Villanova, Pa. – The Wildcats will open the 2022 season hosting the William & Mary Tribe on Saturday, at 12:00 PM. The game will be a part of the Philadelphia Six "No Place Like Home Initiative", supporting the HEADstrong Foundation. Coverage will be streamed on NovaNation All-Access on Flo Sports.

After a 6-11 season last year and former head coach Julie Young resigning, the 2022 season will look a bit different than the last decade. Jill Batcheller looks to implement her proven track record of success as head coach of the Wildcats, holding a 101-48 career coaching record over 9 seasons.

This season, Villanova will return numerous starters, while adding a plethora of talented newcomers. Three returning seniors were named to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team, including midfielders Libby McKenna, Alexa Tsahalis, and defender Sydney Frank. The trio of seniors appeared in all 17 games last season, with Frank and McKenna starting the entire slate.

Rival BIG EAST coaches also voted Frank the Preseason BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year, the first in program history. Coming off her junior season, where she was named All-BIG EAST First Team, Frank looks to continue her dominance on defense, after becoming the all-time career leader in caused turnovers last year.  

William and Mary finished in seventh in the CAA Preseason Poll, after a 3-9 season in 2021. The Tribe returns senior attacker Belle Martire, who was named to the Preseason All-CAA Team. Last season, she led the team in points, goals and draw controls.

The all-time series between the two schools is split 1-1. Villanova was victorious in their last matchup, in the shortened 2020 season, by a score of 16-12. William and Mary's lone victory came back in 1992.

The HEADstrong Foundation is a non-profit organization that provides emotional, financial, logistical, and residential support to local and national families. The organization is headquartered in the Philadelphia suburbs. For more information about HEADstrong, you can visit their website here. To support the "No Place Like Home Initiative," you can donate here.