Field Hockey Opening Weekend Preview

The 2026 college field hockey season kicks off this weekend with all nine Big Ten teams in action, headlined by top-ranked Northwestern beginning its title defense at Lakeside Field.  

Fresh off back-to-back national championships and three in the last five years, Tracey Fuchs’ Wildcats set the standard for a loaded conference featuring five preseason top-20 programs — No. 1 NU, No. 11 Iowa, No. 13 Maryland, No. 14 Michigan, and No. 17 Rutgers. Programs outside the rankings have a chance to prove they can contend with the nation's elite right out of the gate. 

Here’s what to watch in an action-packed opening weekend on the turf. 

Northwestern begins quest for three-peat 

After winning the last two national championships, Northwestern begins the 2026 field hockey season looking to become the first ever Big Ten program to win three straight national championships. Only three other programs have accomplished the feat: Old Dominion, North Carolina, and Wake Forest. 

While the Wildcats will have to replace two-time NFHCA National Player of the Year Maddie Zimmer, Fuchs returns a talent-rich core which includes senior forward Ashley Sessa, senior midfielder Ilse Tromp, and junior goalkeeper Juliana Boon, who went 19-1 as a starter in 2025. 

Northwestern opens its title defense at Lakeside Field with a pair of home clashes, hosting A-10 contender VCU on Friday afternoon before taking on Patriot League runner-up Lafayette on Sunday. With Sessa spearheading the attack, the Wildcats will look to break down a disciplined Leopards backline, while Boon (.775 SV% in 2025) anchors the defense in the cage. The Wildcats will look to assert dominance early as they look to make history this season. 

Michigan, Iowa prepare for ranked ACC/B1G challenge 

This weekend, both No. 14 Michigan and No. 11 Iowa head down to Winston-Salem, North Carolina for the 24^th annual ACC/Big Ten Challenge. The Big Ten pair will face top-10 ACC foes No. 2 North Carolina and No. 7 Wake Forest. 

Michigan, who opens Friday against the Tar Heels before taking on the Demon Deacons on Sunday,  returns 21 players from the 2025 team,  including eight who started 10+ games. The Wolverines feature three of their top five goal scorers from 2025 in Juliette Manzur, Eva Bernardy and Dru Moffett; leading scorer Abby Tamer will no longer be on the field, but will be around the team after joining the coaching staff.  

Iowa flips the schedule, opening against Wake Forest on Friday night before battling UNC on Sunday morning. Ranked No. 11 in the preseason poll, the Hawkeyes bring back 13 rotators from last year's NCAA Tournament team, led by First-Team All-Americans Dionne van Aalsum and Fréderique van Cleef orchestrating the attack. Iowa possesses the offensive firepower to challenge two of the ACC’s top contenders right out of the gate. 

Remaining Big Ten teams open 2026 campaigns 

Rounding out a loaded opening weekend across the conference, the rest of the Big Ten hits the field starting Friday. 

• No. 13 Maryland: Hosts Drexel and Temple in College Park. 
• No. 17 Rutgers: Hits the road for matches against No. 18 Monmouth and Wagner. 
• Ohio State: Opens at home against Old Dominion and Bellarmine. 
• Penn State: Hosts No. 5 Virginia and Lock Haven in State College. 
• Indiana: Travels for back-to-back games against No. 10 Miami (Ohio) and No. 18 Louisville. 
• Michigan State: Heads to Athens, Ohio, to face Ohio and Saint Louis. 

Check out all the game times and viewing info on  the Big Ten field hockey schedule .