2024 NCAA Field Hockey Season Preview: Division I

With 62 Division I teams opening up their 2024 campaign this Friday, athletes, coaches, families, and fans are gearing up for a fun few months of competition. After a thrilling end to the 2023 season in which North Carolina defeated Northwestern in a shootout to claim the title of National Champion, this upcoming season guarantees excitement.

In anticipation of watching these promising athletes and teams return to the stage, here are some of the teams to watch this fall.

Virginia Athletics

While North Carolina claimed the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) title for the seventh consecutive year last season, it is the Cavaliers who sit atop this fall’s ACC preseason rankings. At the conclusion of the 2023 season, Virginia was ranked fifth in the Penn Monto National Coaches Poll, finishing with a 14-7 record after falling to the Tar Heels in both the ACC and NCAA semifinals.

This stacked Virginia squad returns key offensive weapons in Daniela Mendez-Trendler, Noa Boterman, and Taryn Tkachuk; and welcomes back Emily Field, Jans Croon, Mia Abello, and goalkeeper Tyler Kennedy to the defensive zone. Mendez-Trendler, Croon and Abello played together this past July at the 2024 Junior Pan American Championship (JPAC), bringing home silver for the Junior Eagles. The Cavaliers bring in two promising freshmen to the squad this season – Catalina Quinteros of Miami, Fla., and Amelie Rees of London, England. With two promising new athletes, and almost their entire starting lineup back, the Cavaliers are in a great position to pick up right where they left off last season.

ANTHONY SORBELLINI

The reigning National Champions, the Tar Heels, are set to return 21 players and welcome in four freshmen and one transfer this fall. Sophomore Charley Bruder and junior Ryleigh Heck return for the 2024 season as critical offensive weapons, combining for 28 goals and 11 assists in 2023. Sietske Brüning and Katie Dixon, both of whom made the ACC All-Preseason Team along with Heck, return as strong defensive players. The Tar Heels also welcome in new talent with freshmen such as Melea Weber, who ranked second nationally in goals (65) her senior high school season, Coco Courtright, Ava Meehan, and goalkeeper Charley Vandenstockt.

After their 18-3 record under Erin Matson in her first season as head coach, there should be no surprise in seeing North Carolina return to the top of the rankings this coming season. 2023 Tar Heel captain Romea Riccardo will follow her former teammate, making the transition to Matson’s staff as an assistant coach.

Ryan Kuttler/Northwestern Athletics

2023 national championship runner-up Northwestern looks to return to the top of the division this season. They return 19 players, including Maddie Zimmer, who is back for her senior season after taking an Olympic Waiver last fall and competing at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Joining the Wildcats roster is transfer Ashley Sessa, a member of the U.S. Women’s National Team who played alongside Zimmer in Paris. Sessa also took an Olympic Waiver last fall, after playing her freshman season at UNC. Sessa and Zimmer both had a very strong offensive presence this past summer for Team USA, so fans should keep an eye on whether these two continue to generate offense together for the Wildcats. Adding to the powerhouse of offense is Olivia Bent-Cole, a sophomore who picked up First Team All-Big Ten accolades in her first season. Reigning Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Year Annabel Skubisz returns as a graduate student, anchoring a backline and midfield that includes junior Maja Zivojnovic and fifth year Lauren Wadas.

After falling in the final last season and winning the National Championship back in 2021, Northwestern knows what it takes to be on top, and with their arsenal of offense and strong goalkeeping, the Wildcats could very well find themselves back in the title race this season.

Mackenzie Miles/Maryland Terrapins

A consistently strong program, Maryland looks to return to the spotlight this fall. The Terps have won five National Championships in the past ten years but haven’t seen the title since 2011.  Maryland went 6-2 in conference play last season, suffering a heartbreaking double overtime defeat at the hands of Northwestern in the Big Ten championship match. The Terps are led by Missy Meharg, who enters her 37th season as head coach this fall.

Senior Hope Rose and sophomore Maci Bradford return to the forward line, a duo who scored a combined 23 goals last season. A key staple to the Terps defense, Rayne Wright, will return for her fifth year, with sophomore Alyssa Klebasko back in goal. Klebasko had a .838 save percentage in the 20 games she played last season, so eyes will be on her as she returns to the cage in her second season with the Terps. Additionally, Maryland welcomes back graduate student Emma Deberdine, who took the 2023 season off to train for and then compete in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Deberdine is a consistent midfielder, with experience and leadership that can potentially help guide this Maryland team towards another run at a national title. The seven freshmen joining the squad this fall includes Belvidere, N.J. native Ella Gaitan, who played alongside teammates Bradford, Rose, Klebasko and Josie Hollamon this summer on the Junior U.S. Women’s National Team.

University of Michigan, who fell just shy of making the national tournament last season after winning the Big Ten title in 2022, is a strong team with a ton of rising talent. Ten athletes make up the incoming freshman class, a group that includes Max Field Hockey's 2023 National High School Player of the Year Saylor Milone. Abby Tamer rejoins the Wolverines for her junior season after being a strong offensive light for Team USA at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games – scoring twice in five games. Tamer will have support from returners like Lora Clarke on the attacking line and Abby Burnett on defense.

In addition to Michigan, Penn State is another promising Big Ten team looking to return to the spotlight this season. After an extremely successful 2022 campaign, the Nittany Lions just barely finished over .500 overall and 4-4 in conference play last fall. With 2023 Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year and Paris 2024 Olympian Phia Gladieux on the attacking end, and new talent like Aby Deverka, who was recently named to the U-18 USWNT, on the defensive end, Penn State is looking to tap back into a winning conference record this season.

Looking back at the ACC, Duke is a team that has been rising towards the top. This squad is ranked third in the ACC Preseason Poll, and proved last year that they are just as competitive as North Carolina and Virginia. The Blue Devils fell short in the 2023 NCAA semifinals, falling 2-1 to a tough Northwestern side. They return strong athletes in All-ACC Preseason squad selections Charlie Van Oirschot, Paige Bitting, and 2023 ACC Co-Offensive Player of the Year Alaina McVeigh, while suffering the loss of NFHCA All-America First Team selection Hannah Miller. Duke went 5-1 in conference play last season, only losing to a powerful UNC team, 2-1, late in October. With the confidence and competitive energy the Blue Devils bring to each season, they are a team who could also be in contention for a national title this fall.

Lastly, in a shift over to the Ivy League, there is Harvard University, who went 16-4 overall and a perfect 7-0 in conference play in 2023. The Crimson return a majority of their 2023 squad, who made it to the NCAA quarterfinals last fall where they fell to reigning champion UNC. Harvard returns leading goal scorer Lara Beekhuis and senior captain Emily Guckian, two athletes who are critical to the Crimson offense. This squad contains very promising talent who will only continue to grow in confidence and experience as they play throughout the season.

Stay tuned for Division II and III season previews! Also, keep an eye out for the Penn Monto/NFHCA National Coaches Poll Division I preseason rankings, which come out Tuesday, August 27.