DUDLEY, Mass. (10/27/2026) – The sixth-seeded Nichols College field hockey team will make its second consecutive appearance in the Conference of New England (CNE) Tournament and travel to face No. 3 Roger Williams University in the First Round on Saturday, October 31st.
The game will be held at Bayside Field in Bristol, Rhode Island.
Live Stats | Watch | CNE Tournament Central
How They Got Here: The Bison, under the guidance of second-year head coach Kelsey Ramsay, enter the postseason following a 5-12 regular-season record, including a 2-5 mark in conference play. Nichols opened the season with three wins in its first four games, highlighted by victories over Fitchburg State (3-0), Framingham State (4-2) and the University of Hartford (4-2). The Bison also earned a 3-0 shutout victory over Gordon College on October 1st to secure their second consecutive CNE Tournament appearance.
The third-seeded Hawks enter the postseason after a strong regular season, looking to build on their run to the CNE Championship game in 2025.
Season Series: In their lone regular-season meeting, Roger Williams came away with a 3-1 victory over the Bison at Michael J. Vendetti Field on October 3. Nichols battled back in the second half, with Evelyn Linehan scoring the Bison's lone goal off an assist from Emma Bianculli. Goalkeeper Fallyn Belisle recorded 15 saves, while Katherine Hearn and Brooke Morin each added a defensive save.
Who to Watch: Leading the Bison offensively is junior Emma Bianculli, who paces the team with seven goals and 20 points through 17 games. Senior Sofia Calabro is close behind with a team-high eight goals scored, as well as a pair of assists for 18 points, while sophomore Lily Gibson has contributed five goals and four assists for 14 points.
Defensively, Hearn and Morin have provided a strong presence, combining for 13 defensive saves on the season. In goal, Belisle has appeared in 16 games this fall, recording 160 saves with a .784 save percentage.
The winner of Saturday's first-round matchup will advance to the CNE Semifinals on Wednesday, November 4th, to face the winner of No. 5 Johnson & Wales at No. 4 University of New England.
