Did you know nearly 30% of the Franklin & Marshall student body competes in varsity sports? The College boasts 28 varsity sports, along with five intramural sports and numerous club athletics. In its 32nd year, the Centennial Conference (CC) is one of the nation's elite small college conferences.

Below, browse an update of in-season sports on the turf, track, court and course. Many Diplomat squads will be playing at home during True Blue Weekend Oct. 5. Follow your favorite sports team more closely at GoDiplomats.com.

Raise Our Game – F&M’s annual fundraising campaign supporting Diplomat student-athletes, coaches and athletic programs – begins Oct. 1, and the final whistle will blow Oct. 31. Here’s how to give.  

Men’s Cross Country

Senior Owen McCann (Madison, N.J.) has led an inexperienced men’s squad in the first two races of the season, including a personal top-five individual finish at the Little Three Meet at F&M’s Baker Campus. The Diplomats started their season by hosting a home meet against Elizabethtown. The team returns to action Oct. 5 at Lehigh’s prestigious Paul Short Run, where it will compete against Division I, II and III teams from across the nation. See schedule. 

Women’s Cross Country

A young Diplomat team with no seniors is making great strides toward competitive success during the first half of the season, opening with the Little Three Meet at F&M’s Baker Campus. Junior Annalise Kauffman (Landisville, Pa.) led three top-five finishers during the team’s home event. The Diplomats will compete in two more races before heading to the CC championships at the beginning of November. See schedule. 

Field Hockey

The Diplomats started the season as the No. 18-ranked team in the country and have won three of their last four contests heading into conference play. Senior Jessica Miller (Glen Mills, Pa.) is leading the team with four goals as seven different players have scored during F&M’s first seven matches. The team’s defense has been extremely strong with shutout performances during each of those last three victories. Cheer on the Diplomats Oct. 5 at 12 p.m. on Tylus Field against Bryn Mawr. See schedule. 

Football

Franklin & Marshall is off to a 2-1 start, including home victories against Lebanon Valley and Montclair State. The Diplomats celebrated the start of the academic year with a Football and Fireworks event during the home opener against Lebanon Valley, and are coming off their strongest performance of the season with a 35-10 victory versus Montclair State. Fans will have the chance to cheer on their team inside Shadek Stadium when they host Dickinson (Oct. 5), McDaniel (Oct. 26) and Muhlenberg (Nov. 9) in pivotal conference matchups. See schedule.

Men’s Soccer

Ranked as high as No. 17 this season, men’s soccer is currently undefeated through its first eight matches (3-0-5, 1-0 CC). The Diplomats have made the NCAA Tournament in a conference-record 10 consecutive seasons and appear to once again be strong contenders on the national stage. Senior Oscar Horwitz (Glen Rock, N.J) – returning All-American and reigning CC Player of the Year – is once again leading the team in scoring after setting the school’s single-season record with 19 goals during the 2023 campaign. Catch the team in action Oct. 5 at 3 p.m. on Tylus Field against McDaniel. See schedule.

Women’s Soccer

The Diplomats enjoyed an extended training session as the team embarked on an August trip to Portugal before returning to campus for its normal practice schedule. Having made their only two appearances in the NCAA Tournament in the past three seasons, the Diplomats (2-2-4, 1-0 CC) have shown steady improvement throughout the season, scoring 11 goals during the team’s most recent victories against Arcadia and Bryn Mawr. Cheer on the Diplomats Oct. 5 at 6 p.m. on Tylus Field against McDaniel. See schedule.

Volleyball

Despite graduating a talented Class of 2024, volleyball has started its season with an 11-2 record that includes nine victories via 3-0 sweeps. That early success has the Diplomats currently receiving votes in the national top 25 poll. Highlighting F&M’s wins to date are victories over Babson and Virginia Wesleyan, both undefeated and ranked nationally prior to playing the Diplomats. The team begins conference play this weekend at Muhlenberg in a rematch of last year’s CC first-round tournament match. See schedule. 

Other fall notables

Men’s golf has won the last four conference championships and has played three of its five scheduled tournaments for the fall, but will see the majority of its competitive schedule during the spring semester. Women’s golf has won two of its first three fall tournaments, with first-year Shuyi Sarah Wang receiving CC Athlete of the Week honors twice.

Three women’s tennis players qualified for the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Southeast Regional Championships at Mary Washington, where they combined to win four matches against some of the strongest teams in the country. Men’s tennis opens its fall schedule this weekend, with four players representing the Diplomats at their regional championship.

Men’s rowing and women’s rowing will race in five regattas during the fall semester. The 2024-25 season opens during True Blue Weekend, when the team welcomes Bryn Mawr and Villanova to its home course on the Susquehanna River in Wrightsville. The team members will host a reception for alumni and friends of the program following their first event of the season.

Justin Grube, director of athletic communications, contributed to this article.