Since there is a thread for volleyball and women's soccer, and as someone with a personal connection to every field hockey program at a Sun Belt member school. I thought I should start one for field hockey, despite it not being a SBC sport - though I firmly believe there should be a combined SBC-CUSA field hockey league, and if there was, it would be one of the best leagues in D1.

Preseason:

--ODU was picked 3rd in the Big East - The senior heavy team should improve over last year's disappointing but rare loosing season for veteran Coach Andrew Griffith. It was the juniors Josie Painter and Serena Langendoen who snagged pre-season All Big East honors.

--App State was picked 3rd in the MAC and looks to build off last seasons impressive run which saw the Mountaineers briefly enter the Top 20 poll for the first time in school history. Fourth year Coach Emily Dinsmore is looking for her fourth straight double digit win season. Seniors Sophia Baxter and Calista Schwartz were recognized as the NFHCA players to watch for the Mountaineers.

--JMU was picked to finish 4th in MAC and is breaking in a new coach, with the former national team standout and UVA lead assistant Alyssa Parker Rosenblum taking over for coaching legend Christy Morgan . They are doing a bit of rebuilding but return a strong core led by senior Brynna Hill.

Week One is in the books.
The three SBC squads went a combined 4-2.

ODU traveled to Columbus to collect a 3-2 win over Ohio State and a 7-0 win over Bellarmine. The 2-0 start was good enough for the Monarchs to break into #18 in this week's Top 20 Coaches Poll.

JMU had a disappointing start to the season going 0-2 at the "Conference Cup" in College Park MD dropping close games to Temple by a score of 2-1 and 1-0 lose to Drexel.

App State started the season at home in exciting fashion, needing overtime both Friday for a 1-0 victory over Towson and Sunday for a 2-1 win over Georgetown. Sunday's 2-1 win was particularly thrilling as the Mountaineers tied the game with 30 seconds left in the 4th to drag the Hoyas to OT, and went on to score the game winner with 20 second left in the OT to secure the win and avoid shootouts.

Next Week

#18 ODU (2-0) @ Chapel Hill for a round round event hosted by the Tar Heels.
---Friday: #2 Princeton (no record - Ivy League starts next week because that's what they do for some reason)
---Saturday: Penn (no record - see Princeton)

JMU (0-2)
---Sunday: home vs #14 Liberty (1-1) - ESPN+

App State (2-0)
---a rare Wednesday game: @ Davidson (1-1) - ESPN+
---Sunday: @ American (0-2) - ESPN+

I see that your daughter has scored her first collegiate goal for ODU. It also appears that your younger daughter's high school team is loaded again this year. Is she JMU bound?

(09-09-2026 07:25 AM)73App Wrote:  I see that your daughter has scored her first collegiate goal for ODU. It also appears that your younger daughter's high school team is loaded again this year. Is she JMU bound?

Congrats!

ODU up to #18 in the polls. 3-1 with sole loss to #4 Princeton.

(09-09-2026 07:59 AM)mturn017 Wrote:  

(09-09-2026 07:25 AM)73App Wrote:  I see that your daughter has scored her first collegiate goal for ODU. It also appears that your younger daughter's high school team is loaded again this year. Is she JMU bound?

Congrats!

ODU up to #18 in the polls. 3-1 with sole loss to #4 Princeton.

Miss those days where we were always in the play no matter who won it all esp the period where we battled UNC and Maryland almost every year. Hopefully we return to magic sometime soon.

(09-09-2026 07:25 AM)73App Wrote:  I see that your daughter has scored her first collegiate goal for ODU. It also appears that your younger daughter's high school team is loaded again this year. Is she JMU bound?

All true, thank you. I didn't have future ODU and JMU players on my scorecard when my wife said "we should let the girls try field hockey" all those years ago. And I wouldn't call their HS team "stacked" necessarily, it is a tough task to replace a senior class where 7 of 9 seniors had offers to play in college.

We almost didn't make the drive to Columbus for my oldest's first college games, but were so happy we did to be there for her first goal.

Last Week

#18 ODU
--Fri - #18 ODU falls to #2 Princeton 4-0
--Sun- ODU beat Penn 3-0
Record: 3-1, lose dropped ODU to #20 in this week's poll

APP STATE
--Wed- App wins @ Davidson 2-0
--Sun- App falls @ American 2-1
Record: 3-1

JMU
--Sun- JMU falls at home to #14 Liberty 2-1 in OT
Record: 0-3

Next Week

#20 ODU
--Fri- @ #5 UNC (ACCN+)

APP STATE
--Wed- home v Queens (YouTube)
--Sun- home v #6 Wake Forest (YouTube)

JMU - a tough week
--Fri @ #9 Duke (ACCN+)
--Sun @ #11 Virginia (ACCN+)

ODU completes it tough road start to the season with UNC. ODU always plays UNC close, and this Tar Heel team (a surprising 2-2 to start) is more beatable than in the past few seasons.

