressure on the starters, developing players into becoming better defenders, and a more consistent bench could definitely lead the Knicks to a championship.

“Free 4” Shirts Cause Internet Outrage

by Izzy Mignardi ’27 on September 25, 2025

Professional Sports

Serious controversy was sparked on Sept. 14 after Travis Kelce and Tyquan Thornton wore “Free 4” shirts in solidarity with their teammate Rashee Rice. Rice was suspended for the first six games of the NFL season after he caused a high-speed car accident on the highway.

Back in March of 2024, Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice was responsible for a six-car pileup on Route 75 in Dallas. Rice was driving over 115 miles per hour in his Lamborghini SUV, racing a Corvette. After excessive maneuvers and high speeds caused several crashes, Rice fled the scene on foot, neglecting to check on those injured, including a three and four-year-old.

In July, he pled guilty to charges of collision involving serious bodily injury and racing on a highway, causing bodily injury. His sentence includes five years on probation, during which he will have to spend 30 days in Dallas jail. He also owes $115,000 in restitution, as well as $1 million in a civil settlement to victim Kathryn Kuykendall. Rice’s lawyers say he recognizes “that that was a stupid mistake,” and that going forward, he is going to better himself by volunteering with children and local pastors to educate people on the dangers of reckless driving.

Rice released a statement reading, “I deeply regret the actions I took that day and the harm they caused others. This was a moment of immense failure on my part.”

Victims, lawyers, and football fans were outraged when Kelce and Thornton wore the warm-up shirts at last week’s game. Kuykendall’s lawyer, Marc Lenahan, said, “Rashee isn’t Nelson Mandela or Pepe Mujica, men who fought for what they believed in. There is evidence that Rashee was going 119 mph in a $1,749 per day Lambo rental that had pot and a pistol in it, on a highway on Easter weekend.” Lenahan continued by explaining that if his teammates really supported him, they would lend him the money to help pay his victims, who are still awaiting reparations. Additionally, others on social media are equally angered by the stunt. Sportswriter Ben Cummins described how Kelce should feel “embarrassed” for wearing a shirt that is so “illogical.”

Chiefs Coach Andy Reid defended his players, saying, “I just think that those guys, they love the kid and want him to feel part of it in their own way. I really don’t think it’s anything more than that.” While the team clearly sees this as an effort to support their teammate, most others read it as disrespectful toward the victims and dismissive of his actions. They argue that had Rice not been a successful football player, the reaction would have been quite different.

The Chiefs are currently 0–2 without Rice. He will be eligible to play again on Oct.19.

Premier League Overview

by Pippa Jones ‘28 on September 25, 2025

Professional Sports

As we head into the second month of the Premier League, the predictions of this season’s victor begin to roll in. Reflecting on last season’s stats, it’s not shocking Liverpool is still at the top of the leaderboard, closely trailed by Arsenal. Liverpool kicks off the season with 15 points through an undefeated five-game start. Throughout these games, Liverpool netted 11 goals, only conceding five, with Mohamed Salah leading the pack with four goals. Right behind Liverpool is Arsenal, who has 10 points so far throughout their three wins, one draw, and one loss. Across their five games, Arsenal has scored 10 goals and only conceded one, with Victor Gyökeres netting three goals. Coming in No. 3 is Tottenham, who, having an unfortunate season last year, have begun to redeem themselves by being at the top of the board. Just trailing Arsenal is Tottenham with a record of three wins, one draw, and one loss, netting eight goals and conceding one throughout.

Their top scorers are Brazilian superstar Richarlison and Brennan Johnson, each with two goals. The top scorer in the Premier League, unsurprisingly, is Erling Haaland from Manchester City. With a solid start to the season, the Norwegian has already netted five goals, though Manchester City has fallen to an unimpressive No. 8.

A big upcoming game is the infamous derby game, showcasing No. 2 Arsenal and No. 3 Tottenham on Nov. 22 at Emirates Stadium, home of the Arsenal Gunners. On Nov. 9, Liverpool travels to Anfield Stadium to face Manchester City for another high-profile match. With Tottenham losing their star player Son Heung-Min, fans are wondering what players to watch out for. Mohammed Kudus from Ghana is a budding star who was acquired by Tottenham Hotspur for a £55 million, six-year contract from West Ham United. Most known for his attacking midfield play, Kudus has already recorded two assists in the match against Burnley, a promising replacement to fill the big shoes of Son. Liverpool’s star player, Mohamed Salah, is going on his ninth season at Liverpool. Known for his speed and his consistency of goal scoring, Salah looks to make as big an impact as ever. Salah is a favorite for the Golden Boot and Ballon d’Or awards already this season. Arsenal’s ace is Bukayo Saka, who has won Arsenal player of the season for two seasons in a row. The attacking midfielder has recently been sidelined due to an injury, though it was determined not to be as bad as fans feared. It is known that Saka did not play in the match against Manchester City on Sept. 21, as coach Mikel Arteta is taking a cautious approach to having his star player make a full recovery.

