Field hockey
During the 2022 season, Rams field hockey finished with a record of 10-6 and concluded with a loss to the University of Southern Maine in the first round of the Little East Conference (LEC) tournament.
Among returning athletes for the Rams are captain Bella Kondi and Kaitlin Loughlin, who earned a spot on the LEC All-Conference Third Team and was named as the LEC 12th Player respectively.
In regards to this season, Kondi said, “I definitely feel confident with the way that the girls are meshing together. I feel like our chemistry is going really well.”
Along with Kondi, Cori Lawson, Angie Serra and Kaylee Beck are the team's captains this season.
Rams field hockey switched from the LEC to the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) this season. In the 2023 MASCAC Field Hockey Preseason Poll, the Rams tied for second with Westfield State behind the returning champions Worcester State.
Lawson said, “Going from being ranked last in our old conference and now being ranked number two in the MASCAC - that's a big jump and I think it's boosted our confidence a little bit.
“There's still that desire to be number one,” she added.
Serra said, “I definitely think this year our team has so much potential to hopefully win the MASCAC. I feel like we have a very strong team this year.
“I'm just excited to see what we can do on the field,” she added.
Beck said, “I feel like we're gonna come into the MASCAC this year and really just shock everyone.
“I don't think anyone's coming in and expecting us to shake it up as much as we're going to,” she added.
As of presstime, the Rams hold a record of 1-3, most recently notching a 1-0 win over Rivier University.
The Rams host Fitchburg State for their first MASCAC matchup Sept. 16.
Football
During the 2022 season, Rams football finished with a record of 5-5 and a record of 4-4 in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC). The Rams missed the postseason, but concluded with a victory over Worcester State.
Chase Buono, one of the captains this season, said last season was a “down season.
“It's not really traditionally wise to be like that,” he added.
Among returning athletes for the Rams is Brian Callery, who earned 2022 MASCAC Offensive Lineman of the Year, and Daniel Oloyede, who earned 2022 MASCAC Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Callery and returning teammate Matthew Farley were both named to the 2022 MASCAC All-Conference First Team - Offense. Framingham’s Bryan Bowman, Devaun Ford, and Jaden Lewis are all returning athletes named to the All-Conference Second Team - Offense.
Ford, in regards to the 2022 season, said, “We got some of the best skill players in New England. I feel like our offense is almost unstoppable.
“We're gonna put up a lot of points. We're gonna be tough to beat,” he added.
Framingham’s MoMo Nazaire returns for the Rams after being named to the 2022 MASCAC All-Conference First Team - Defense. Oloyede, in addition to being named Rookie of the Year, earned a spot on the All-Conference Second Team - Defense.
Buono, Callery, and Ford headline as the team’s captains this season.
In the 2023 MASCAC Football Preseason Poll, the Rams placed fourth out of the nine teams.
As of presstime, the Rams hold a record of 0-1, suffering a 29-0 loss to Salve Regina University Sept. 7.
After the loss, Callery said the team learned that winning is “not just gonna happen easily.”
He added, “We got to do it as a team and the only way to do it is together.”
The Rams host UMass Dartmouth for their first MASCAC matchup Sept. 16.
Men’s cross country
During the 2022 season, Rams men’s cross country finished fifth out of seven teams at the 2022 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) Cross Country Championships.
Framingham’s highest placer, Patrick Walsh, finished fifth at the event with a time of 27 minutes 48.5 seconds. This earned Walsh a spot on the 2022 MASCAC All-Conference Team, his second all-conference team after being named to the 2021 MASCAC All-Conference Team.
In the 2023 MASCAC Men’s Cross Country Preseason Poll, the Rams earned the fifth place spot, out of seven teams.
There are currently only seven student-athletes listed on the team’s roster. Walsh, the team’s captain for the 2023 season, said as a team, “We are definitely anti-injury focused.
“We're not risking any big injuries because we can't afford them.
“We definitely want the men's team to stay together,” he added.
As of presstime, Framingham placed third at the 2023 Jim Sheehan Memorial Cross Country meet behind Fitchburg State and Worcester State, respectively.
Walsh’s second-place finish was Framingham’s only top-ten finish. His time of 30:00.2 placed him 30.1 seconds shy of Fitchburg’s first-place runner.
Walsh seeks his third consecutive all-conference honor this season. He said, “I want to win the MASCAC.
“This is the first year I'm really healthy. I want to win. I want to win every race I run,” Walsh added.
Men’s cross country travels for the UMass Dartmouth Corsair Classic Sept. 17.
Men’s soccer
During the 2022 season, Rams men’s soccer finished with an overall record of 11-5-3 and a conference record of 6-0-1, earning them the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) Regular Season Championship. Their season concluded with a loss to Bridgewater State in the semifinals of the MASCAC tournament.
In addition to their regular season title, Gustav Hemmingsen earned 2022 MASCAC Rookie of the Year and Head Coach Dean Nichols earned 2022 BSN Sports Men’s Soccer Coach of the Year.
Among returning athletes for the Rams are 2022 MASCAC All-Conference First Team members Lachlan Forgan, Gustav Hemmingsen, and Kunphel Sinha.
