As the 2024 college field hockey season closes, one team will be crowned best in the country. UNC and Northwestern have been going at it for the past couple of years, but another college could still emerge victorious. With constantly changing rosters, you can never count a team out.
This year, the following teams were guaranteed a spot in the First Round: UNC, Maryland, Duke, Boston College, Princeton, Lafayette, Saint Joseph’s, UConn, Massachusetts, Harvard, Syracuse, Virginia, Michigan, and Northwestern. However, some teams also had to fight for a spot.
The Opening Rounds consisted of Delaware vs. Fairfield and Miami vs. Vermont, and the winners advanced to the First Round. Delaware beat Fairfield 2-1 in regulation and two overtimes, and it will play UNC. Miami also won its game against Vermont 2-1, and it will play Northwestern.
Many of the teams this year have never won a championship before, but some have. UNC has the most at 11, Maryland at second with 8, UConn has 5, and Princeton, Delaware, Michigan, Northwestern, and Syracuse are tied at 1. The tricky thing about looking at prior outcomes is that a team’s history does not define them today. The winner of this year could very well be a college that’s newly successful or one of the old time favorites like UNC.
As the month of November progresses, so does the tournament. Most of the First Round games were close, but there were a few blowouts.
UNC finished with a comfortable 4-0 lead over Delaware, Maryland fought hard, but lost to Duke 1-0, Princeton won 1-0 too to Boston, Massachusetts topped UConn 2-1, Harvard soared above Syracuse to win 1-0, Virginia expectantly beat Michigan 2-1, and Northwestern stomped Miami in the 9-2 game.
This left UNC to play Duke, Princeton to Saint Joseph’s, Massachusetts to Harvard, and Virginia with the tough matchup of Northwestern for the Second Round.
Virginia lost 3-2 to Northwestern, but it forced the Wildcats to use overtime. Duke also got a short stick and lost 3-0 to the returning champs. Saint Joseph surprisingly beat Princeton 1-0, and Massachusetts won 1-0 in their game against Harvard.
This year’s semi-final matchups are UNC vs. Saint Joseph’s and Northwestern vs. Massachusetts.
The most probable outcome is that UNC and Northwestern end up facing off for the title. Although UNC won the previous year, Northwestern is seeded first because of roster changes.
Last year, Duke, Virginia, UNC, and Northwestern finished as the final four. In the championship match at UNC’s Karen Shelton Stadium, Northwestern played UNC. By the end of regulation, the two teams were tied 1-1. This tie was unable to be broken throughout the two 10-minute overtimes. The crown would have to be awarded in shootouts. The suspense was nerve-wrenching as still after five shots per team it was tied. This forced the game to go to sudden death. Northwestern missed their shot and Junior (Sophomore at the time) Ryleigh Heck scored hers, winning the championship for UNC.
But things have changed since then, and great players have graduated. Perhaps Northwestern’s all will be enough this time. Or UNC could just have another win to add to the record books.