So far all of App State's games have been closer than I would have expected before the season, but they should have an easy win against Queens before the very good Deacons team comes up the mountain. Wake is my sleeper pick to make the FH Final Four.

The JMU Dukes are probably looking at an 0-5 start which is a shame, the team is much better than 0-5. That being said, my upset pick for the weekend would be JMU over Duke, who I have seen in person already this year and think is the weakest of the many ranked opponents the SBC hockey teams face this week.

(09-09-2026 10:51 AM)AppfanInCAAland Wrote:  

(09-09-2026 07:25 AM)73App Wrote:  I see that your daughter has scored her first collegiate goal for ODU. It also appears that your younger daughter's high school team is loaded again this year. Is she JMU bound?

All true, thank you. I didn't have future ODU and JMU players on my scorecard when my wife said "we should let the girls try field hockey" all those years ago. And I wouldn't call their HS team "stacked" necessarily, it is a tough task to replace a senior class where 7 of 9 seniors had offers to play in college.

We almost didn't make the drive to Columbus for my oldest's first college games, but were so happy we did to be there for her first goal.

I saw your youngest touted as one of the best in RT-D this morning and, there were several others from her HS. Did the coach leave with her daughter for Deep Run?

(09-09-2026 12:16 PM)73App Wrote:  

(09-09-2026 10:51 AM)AppfanInCAAland Wrote:  

(09-09-2026 07:25 AM)73App Wrote:  I see that your daughter has scored her first collegiate goal for ODU. It also appears that your younger daughter's high school team is loaded again this year. Is she JMU bound?

All true, thank you. I didn't have future ODU and JMU players on my scorecard when my wife said "we should let the girls try field hockey" all those years ago. And I wouldn't call their HS team "stacked" necessarily, it is a tough task to replace a senior class where 7 of 9 seniors had offers to play in college.

We almost didn't make the drive to Columbus for my oldest's first college games, but were so happy we did to be there for her first goal.

I saw your youngest touted as one of the best in RT-D this morning and, there were several others from her HS. Did the coach leave with her daughter for Deep Run?

Thanks, that RT-D article was quite kind to my girls.

The Trinity JV coach took the varsity job at Deep Run, and since that was their home district school, she brought her daughter along. Trinity is still pretty good but last years class was the crazy "stacked" one - ended ranked #8 in the nation.

(09-09-2026 11:16 AM)AppfanInCAAland Wrote:  Last Week

#18 ODU
--Fri - #18 ODU falls to #2 Princeton 4-0
--Sun- ODU beat Penn 3-0
Record: 3-1, lose dropped ODU to #20 in this week's poll

APP STATE
--Wed- App wins @ Davidson 2-0
--Sun- App falls @ American 2-1
Record: 3-1

JMU
--Sun- JMU falls at home to #14 Liberty 2-1 in OT
Record: 0-3

Next Week

#20 ODU
--Fri- @ #5 UNC (ACCN+)

APP STATE
--Wed- home v Queens (YouTube)
--Sun- home v #6 Wake Forest (YouTube)

JMU - a tough week
--Fri @ #9 Duke (ACCN+)
--Sun @ #11 Virginia (ACCN+)

ODU completes it tough road start to the season with UNC. ODU always plays UNC close, and this Tar Heel team (a surprising 2-2 to start) is more beatable than in the past few seasons.

So far all of App State's games have been closer than I would have expected before the season, but they should have an easy win against Queens before the very good Deacons team comes up the mountain. Wake is my sleeper pick to make the FH Final Four.

The JMU Dukes are probably looking at an 0-5 start which is a shame, the team is much better than 0-5. That being said, my upset pick for the weekend would be JMU over Duke, who I have seen in person already this year and think is the weakest of the many ranked opponents the SBC hockey teams face this week.

App goes from playing Queens on Wednesday to Wake on Sunday. That's quite a difference in the level of competition.

Final in OT from Chapel Hell.

#20 ODU 5
#5 Tar Holes 4

(09-11-2026 06:34 PM)AppfanInCAAland Wrote:  Final in OT from Chapel Hell.

#20 ODU 5
#5 Tar Holes 4

(09-11-2026 06:34 PM)AppfanInCAAland Wrote:  Final in OT from Chapel Hell.

