Saturday, April 11, 2026
Rider Broncs (1-14, 0-6 MAAC) vs. Sacred Heart Pioneers (4-9, 3-3 MAAC)
Location: Lawrenceville, NJ
Time: 12:00 PM
Live Stats: GoBroncs.com
Broadcast: ESPN+
 
What You Need To Know
- Saturday's game will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
- Prior to the game, the team will honor its eight graduating team members, Maggie Hance (Long Valley, NJ/West Morris Central), Alexis Hamilton (Temecula, CA/Murrieta Mesa[Longwood]), Marybeth Smith (Macungie, PA/Emmaus), Erin Collins (Bridgewater, NJ/Bridgewater-Raritan), Annabelle Niebuhr (Frenchtown, NJ/Delaware Valley Regional), Danika Sedivy (Centennial, CO/Heritage[St. Bonaventure]), Hayley Henderson (Egg Harbor Twp., NJ/Egg Harbor Twp.[High Point]), and Kayleigh Colleary (Buffalo, NY/Buffalo Academy of the Sacred Heart[Butler]).
- Paige Frye made her coaching debut Feb. 6 against FDU, earning the 12-8 win marking the second time in as many chances that a Rider coach earned the win in their debut, joining Evan Mager, who also defeated FDU in the program's first-ever game in 2024. The Broncs won their season opener for the third-straight season.
- Last time out, the Broncs were defeated at Quinnipiac, 19-6.
- The Broncs went 8-10 in 2025, reaching the MAAC Tournament for the first time in program history, defeating Niagara in a first-round game, 16-11. The Broncs were strong on the draw circle, where Rider led the MAAC ranked 11^th in the country in draw controls per game with 16.78 and 10^th in draw control percentage at 59.2%.
- The Broncs were picked to finish 10^th this season in the MAAC Preseason Coaches Poll.
- Draw specialist Marissa Ross (Reisterstown, MD/Beth Tfiloh[FDU-Florham]) earned Second-Team All-MAAC honors last season after finishing second on the team and fourth in the MAAC with 82 draw controls. She leads the team and is third in the MAAC with 85 draw controls this season.
- Collins, Sedivy, Hannah Kozik (Ellington, CT/Ellington), and Smith lead a veteran defensive group with the quartet combining for 88 ground balls and 42 caused turnovers last year. Goalie Jamie Kubach (Philadelphia, PA/William Penn Charter[FDU-Florham]) led Rider with 30 ground balls last season. Collins leads the Broncs with 26 ground balls and 14 caused turnovers this season. Smith and Kubach have 23 and 22 ground balls this year, respectively.
- In goal, Kubach and Avery May (Auroa, CO/Grandview) split time last year with Kubach getting 16 starts. May produced a 12.49 goals against average with a .349 save percentage, and Kubach posted a 13.06 goals against average with a .406 save percentage. This season, both goalies have seen time, but Kubach has earned the starting role, earning the nod in each of the last 11 games. She leads the Broncs with a .373 save percentage and has produced a 16.08 goals against average.
- Rider's offense returned just four of its 218 goals from a season ago. Colleary is the Broncs' top returner on offense after scoring three goals and adding eight assists a season ago.
- Kozik, playing as a true midfielder this season, scored six goals in the season opener, tying a Rider program record. She leads Rider with 22 goals and is second on the team with 30 points this season. Colleary added her first hat trick as a Bronc, tying her goal output from all of last season in game one, she recorded her second hat trick of the year against Monmouth. Colleary leads the team this season with 13 assists and 34 points.
- Hance scored a career-high five goals against Rhode Island and has 19 on the season.
- Brynn Merklinger (Mendham, NJ/Mount St. Mary Academy) has scored 13 goals this season, Ross had added 12, and Madi Eollo (Toms River, NJ/Toms River North) scored her 10^th of the season against Quinnipiac to become the sixth Bronc in double figures this season.
- Rider's roster features players from 10 different states, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania.
- Sacred Heart leads the all-time series 1-0 after claiming a 10-5 win over the Broncs last season. The Pioneers jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first quarter of that contest, and help the Broncs without a goal in the fourth quarter.
- This season, the Pioneers are 4-9 overall, but 3-3 in MAAC games. The Pioneers have been led by their defense, allowing fewer than 10 goals per contest. Madalynn Eder-Linell has been solid in goal, producing a 9.97 goals against average with a .421 save percentage.