EVANSTON, Ill. - The No. 1-seeded Northwestern field hockey team will open its 2026 NCAA Tournament campaign with a first-round Friday afternoon matchup against Saint Joseph’s. Hosting the Hawks, pass-back is slated for Friday, Nov. 13, at noon C.T. at Lakeside Field, and will be streamed on ESPN+.
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Northwestern (18-2, 7-1 Big Ten), which earned the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament on Sunday, will host Saint Joseph’s (12-9, 6-0 Atlantic 10), to begin its ninth-straight national tournament campaign. In 2026, NU attacks the postseason seeking a third-straight National Championship, which would be its fourth in program history (2021, 2024, 2025).
The Wildcats take on the Hawks, who earned the Round of 16 spot after defeating Vermont in a shootout on Wednesday, Nov. 11, in one of two NCAA Tournament play-in games.
The winner of Friday’s match will face the winner of No. 8 North Carolina/Miami-Ohio, advancing to quarterfinals on Sunday, Nov. 13, at 1 p.m.CT.
Friday’s first-round meeting between the Wildcats and the Hawks is a rematch of the 2024 NCAA Championship game, which NU won, claiming its second national title. Friday will be the teams’ first time meeting since that national title clash, and second overall.
Saint Joseph’s enters Friday coming off a 2-1 win over Vermont, which was decided 4-3 in a shootout. Amy Noonan scored the game-winning penalty. Wednesday’s win was the sixth NCAA Tournament victory for the Hawks; as Saint Joseph's has collected wins in each of the last three seasons.
The Hawks are currently 12-9 (6-0 A10) in 2026 and qualified for the NCAA Tournament after defeating Richmond 2-1 in the Atlantic 10 Tournament title game on penalties. Wednesday’s play-in victory was the Hawks’ third shootout win of the season, and third in their last six games.
Following the Hawks’ 2026 regular season, senior back Milou Kluyt won the Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Year Award, while first-year Head Coach Sam Brown was named Coach of the Year. Junior goalkeeper Avianna Wagner earned Atlantic 10 Tournament Most Outstanding Player honors.
Saint Joseph’s has won the last six Atlantic 10 Tournament titles, also qualifying for the last six NCAA Tournaments. All-time, the Hawks have made nine NCAA Tournaments, with its best result coming in 2024 — when it faced Northwestern in the title game. Out of the Hawks’ 2026 roster, Kluyt, Erika Culp and Alison Buffington were on the field for the championship game two years ago.
The 2024 NCAA Championship game is Northwestern’s only prior match against Saint Joseph’s. The Wildcats won, 5-0, in Ann Arbor, Mich., with three different goal scorers, two of which are on this season’s roster. Two-time Honda Award Winner Maddie Zimmer and Ilse Tromp each accounted for two, while Olivia Bent-Cole also posted a goal.
Including 2026, Northwestern Head Coach Tracey Fuchs has qualified for the last eight consecutive NCAA Tournaments, the second-longest active streak for a Division I coach in the nation—only behind Miami-Ohio’s Iñako Puzo, who has made the last nine. Northwestern is also 11-4 all-time in NCAA first-round games, including a 7-2 record when led by Fuchs.
The ‘Cats have an active NCAA Tournament win streak of eight consecutive games, which spans across their 2024 and 2025 national title runs. Under Head Coach Tracey Fuchs, the Wildcats are 20-6 in NCAA Tournament play, and 11-1 with the senior class of 2026. NU is 30-18 all-time in the tournament, with 2026 being the program’s 22nd appearance.
Senior forward Ashley Sessa is coming off earning Big Ten Tournament Most Outstanding Player honors after scoring two goals to help Northwestern defeat Maryland 3-0 in the Big Ten Tournament title game. She also notched a goal and an assist in the tournament semifinals against Indiana.
Sessa’s performance earned her the National Field Hockey Coaches’ Association (NFHCA) Offensive Player of the Week award on Nov. 11, the second time this season and the fifth time in her career.
Junior goalkeeper Juliana Boon joined Sessa on the Big Ten All-Tournament team after she combined for 15 saves across the competition’s semifinals and finals — including a single-game career-high eight saves against Indiana. She is the first starting goalkeeper since Michigan’s Sam Swenson in 2017 to allow zero goals in a Big Ten Tournament run.
NFHCA Week 11 Ranking: The Wildcats return to the No. 1 spot in the Nov. 10 edition of the NFHCA Coaches poll, earning 10 of 11 first-place votes. Northwestern surpasses previously ranked No. 1 team Maryland after defeating the Terrapins in the Big Ten Tournament title game. The ‘Cats have now spent nine weeks in the poll’s top spot.