Stonehill athletes off to strong start in September

By Annie Renz

Fall sports teams have officially kicked off their 2025 campaigns. Already, some Stonehill athletes are making noise and earning the attention of the Northeast Conference (NEC). 

Every week, the NEC announces which players earned a “Prime Performer” accolade for their respective sports. The recognition highlights the players who made a clear impact on the field or court that week.  

In the first week of September, seven Stonehill athletes received Prime Performer recognition. 

Senior forward Hannah Anselmo led the Stonehill women’s soccer offense during their road trip to Fordham University. Her first-half brace happened in less than a minute. It was her first multi-goal game of the season and third in her career. Her two shots-two goals performance earned her first Prime Performer recognition this year.  

“I am very excited for conference play to begin, and am eager to see our success in the upcoming weeks,” said Anselmo.  

On the men’s side, a bus ride home from Annapolis, Maryland got a little sweeter as the team handed Navy their first loss of the season.  

Photo Credit: Stonehill Athletics

It was senior forward Shane Fonseca who put the Skyhawks on top with his second goal of the season. Not only did the game-winner earn him Prime Performer, but also NEC co-player of the week. 

“Scoring the game-winner against Navy and being named co-player of the week was a great feeling. It was a full team effort, and I was just happy to be in the right spot at the right time to finish it off,” said Fonseca.  

Junior goalie Tyler Sloan picked up his first shutout of the season. Sloan recorded two saves, a performance that put him alongside Fonseca on NEC’s Prime Performer list. 

“Receiving NEC Prime Performer just points back to the team making progress this year. When they do everything right in front of me it makes my job easy and that’s what happened against Navy,” said Sloan.  

Both men’s and women’s cross country teams kicked off their season at the Ken O’Brien UMass Invitational on Aug. 30.  

On the men’s side, the Skyhawks finished in second place. Juniors Dylan Brilliant and Nick Davies had a strong start, picking up second and fifth place respectively. Both runners were recognized by the NEC for their top five performances. 

“Seeing success this early in the season against a talented UMass team is a huge confidence booster for myself and the rest of the team,” said Brilliant.  

“The most satisfying aspect of that race was our team performance. We definitely turned some heads with the depth of our team,” said Davies.  

The women’s side also captured a second-place finish. Senior Jordan Malloy crossed the finish line first for the Skyhawks, finishing in fourth place in the 4k.  

Back at home, over two thousand fans took the stands at W.B. Mason Stadium on Sept. 6 to watch the Skyhawks face the Lafayette Leopards in football’s 2025 home opener.  

Lafayette’s offense saw a strong start before half-time. However, a determined defensive effort led by senior linebacker Tyler Bannon held the Leopards scoreless in the fourth quarter.  

Bannon recorded eight tackles, two tackles for a loss, and he forced a fumble. His efforts added his name to Stonehill’s Prime Performers list.  

“I think the key play was the fumble we returned for a touchdown. I think we trusted on another to do each other’s job. I was in a good position, and I just trusted my instincts and got a hand on the ball. Then Richard Mosely was in a good spot to pick up the fumble and return it for a touchdown,” said Bannon. 

September’s successful start carried the momentum from a solid August for both men’s and women’s soccer and volleyball. 

Sophomore goalie Allie Sougaris earned Prime Performer in the second week of women’s soccer. On the men’s side, junior forward Jared Rapoza and sophomore forward James Forrest-Hay earned the accolade in their second week of non-conference play. 

Senior outside hitter Mia Berardino joined the list of Prime Performers in volleyball’s opening week of play.