AMHERST — The start of the fall season officially marks the beginning of UMass’ athletic programs’ farewell campaign through the Atlantic 10, as the Minutemen and Minutewomen are set to join the Mid-American Conference (MAC) following the conclusion of this academic year.

The women’s soccer team begins its season on Thursday, the men’s soccer team opens next week while field hockey will play in its first exhibition game a week from Wednesday (their season opener isn’t until Aug. 31).

Each of the three teams had winning records in 2023, and they all have something in common with each other in 2024. That is, their returning age and experience should help them to similar success – if not increased success – this fall.

Here’s a brief breakdown of each team and how they shape up in their final year of A-10 play:

Men’s soccer

Two words should excite Minutemen fans in 2024: Alec Hughes.

The graduate forward was a Third Team All-American as a senior in 2023, and he chose to return to Amherst for one more year this fall. Hughes scored a team-high 15 goals for UMass, was named Atlantic 10 Offensive Player of the Year as well as ECAC Offensive Player of the Year. The next closest player to Hughes’ 15 goals was Nick Zielonka with six, so having the veteran back was essential for the Minutemen offense.

Midfielders Mike Willis and Andrew Ortiz are both returning after strong seasons that combined for a dozen points, each of them netting two goals, and they’re expected to take another leap this season under head coach Fran O’Leary, who recorded his 300th career victory last year against Providence.

Juniors Aiden Kelly and Alex Brown and senior Brad Moccio all started 18 games on defense for the Minutemen a year ago, and all three are back. Junior midfielder Matt Cence started eight games, junior Bryant Keeney started six games as did sophomore defenseman Shane Velez.

UMass is returning plenty of players who have experience playing significant minutes, but their roles will not only be more defined – they’ll be much more important as well.

The biggest void to fill is the one Matt Zambetti left in goal. Zambetti started 17 of the Minutemen’s 19 games, recording three shutouts. Alex Geczy and Lance McGrane are two seniors ready to step into the spotlight and perhaps split time in the box. They each got one start in 2023 and gave up one goal apiece.

UMass, which went 7-6-6 (4-3-1 A-10) last season, welcomes out-of-conference foes Providence, Holy Cross, UMass Lowell and Brown throughout the season. The Minutemen beat Saint Louis in penalties in the first round of the 2023 Atlantic 10 tournament before falling to 3-1 to VCU. Hughes and Co. are eager to get back there in 2024.

Season opener: Thursday, Aug. 22 at Siena (5 p.m.)

Women’s soccer

Similar to the men, the women return their leading goal scorer as well in Bella Recinos. Her team-high seven goals were part of her team-high 19 points, and the senior midfielder expects another strong year this fall under head coach Jason Dowiak.

Senior forward Ashley Lamond is also back after five goals and a dozen points, while senior Emma Pedolzky (eight points), graduate forward Grace Pinkus (six points), junior forward Nia Hislop (six points) and senior Chandler Pedolzky (five points) all return to the Minutewomen lineup as well. The Pedolzky twins hail from Westfield, and played at Westfield High School.

This is a team that went 9-5-4 (6-2-2 A-10) and 6-1-1 at home in 2023. They have the potential to be very, very good in the Atlantic 10 once again.

The offense should be dynamic with that host of players who have a knack for scoring. The Minutewomen scored multiple goals in half of their games last year and they’re returning most of those contributors – a whopping nine of UMass’ 10 leading point scorers will be suiting up in the maroon and white once again.

Defensively, senior Juliana Ryan (15 games), graduate midfielder Ella Curry (17 games), graduate defender Hannah Peric (18 games) and senior midfielder Kelly Pease (15 games) each started the majority of UMass’ contests last year, and each one of them is returning this fall.

The back end and midfield shouldn’t take much time to regain the chemistry they created in 2023. They were solid last year, and there is no reason why they can’t be again.

To top it off, redshirt senior goalie Bella Mendoza is back in the box for UMass. Mendoza made 77 saves last year and had a stellar 1.00 goals against average in 18 games. Mendoza tallied eight shutouts to go along with her nine wins.

The Minutewomen’s strong season in 2023 ended with a loss in their first game of the Atlantic 10 tournament, so they are more than ready to get back to the postseason and put together a better showing.

And they certainly have the firepower to do it.

Season opener: Thursday, Aug. 15 at Syracuse (7 p.m.)

Field hockey

The Minutewomen have their fair share of veterans returning, but not quite as much as UMass’ soccer programs. Still, the field hockey team has high expectations for 2024 – and for good reason.

Top point scorer Mali Herberhold has departed, but senior Dempsey Campbell led the team with nine goals last year and is back to terrorize Atlantic 10 goaltending once again. Senior Hannah De Gast was one of five UMass players to record double-digit points, so she and Campbell will provide a powerful one-two punch.

But the Minutewomen will need others to step up, because three of those five are gone. They had eight people appear in all 20 games last season, and only three of them (Campbell, De Gast and Claire Danahy) still remain.

Alexa Collins, Izzy Acquaviva, Kristy Leonard, Megan Carpenter and Neva Eisenga all played at least 18 games, but they weren’t regular starters. They started a handful of games apiece, so they’ll definitely be expected to step in and fill the gaps that last year’s team left.

UMass scored three goals or more in 10 games in 2023, and its defense surrendered one goal or less in the same amount of games. The Minutewomen were above average on both sides of the field last fall. Head coach Barb Weinberg expects that to continue in 2024.

Junior goalie Myrte van Herwijnen is back in the cage after starting 16 games. She had a goals against average of 1.37 on 104 saves, and allowed only 24 goals in 17 total appearances. UMass’ opposing goalies had a 2.04 GAA, so van Herwijnen was much sharper than her competitors across the field.

UMass went 13-7, including a 5-2 record in the A-10 in 2023. The Minutewomen defeated VCU 3-2 in the conference tournament before losing 2-1 to Saint Joseph’s.

Season opener: Saturday, Aug. 31 vs. Maine (in Evanston, Ill., 11 a.m.)