COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Jenna Duke and Melanie Esh have been announced as the Mountaineer duo on the 2025 National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Division II Watchlist, announced by the office on Wednesday (Aug. 27). 

The talented captains join a coveted list of 33 student-athletes from 16 Division II institutions to be named in this exclusive group. This list is intended to showcase those field hockey student-athletes with the strongest potential for consideration to the current year's NFHCA All-American teams.  

To be nominated for the 2025 NFHCA Watchlist, student-athletes must have been previously recognized for their outstanding field hockey abilities within the past two years. 

Last season, Duke became the first Mountaineer in program history to win the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Freshman of the Year award and a major conference award after her stellar performance in her 12-goal season. Her scoring mark placed her tied for fourth in the PSAC on the year. The Stroudsburg native posted the seventh most shots on goal in the conference with 37 and recorded 28 points, placing her fifth in the conference. The forward landed three multi goal games on the season, including her first career hat trick versus Roberts Wesleyan. As an unforgettable freshman campaign, Duke led the team in goals (12), assists (4), points (28), shots on goal (37), and game-winning goals (3).

Esh rounds out Mansfield's All-PSAC returnees after her first career accolade, where she was named to the All-PSAC Second Team after her breakthrough sophomore season. The midfielder posted career highs, including finishing 19th in the PSAC with 23 shots on goal. Esh was a key contributor in the midfield, always being a presence and a tough defender to beat, causing much mayhem for Mansfield. The sophomore scored twice and had two assists on the year, including a game winner and posted 36 shots on the season with the highest minutes of any midfielder or attacker for the Mountaineers. 

These prominent athletes take the field next weekend as the Mansfield field hockey team opens the 2025 season with their home opener doubling as the 2025 Dr. Art DeGenaro Classic, with the Mounties hosting Kutztown, Saint Michael's College, and Southern Connecticut State University, starting on Saturday (Sept. 6).