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Williamsville East field hockey enters 2026 with senior group and goalkeeper production

Head coach Julia Capizzi's roster includes seven Class of 2027 players, returning goalkeeper River Sandos and a schedule with several early road tests.

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Pre-season Field Hockey

WNY Athletics Staff ·

Overview

  • The roster includes seven Class of 2027 players: Julianna Spahn, Eva Patti, Gwen Burtis, Emma Rapanelli, Katelynn Horsmon, Samyuktha Dondapati and goalkeeper River Sandos.
  • River Sandos returns in goal after a 2025-26 statistical line that included 106 saves on 125 shots faced.
  • Katelynn Horsmon had one goal and one assist in 2025-26, while Margaret McGruder had one goal listed as an eighth-grader last season.
  • Williamsville East's schedule begins at home against Iroquois, followed by Amherst, Hamburg, Williamsville South and Lancaster among the September landmarks.

Williamsville East Field Hockey Pre-season Preview

Williamsville East enters the 2026 field hockey season under head coach Julia Capizzi with a roster built around a seven-player senior class and a returning goalkeeper with the clearest prior-season statistical profile on the team.

The Class of 2027 group includes Julianna Spahn, Eva Patti, Gwen Burtis, Emma Rapanelli, Katelynn Horsmon, Samyuktha Dondapati and goalkeeper River Sandos. That senior group joins juniors Abagale Zangerle, Emma Runfola, Charlotte Liffiton, Callia Fors and Fajer Bata.

Sandos brings experience in goal. As a junior, she was credited with 106 saves on 125 shots faced.

Williamsville East also has a small set of returning scoring production listed from last season. Katelynn Horsmon, a Class of 2027 player, had one goal and one assist in 2025-26. Margaret McGruder, now listed as a Class of 2030 freshman, had one goal as an eighth-grader last season.

The roster's younger group includes sophomores Madhuri Dharshan and Lauren Park, along with freshmen Ella Fielding and McGruder. Together, the listed roster gives Williamsville East 16 players entering the season.

Schedule landmarks

Williamsville East is scheduled to begin the season Sept. 8 at home against Iroquois, then stay home for Amherst on Sept. 14 before road games at Hamburg on Sept. 18 and Lancaster on Sept. 25. A home date with Williamsville South is listed for Sept. 23.

The second half of the schedule includes road trips to Holland/East Aurora, Williamsville North, Pioneer, Orchard Park and West Seneca. Williamsville East's final three listed home dates are against Clarence on Oct. 16, Sweet Home on Oct. 21 and Eden on Oct. 23.

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