#20 ODU 5
#5 Tar Holes 4

And the game started out 3-0 UNC. ODU managed a goal just before halftime to begin the 2nd half down 3-1. UNC scored first in the 3rd quarter to go ahead 4-1. In the 2nd half, ODU turned up the heat and peppered them with shots - outshooting the Tar Heels 15-3 in the 4th period.

Last Week

#20 ODU
--Fri - #18 ODU beats #5 UNC 5-4 in OT
Record: 4-1, up #15 in this week's poll

APP STATE
--Wed- App beat Queens 6-1
--Sun- App falls to #6 Wake Forest 6-0
Record: 4-2

JMU
--Fri- JMU falls @ #9 Duke 5-1
--Sun- JMU falls @ #11 Virginia 7-0
Record: 0-5

Next Week

#15 ODU
--Fri- home v Providence
--Sun - home v Delaware

APP STATE
--Fri- home v Bellarmine (YouTube)
--Sun- @ #13 Liberty (ESPN+)

JMU
--Fri @ Ball State (ESPN+)
--Sun @ #16 Miami (OH) (ESPN+)

Biggest win obviously was ODU over UNC - ODU and UNC are the two winningest field hockey programs ever and play every year, but this was ODU's first win since 2013. ODU was down 4-1 with 3 minutes left in the third quarter before dominating the 4th and winning in OT on a stroke (a bit like a penalty kick in soccer).

In 3 weeks, App is showing exactly what I guessed, good but not up to the level of the elite teams.

JMU is far and away the best 0-5 team in the country (their strength of schedule at the moment in the top 20), and they should be favored in all but 3 games remaining - plus App State as a toss-up. I suspect the first win for new coach Alyssa Parker-Rosenblum should come on Friday.

Last Week

#15 ODU
--Fri - ODU falls at home to Prvidence 2-0
--Sun - ODU beat Delaware 4-2
Record: 5-2 (0-1 Big East), down #20 in this week's poll

APP STATE
--Fri - App beat Bellarmine 1-0
--Sun - App lost @ #14 Liberty 7-2
Record: 5-3 (1-0 MAC)

That Bellarmine game was way too close for comfort.

JMU
--Fri- JMU win @ Ball State 3-1
Record: 1-5 (1-0 MAC)

As I guessed, JMU picks up their first win of the season in Muncie. Congrats to Coach Parker-Rosenblum on her first college head coaching win


Next Week

#20 ODU
--Sun - home v St Louis
--Mon - @ William & Mary

APP STATE
--Fri- @ Ohio
--Sun- @ #16 Miami (OH)

JMU
--Fri @ #16 Miami (OH)
--Sun home v Kent State

ODU would be the favorite over both its opponents this week, while both App and JMU would be underdogs against a very good Miami and a tossup/slight favorite against their other opponent.

I've been too busy, here is a recap with one week to go in the regular season.

JMU is the unofficial "Sun Belt Field Hockey Champion" with a 2-1 win over App State in Harrisonburg Friday.

JMU - After starting at 0-5, as predicted earlier in the season, they have turned it around with 8 wins in the last 10 games for a record of 8-7, good for third in the MAC. In addition to the win over the Mountaineers, the Dukes lost to 4-0 to #7 Wake Forest Sunday. They take on MAC leader #4 UMass this weekend but are firmly in the 6 team MAC tournament field.

App State - After losing to JMU Friday and a 5-0 loss to the UNC Tar Heels in Boone Sunday, App stands tied with (SBC expansion contender?) Ohio for 4th in the MAC, but sitting on an overall record of 8-9. It will be Coach Dinsmore's first sub-10 win regular season. While I don't think its "clinched", they should also easily make the MAC tournament assuming they pick up a win against 0-15 Longwood.

ODU - 1-1 last weekend with a loss to UConn and a win over the winless Longwood Lancers. Great record sitting at 12-4 but the Monarchs are only 2-3 in the Big East standings and need Temple to beat Providence to even qualify for the 4 team Big East tournament. Friday could be the end of the season.

ODU upset #2 UCONN to win the Big East Championship!

Go Monarchs!

ODU draws No. 3 Harvard in the first round of the NCAAs, would get the winner of Yale-UMass in the quarters

Both the semifinal versus Liberty and the final against UConn were such great games. We are so happy for the ladies, especially the seniors. They have been such great leaders this season. They went to the NCAA field as freshmen, and now as seniors.

They will be underdogs against the other three teams in their region, but they are a scary team for anyone to play. I would not be surprised for them to make some noise and maybe even come out on top this weekend.