STANDISH, Maine – Saint Joseph's College junior midfielder Katie Yeaton (Farmington, Maine) and sophomore forward Ava Markham (Belfast, Maine) have been named to the 2026 National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Watchlist, powered by Performance Sports Events.
The Watchlist recognizes returning and emerging student-athletes who have demonstrated a high level of achievement and possess strong potential for NFHCA All-Region and All-America consideration during the upcoming season. Selection does not guarantee future NFHCA postseason recognition.
Yeaton and Markham are among 204 NCAA Division III players selected nationwide and two of nine representatives from the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC). The conference's other honorees are Brooke Farquhar of Colby-Sawyer College; Sara Gardner and Emily Yazzetti of Dean College; Lauren Hall and Kennedy Overhoff of New England College; and Sophia Quinlan and Brianna Spinelli of Rivier University.
Both Monks earned national recognition following standout 2025 seasons. Yeaton, a Second Team All-GNAC honoree, registered four assists and logged 1,051 minutes as a key two-way presence in the Saint Joseph's midfield.
Markham made an immediate impact during her collegiate debut, collecting GNAC Rookie of the Year and Second Team All-Conference honors. She recorded seven goals and 15 assists for 29 points, ranking among the conference's leading offensive performers.
Watchlist candidates were nominated by their NFHCA member coaches and were required to have earned qualifying field hockey recognition within the previous two years. Eligible honors include NFHCA All-Region, NFHCA All-America, All-Conference, Senior Nexus Championship, NCAA All-Tournament Team, or selection to a United States national or international team roster.
Saint Joseph's posted a 12-8 overall record and went 9-1 in conference play last season, securing the No. 2 seed in the GNAC Tournament. Led by Head Coach Theresa Arsenault '14, the Monks defeated seventh-seeded Simmons University, 5-0, in the quarterfinals before falling to third-seeded Colby-Sawyer, 2-0, in the semifinal round.
The Monks begin the 2026 season with a challenging stretch of non-conference contests. Saint Joseph's opens at Plymouth State University on Thursday, September 3, before hosting Springfield College two days later. Match-ups with nationally-ranked Babson College on September 8, Husson University on September 12, and Colby College on September 14 round out the opening five-game slate.
COMPLETE WATCHLIST
