SPENCER - Spencer-Van Etten Central School District's Lily Kunzman put pen to paper on Wednesday morning, signing a National Letter of Intent to compete in field hockey at Nazareth University.

Kunzman, known for her solid defense and high level of on-field IQ, helped lead the SVEC field hockey team to a division championship in 2024. The senior was a Second Team All-Star this past season and was also named to the NFHCA High School National Academic Squad.

On Wednesday, Kunzman spoke on what led to her decision to continue her field hockey career at Nazareth University in Rochester, NY.

"I really like the smaller community and it felt like a lot more of a personalized education for me," said the senior standout. 

"The team was welcoming, very supportive and really sweet. It felt like a family more than a sports team and I really loved that."

Kunzman also touched on what she feels she brings with her to the next level.

"I don't really like to take the spotlight. I like to get it to my teammates and get it up the field. I have a good view of the field, so I can pass the ball around and find open spots," Kunzman said.

When asked what she is most looking forward to at the next stage that is non-field hockey related, Kunzman talked about the excitement for her academic career with a smile.

"I'm going into Biomedical Sciences, so I am just really excited to do some research projects."

SVEC field hockey coach, Abby Gentile had high praise for her veteran athlete and knows Nazareth will be getting an excellent player.

"Lily is very intelligent and she applies that on the field. She understands speed of opponents, getting into technical defenses and understanding where to be on the field," commented coach Gentile.

"Lily has been a fantastic leader and apart of our group for many years. She has a passion for the sport that she showed to her younger teammates. When she was out on the field, I could be calm as a coach because she brought such poise. Lily will be very missed," added Gentile.