Sinha and Michael Champagne are the team’s captains this season.
In the 2023 MASCAC Men’s Soccer Preseason Poll, the Rams earned the third spot, behind Worcester State and Salem State, respectively.
As of presstime, the Rams hold a record of 3-1, outscoring their opponents a combined 8-3. Among others, goalkeeper Joey Sturzo, and forwards Hemmingsen and Kaio Santos Da Silva helped lead the Rams to their early wins.
Hemmingsen scored four goals and recorded an assist during the first four games.
Santos Da Silva scored both of his goals this season in the Rams’ home opener against UMass Dartmouth. His performance earned him both MASCAC Offensive Player and Rookie of the Week Sept. 4.
Sturzo’s performance in the net earned him MASCAC Defensive Player of the Week both Sept. 4 and Sept. 11. He recorded 11 saves in the season opener, followed by six, four, and 10 saves in the following games.
After his 11-save shutout in their home opener, Sturzo said, “I feel great.
“My team was behind me and we were able to get something done,” he added.
The Rams host MCLA for their first MASCAC matchup Sept. 16.
Women’s cross country
During the 2022 season, Rams women’s cross country finished fourth out of seven teams at the 2022 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) Cross Country Championships.
The four captains this season are Amanda Bedard, Camille Carvalho, Gwen Madden, and Becca Morris.
Along with the four captains, the women’s cross country team has 13 other student-athletes. Madden said, “Since I've been here this is the biggest the team has been.
“I think about the team that we have now - we're very motivated and we're where we need to be,” she added.
Bedard said, “I just feel like everyone's coming into the season with such a focus and drive because we do have so many more people that we feel like we have so much more of a chance.
“I think we’re all excited,” she added.
In the 2023 MASCAC Women’s Cross Country Preseason Poll, the Rams earned the fourth place spot out of seven teams.
Morris said, “We were ranked fourth in the MASCAC and I think we should have been higher.
“We have a great team this year,” she added.
Carvalho said, “I'm definitely hopeful and I think that this season will be very, very good. It’ll definitely be one for the books.”
As of presstime, Framingham won the 2023 Jim Sheehan Memorial Cross Country meet over Fitchburg State and Worcester State.
Framingham had runners place in second, third, fourth, fifth, seventh, eighth, and ninth. Freshman Kate Buban led Framingham with her time of 21 minutes 0.2 seconds securing her the second place finish, less than 10 seconds shy of first place.
Women’s cross country travels for the UMass Dartmouth Corsair Classic Sept. 17.
Women’s soccer
During the 2022 season, Rams women’s soccer finished with a record of 4-13-1 and a conference record of 3-4. Their season concluded with a loss to Worcester State in the quarter-finals of the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) tournament.
Among returning athletes for the Rams are Jetta Oskirko, who earned a spot on the 2022 MASCAC All-Conference First Team, and Cathryn Cooney and Victoria Potter, who both earned spots on the All-Conference Second Team.
Oskirko and Potter are joined by teammate Megan McAuliffe as the team’s captains.
There are only 17 student-athletes listed on the roster. Oskirko said, “The team knew starting out that we were going to have a lot less players than usual, but that never really scared any of us.
“It hasn’t really stopped us from playing good soccer,” she added.
In the 2023 MASCAC Women’s Soccer Preseason Poll, the Rams tied with Salem State for fifth place out of eight teams.
Potter said the team is “definitely confident.”
She said, “I think we've all discovered as a group that having low numbers is good for us.
“I think everyone is fit and confident and just ready to take on the season,” Potter added.
McAuliffe referred to the team as “small, but mighty.”
She said, “I think now that we're here and we see how hard everyone's worked this summer, we're kind of like, ‘Wait, now this could happen. This could be actually really good.’”
As of presstime, the Rams hold a record of 0-3, most recently suffering a 2-1 loss to Nichols College Sept. 9.
The Rams travel to MCLA for their first MASCAC matchup Sept. 15.
Volleyball
During the 2022 season, Rams volleyball finished with an overall record of 17-12 and a conference record of 6-1, earning them the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) Regular Season Championship. Their season concluded with a loss to Worcester State in the semifinals of the MASCAC tournament.
In addition to their regular season title, Anna Szymanski earned 2022 MASCAC Offensive Player of the Year and Head Coach Richard Casali earned 2022 BSN Sports Volleyball Coach of the Year.
Among returning athletes for the Rams are 2022 MASCAC All-Conference First Team members are captains Szymanski and Hailey Sanders, as well as All-Conference Second Team member Stella Bailey.
In the 2023 MASCAC Volleyball Preseason Poll, the Rams earned the second spot behind the 2022 MASCAC Volleyball Tournament Champions Westfield State.
Szymanski said, “I think based on last year, being second makes sense. We're coming in with a really fresh, new, young team so I think we'll make our way and get known.”
Sanders said, “Definitely eager to prove ourselves.”
As of presstime, the Rams hold a record of 5-2.
One of Framingham’s rookies, Natalie Reynolds, earned MASCAC Rookie of the Week Sept. 4 after she recorded eight kills in their win over Dean College.
The Rams travel to Colby College for a nonconference double-header matchup Sept. 16.