HAMBURG, N.Y. – Hilbert College Athletics is set to begin another fall season this coming week with six programs returning to action. Three Hawk programs have been projected to qualify for the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference postseason in Men's Soccer, Women's Volleyball, and Women's Soccer, while Men's and Women's Golf and Football will look to build off valuable experience gained in 2025.
 
Football
A new chapter begins for Hilbert Football as John Noel takes over as head coach after spending the previous three seasons on the Hawks' coaching staff.

Entering their second season in the Liberty League, the Hawks return several key contributors from a squad that gained valuable experience navigating one of Division III's most competitive conferences. Defensively, Scotty Winchell returns after leading the team with 68 tackles, including 36 assisted stops and three tackles for loss, while Zach Brown adds experience in the secondary after recording 44 tackles and an interception in 2025.

On offense, Christian Hamilton Jr. returns after leading the Hawks in scoring with three touchdowns and finishing second on the team with 429 rushing yards. Up front, Damien Zukowski returns after helping anchor an offensive line that allowed just six sacks during the 2025 campaign.

Hilbert opens the season Sept. 5 at Saint Vincent before traveling to Alfred State on Sept. 12. Liberty League play begins Sept. 19 at Ithaca, while the Hawks' home slate features contests against Rochester, St. Lawrence, Union and Hartwick.
 
Golf
Led by Jim Hesch in his second year with the programs, the Hilbert Men's and Women's Golf teams combine to return four student athletes who each posted career-low rounds in 2025.

Alex Rumfola, Sam Platt, and Joe Madden each enter their second seasons with the Men's program after helping the Hawks place 7^th at the AMCC Championship Tournament last year while Victoria Battaglia returns to the women's team after setting the program single-round record a year ago.

The Hawks begin the year at the Westminster Invite on Monday, August 31^st and will host a pair of matches at Gowanda Country Club (Hilbert Invite and duel match vs ESF). The team will also make appearances in the Pitt-Bradford and Keuka Invites before the AMCC Championship Tournament takes place at Indiana Country Club on October 12^th and 13^th.
 
Men's Soccer
Head coach Jonny Black enters his fifth season with a roster looking for a return to the AMCC Tournament.

The Hawks were selected fifth in the AMCC Preseason Coaches' Poll, placing them among the conference's projected postseason qualifiers. The top six teams qualify for the AMCC Championship Tournament.

Hilbert returns senior captain Cam Murdie, who earned AMCC Third Team All-Conference honors and finished with six goals and an assist from the back line in 2025. Murdie was also recognized as one of Hilbert's Players to Watch entering the season. Sophomore forward Hamso Dagane joins him as a conference Player to Watch after recording three goals and two assists during his freshman campaign.

The Hawks open the season Sept. 1 against Houghton and will play nine non-conference contests before league play begins. Key home matches include non-conference contests against Westminster and Buffalo State before conference play opens Oct. 3 at Penn State Altoona.

Hilbert's AMCC home schedule features critical matchups against Mount Aloysius, La Roche and preseason favorite Penn State Behrend as the Hawks pursue another conference tournament appearance.
 
Women's Soccer
A new era begins for Hilbert Women's Soccer as Hannah Callaghan takes over the program ahead of the 2026 season.

The Hawks were picked sixth in the AMCC Preseason Coaches' Poll, earning a spot among the conference's projected postseason qualifiers.

Sophomore forward Ja'Lynn Sanders headlines the roster after a breakout freshman campaign. The AMCC Second Team All-Conference selection led the Hawks with 15 goals, four assists and 34 points while establishing a program record in shots per game. Sanders was selected by the conference as one of Hilbert's Players to Watch entering 2026. Joining her on the preseason watch list is junior defender Alex Frydel, who started every match last season and helped anchor a defense that recorded five clean sheets.

Hilbert opens the season Sept. 1 at Buffalo State before competing in a tournament hosted by Morrisville on Sept. 5-6. The non-conference schedule also includes road trips to Alfred and SUNY Delhi.
AMCC play begins on Oct. 3 at Penn State Altoona. The Hawks will host Mount Aloysius, Carlow, Penn State Behrend and Pitt-Bradford during conference action, with the regular season concluding Oct. 27 at Hawk Field against Pitt-Bradford.
 
Women's Volleyball
Following a 20-win season and an appearance in the AMCC Semifinals, Hilbert Women's Volleyball enters 2026 with expectations of remaining among the conference contenders under Head Coach Mary Rupp, who returns after leading the program in 2008 and 2009.

The Hawks were selected fifth in the AMCC Preseason Coaches' Poll, positioning them among the conference's projected postseason qualifiers for the second straight season.

Hilbert returns a pair of conference-recognized standouts in Lindsay Madigan and Jade Schiller, both of whom were named the Hawks' Players to Watch by the AMCC. Madigan earned AMCC Co-Newcomer of the Year and Second Team All-Conference honors after recording 248 kills, 395 assists, 58 service aces and 306 digs while tying for the NCAA Division III lead with seven triple doubles. Schiller earned Third Team All-Conference honors after setting the program's single season record with 562 digs.

The Hawks begin the season Sept. 1 at Buffalo State before competing in the Keuka Invitational, Brockport Tournament and North Country Challenge.

Conference play begins Sept. 22 when preseason favorite Penn State Behrend visits Hamburg for Hilbert's home opener. The Hawks will play a full 14-match AMCC schedule featuring home-and-home matchups against every conference opponent before closing the regular season Nov. 7 at Penn State Altoona.