Villanova Univeristy Athletics

CAREER HONORS AND AWARDS
OPA Winning Teams/NFHCA National Academic Squad	2021, 2022, 2023
BIG EAST All-Academic Team	2021-22, 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25
Athletic Director's Honor Roll	Fall 2021, Spring 2022, Fall 2022, Spring 2023, Fall 2023, Spring 2024, Fall 2024, Spring 2025

Career: One of the top stick-stopping players in the country during her time on the Main Line … Ranks seventh in program history with 29 career assists … Posted eight-plus assists in three straight seasons (2022-2024) … Played in 70 career games with 69 … Recorded six shots (two on goal) and 29 points during her career … Named to the NFHCA National Academic Squad three times (2021-2023) … Named to the BIG EAST All-Academic Team three seasons in a row … Six-time Athletic Director’s Honor Roll recipient.
 
2024: Played and started in all 17 games … Recorded nine assists, second-most among Wildcats … Had two multi-assist games: vs. Sacred Heart (Sept. 1) and at Penn (Oct. 6) … Recorded an assist in three-straight games (Sept. 9 – Sept. 16) … Played a season-high 51 minutes at Providence.
 
2023: Started in all 18 games in the Wildcat midfield and was second on the team with 10 assists … Ranked 11^th in the nation in assists per game with .56 … Her contributions were highly recognized during corners when she would stop the ball to set up shots for her teammates … Finished the season with 10 points … Did not attempt a shot.
 
2022: Played in all 17 games with 16 starts in the midfield during her sophomore season and contributed on both ends of the field … Recorded eight assist and eight points with two shots attempted, one on goal … Had three consecutive games with one assist and one point versus LIU, Fairfield, and Hofstra … Had a season high of two assists and two points versus La Salle in the 3-2 win … Helped a defense that gave up two or fewer goals 11 times during the season.
 
2021: Started all 18 games in the midfield during her freshman season and contributed on both ends of the field … Recorded an assist against BIG EAST foe Quinnipiac … Attempted shots against both Connecticut and Wagner … Helped a defense that gave up two or fewer goals six times during the season.
 
Club Field Hockey: Has Played for Xcalibur Field Hockey Club for eight years … Was part of teams that were pool winners at the National Indoor Tournament in 2017, 2018, 2020 and 2021 … Team posted a JPIL first place finish in 2018, finished second at the National Club Championships in 2018 and was third in 2017 … Also part of JPOL first place finishes four straight years from 2017-20 and a second place finish in 2021 … Her team posted Festival first place pool finishes in 2018 and 2019.
 
Owen J. Roberts High School: Earned four varsity letters in field hockey … As a senior earned first team all-state, all-area and all-league honors while serving as team captain and being named her team’s MVP … Named to the NFHCA High School Impact Team her senior year and was selected as her school’s Female Athlete of the Year … Previously was a second team all-state selection as a junior and an honorable mention all-area choice her sophomore and junior seasons … Two-time second team All-PAC Liberty Division as a sophomore and a junior … Chosen as her team’s Rookie of the Year in 2018 … Her scholastic stats included 16 goals, 33 assists and 65 points … Helped her team win conference and District 1 titles in 2018 … Named to the NFHCA Academic Squad … Inducted into the Spanish Honor Society in 2019 … Inducted to the National Honor Society, the Science National Honor Society the Math Honor Society and the English National Society in 2020.
 
Personal: Born 4/12/03 in Pottstown, Pa. … Older of two daughters of Mark and Jessica Smolij … Has a younger sister, Mira (15) … Coaches youth field hockey at Xcalibur and at Norchester Youth Field Hockey in her spare time … Participates in the Best Buddies Club … Enjoys fitness and reading in her spare time … Chose to attend Villanova first for its rigorous academics that will prepare her for her future and second for the opportunity to stay close to home which is important to her so that her family can attend many of her games … Her mom, aunt and uncle are all Villanova alumni, and she desired to follow in their footsteps … Plans to major in Business.