The top teams to look out for are Manchester City, Chelsea, and Brighton. Manchester City finished last year in third and are predicted to make a comeback, despite falling behind so far. Currently sitting at No. 6 is Chelsea. Finishing last season at No. 4, Chelsea is a dependable team consistently succeeding within the league. Finally, Brighton finished at No. 8 last year but has gained some new impactful players, such as 18-year-old Charalampos Kostoulas.

Athlete of the Week

by Emilia Farrell ‘28 on September 25, 2025

Friar Sports

Bo Martina ’27

Providence College’s field hockey team is off to a commanding start this season. The team currently sits at 4–3, with much thanks to the crafty work of midfielder Bo Martina ’27. Now at the beginning of her third collegiate season, Martina hails from Nieuw Vennep, Netherlands, where she developed her impressive field hockey talent. Martina appeared in all 17 games for the Friars last season and was in the starting lineup for 16 of those games. In her sophomore season, she also led the team in scoring with an impressive 18 total points on the season and a team-best eight assists. Additionally, Martina was selected to the All-BIG EAST First Team for her competitive work last season.

Only five games into this season, and Martina is picking up right where she left off and making her mark for the Friars yet again. She recorded a goal apiece in back-to-back games against Bryant University and the University of New Hampshire at Lennon Family Field.

On Sept. 12 against Bryant University, the field hockey team accomplished a 4–0 win. The first goal came from Martina in the third quarter after two intense scoreless quarters between the teams, jump-starting the victory for the Friars. The goal was assisted by fellow midfielder Macie Pennisi ’28. Martina went on to play all 60 minutes of the game in the midfield, anchoring the offense while also keeping Bryant’s offense at arm’s length.

Just two days later, the team faced the University of New Hampshire. Martina provided an unassisted goal to break the tie against the Wildcats that had occurred early in the game. She carried the ball about 30 yards and to the top of the circle, where she ripped an impressive back-handed shot past the Wildcat’s goalkeeper. Although the Friars ultimately fell in overtime, Martina’s sneaky individual play in the second quarter stood out and kept her team in the game until the very end.

With her demanding start, Martina continues to demonstrate why she is one of the top midfielders in the Big East and an integral piece of the Friars’ current success this season. Looking further ahead, Martina is likely to surpass last season’s offensive totals if she keeps at her current pace. Her presence in the Friars’ starting lineup will be critical as the team begins Big East Conference play this week, where competition will only grow and intensify. Providence College has its eyes set on a Big East Tournament spot, and Martina’s leadership will be a key factor in whether or not the team can make a deep postseason run. With two strong seasons already under her belt and another off to a fantastic start, Martina continues to prove why she is one of the team’s most valuable athletes. If her current trajectory is any indication, she could finish her junior season as one of the most accomplished players in recent Friars’ field hockey history.

Sports Shorts

by Dorothée Durivage ’28 on September 25, 2025

Friar Sports

Women’s Soccer

The Providence College women’s soccer team took on the Brown University Bears on Wednesday, Sept. 17. This match, which was played at home, resulted in a 4–0 loss for the Friars, bringing their record for the season to 3–2–1. Midfielder Colleen Casey ’26 led the Friars on the attack with two shots on goal, bringing her season total to eight. While four goals were let in, Ellie Thallman ’G26 also made four saves. The Friars will kick off their Big East season on Wednesday, Sept. 24 at St. John’s University.

Volleyball

The Providence College volleyball team played three games this weekend at the Pelican Invitational. The Friars started their weekend off strong with a 3–0 win against Alabama State on the afternoon of Friday, Sept. 19 at Tulane University. That night, they played another game against Tulane, which the Friars lost 3–1. The Pelican Invitational wrapped up for the Friars on Saturday at New Orleans University where they won 3–1. After the past three games, Providence College volleyball’s record stands at 9–4. Big East play starts next weekend against Marquette and DePaul on the road.

Men’s Soccer

The Providence College men’s soccer team traveled to Seton Hall University for their Big East conference opener on Friday, Sept. 19. The Friars lost the match 2–0 which brings their record to 2–5–0 for the season and to 0–1–0 for the Big East. With five shots on goal, Bruno Rosa ’26 led the Friars on Friday, contributing to all but one of the scoring attempts for the team. Ryan Carney ’29, Providence’s goalkeeper, recorded three saves. The Friars are set to be on the road to head off against Brown University on Tuesday, Sept. 23.

Field Hockey

The Providence College field hockey team took on Old Dominion University on Friday, Sept. 19 for their Big East opener. The Friars lost the game 2–0 which brought their record to 4–2 so far this season and 0–1 in the Big East. Providence outshot the Old Dominion Monarchs in the first quarter with two shots on goal, but the Monarchs had leveled the playing field by halftime, bringing the shots to 3–3. Ari Ftorek ’29 had two shots on goal for the games, leading Providence College for the match. The Friars’ next match is at home on Sept. 21 against American University.