The Power of Team Spirit

It was a record-breaking year for Saint Joseph’s University’s athletics teams and student-athletes. Take a look at some of the Hawks’ top moments from the past academic year. For the latest Hawk headlines, visit sjuhaws.com.

Field Hockey Claims A-10 Championship Once Again!

The 15th-ranked and top-seeded Saint Joseph's field hockey team rolled past fourth-seeded La Salle, 4-0, in the Atlantic 10 semifinals, advancing to its eighth consecutive Atlantic 10 title game. The Atlantic 10 Championship game was a true nail-biter, but a third-quarter goal by Hailey Bitters, MHA ’24, put the Hawks up 2-1 for a win over UMass! The win gave the Hawks their third consecutive A-10 crown and their sixth in the past seven seasons. 

Headliners

• Katy Benton, BS ’23, MBA ’25, Alison Buffington, BS ’26, and Kate Crist, BS ’26: Named Academic All District At-Large honorees by College Sports Communicators
• Katy Benton, BS ’23, MBA ’25, Sol Borensztein, BS ’25, Manu Ghigliotti, BA ’24, MBA ’26, and Lily Santi, BS ’24, EdD ’26: Named to the National Field Hockey Coaches Association All-Mid-Atlantic Region First and Second Teams
• Sol Borensztein, BS ’25, Kate Crist, BS '26, Manu Ghigliotti, BA ’24, MBA ’26, and Lily Santi, BS ’24, EdD ’26: Tabbed for the 2024 Atlantic 10 Preseason All-Conference Team
• Alison Buffington, BS '26: Named a Scholar of Distinction by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association for the second year in a row
• Manu Ghigliotti, BA ’24, MBA '26: Fourth Hawk in history to be named a First Team All-American

Philadelphia Hot Shots!

Men’s Basketball

The men’s basketball's Big 5 Classic journey was one for the books as the Saint Joseph’s championship banner was raised to the rafters of the Wells Fargo Center, giving the Hawks their 21st Big 5 crown in program history. In their regular-season finale, the Hawks defeated Davidson, capping the regular season tied for seventh place. The Hawks began their quest for the 2024 Atlantic 10 championship, facing George Mason in the second round. Cameron Brown, BS '23, MBA ’25, scored a team-high 16 points as the Hawks held off the Patriots, 64-57. With the victory, Saint Joseph's advanced to face top seed Richmond in the quarterfinals of the A-10 Championship. Led by a game-high 30 points from Erik Reynolds II, BS '26, the Hawks downed Richmond, 66-61. 

Saint Joseph's run came to an end as the Hawks were held off by VCU, 66-60, in the semifinals. The men’s team went on to the 2024 National Invitation Tournament, facing Seton Hall in the first round, where its historic season was ended. Saint Joseph’s capped the 2023-24 season with its most wins (21) since 2015-16 (28) and first postseason appearance since 2015-16.

Headliners

• Xzayvier Brown, BS ’27: Recognized as both the Atlantic 10 and Big 5 Rookie of the Year, and All-Big 5 Second Team selection
• Rasheer Fleming, BS ’26: Named an All-Big 5 Honorable Mention
• Erik Reynolds II, BS ’25: Named to the Atlantic 10 and All-Big 5 First Team and Big 5 Top Free Throw Shooter

Women’s Basketball

Guided by Big 5 Coach of the Year Cindy Griffin, BA ’91, MBA ’93, the Hawks swept the city as well, going 4-0 in Big 5 play for the first time since 2013-14. St. Joe's finished a stellar regular season with 26 wins. Advancing to the second round in the postseason for the first time since the 2017-18 season, St. Joe’s downed Cal in a thrilling 63-61 road victory, earning their 27th win of the year and surpassing the 1996-97 squad that finished 26-5. Saint Joseph's historic season came to a close in the Women's Basketball Invitation Tournament (WBIT) quarterfinals, but not before setting a new program record for wins in a season with 28.

Headliners

• Talya Brugler, BS ‘24, MS '26: Named Top Free Throw Shooter in the Big 5, earned Second Team All-Atlantic 10, earned Ann Meyers Drysdale Player of the Year Watch List and earned second consecutive First Team All-Big 5 Honor
• Cindy Griffin, BA ’91, ’93 (MBA): Named Big 5 Coach of the Year
• Mackenzie Smith, BS ’26: Received Second Team Atlantic 10 All-Conference and All-Big 5 honors
• Chloe Welch, MS ’24, MBA ’26: Earned All-Big 5 Honorable Mention
• Laura Ziegler, BS ‘26: Received First Team All-Atlantic 10 and All-Big 5 honors and named to Atlantic 10 All-Defensive Team

Women’s Rowing Glides to the Henley Women’s Regatta 

Women’s rowing qualified for the 2024 Henley Women’s Regatta this year, advancing to the quarterfinals where the Hawks were bested by less than five seconds by London University. Saint Joseph’s appearance was the farthest the Hawks have advanced in this prestigious event. Leading up to the regatta, St. Joe’s Varsity 4 captured the silver medal as the team capped their season at the 2024 Atlantic 10 Championship. The Hawks’ 2nd Varsity 8 closed the championship with an open-water first place finish in the Petite Final, and Varsity 8 finished sixth in the Grand Final.

Headliners

• Hawks' Varsity 4 Molly Hoffman, BS ’27, Kayla Menshon, BS ’26, Ella Pittenger, BS ’27, Cecilia Sarnowski, BS ’26 (coxswain), and Shannon Travers, BS ’27: Named Atlantic 10 Women's Rowing Boat of The Week
• Farah Konschak, BS ’25: Selected to the Atlantic 10 All-Conference Second Team
• Riley McDade, BA ’24: Named to the Atlantic 10 All-Conference First Team 

Men’s Lacrosse Nabs Second A-10 Championship

The men’s lacrosse team took down No. 18 Richmond, 17-13, in the Atlantic 10 Championship in May, marking the Hawks’ second men’s conference championship in SJU history. Saint Joseph’s advanced to the first round of the NCAA Tournament against No. 5 Virginia, where it was defeated 17-11, closing out their 12th consecutive win — the nation’s longest winning streak. This was the team’s second NCAA tournament since 2022.

Headliners

• Levi Anderson, BS '22, MBA, '24: United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) All-American Honorable Mention
• Matt Bohmer, BS '23, MS '24: Named to the Philly-SIDA Academic All-Area Men's Lacrosse Team
• Patrick Clemens, BS ’23, MS ’25: Named to the rosters of the USILA Senior All-Star Game and the Philly-SIDA Academic All-Area Men's Lacrosse Team
• Alex Keener, BS ’24, MS ’26: Named to the rosters of the USILA Senior All-Star Game 
• Carter Page, BS '24: Named USILA Scholar All-American
• Levi Verch, BS ’24: Three All-American honorable mentions; named to the Philly-SIDA Academic All-Area Men's Lacrosse Team

Want to catch up on this year’s sports successes?