The feeling of fall has begun to settle in on campus. Welcome week has come and gone; students shift from soaking up the sun on the campus green to starting their first assignments of the semester. The brisk evening chill in the air creeps in, and with the foliage blooming, fall athletics are officially back in full swing. With the season now a couple of weeks underway, multiple Pride athletes have gotten off to stellar starts to their season campaigns.
Jodi Saelua, Women’s Volleyball: The Hawaii-born middle blocker has soared to start the season for the Pride, accumulating 21 blocks and 83 kills in her first seven games. Saelua has helped the team to a 7-0 start and is well aware that her success doesn’t just come from her own doing.
“We’ve put a lot of work into playing together as a unit, and as a middle blocker, I really rely on everyone around me,” Saelua said. “I wouldn’t be able to put up those numbers without our passers getting the ball to our setters and our setters putting us hitters in a good position to attack. A lot of our success comes from the trust and connection we’ve built as a team.”
As a leader, Saelua understands how important the team aspect is. The personal training she does makes her one of the most dominant players on the court. Still, it’s the chemistry with her teammates that helps make Springfield College Women’s Volleyball a true contender ready to take on anybody.
“During preseason, we discussed and decided what we want our core values to be for this fall,” Saelua said. “The values we chose are give, fight, and authentic.”
Senior Stanford Davis, Football: The senior running back has gotten off to a scorching start for the Pride offense that revolves around the ground game. The 2025 NEWMAC All-Conference First Team player has 306 yards and three touchdowns already, with just two games played after eclipsing 853 yards on the ground last season and four total touchdowns. Davis has appeared to take his game to the next level in his second year as a full-time starter.
This past weekend, when the Pride traveled to Bangor, Maine, to take on, Davis catapulted for 119 of the team’s 436 total yards on the ground. Davis averaged 7.4 yards per carry and scored two touchdowns while the Pride took down the Eagles 48-0, improving to 2-0 on the young season. Davis looks to continue his efforts against one of the best teams in the country this weekend, as UW-Platteville travels to Stagg Field.
Senior Ava Coppola, Field Hockey: Coppola has filled up the stat sheet for the field hockey team so far this season. In just four games played, Coppola already has five goals, two assists, and 12 points on a .357 shooting percentage. Coming into this season, Coppola knew the work she put in behind the scenes would translate into the regular season, and so far, it has paid off.
“Over the summer, I focused on participating in as much live play or ‘pick-up’ as possible,” Coppola said. “The only way to get in field hockey shape is playing the game itself. Going up against skillful competitors definitely helped my game.”
The offseason work didn’t just help Coppola’s individual success; it was also crucial for the team. After starting the season 3-1, Springfield field hockey is looking to best their season win total of 13 from last season and make a deep run in the NEWMAC playoffs.
“The stats our team has put up in the first two games is a moment that makes me excited for what’s to come,” Coppola said. “The field hockey team is filled with hardworking, gritty, and passionate individuals who will lay out on the line in any competition.”
Coppola added a fourth goal to her campaign in the team’s most recent game this past Saturday against Western Connecticut State, grabbing a 3-1 victory on the road.
With these athletes’ fall journeys just beginning, all the teams on campus gear up to battle through the adversities of a long season ahead, aiming to be the last team standing.