PROVIDENCE, R.I.--A new era of Little East Conference field hockey begins in 2023, and the Keene State College field hockey team was predicted to finish fourth in the league.

The league slate will now consist of only core Little East Conference members; several members of the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference had been affiliate members of the LEC in field hockey, but changes to NCAA legislation has allowed them to form their own league and receive an automatic qualifier to the NCAA Division III Championships.

Keene State received 23 points and one first place vote.   Vermont State University-Castleton was chosen first, with 35 points and five first place votes.   Southern Maine was second with 30 points and the remaining first place vote, while Plymouth State was picked third.

KSC is coming off an 11-10 season, but returns three of their top six scorers in junior Irini Stefanakos (14-11-39), sophomore Kalina Piasecki (8-3-19), and senior Demetria Gonzalez (5-3-13).   Sophomore goalie Clara Gorman started 18 games last year, with a .743 save percentage and a 2.36 goals against average.

The Owls open the season on September 1 on the road at Springfield College.  KSC's home opener comes on September 6, when the Owls host Colby-Sawyer at 6:30 p.m.