EVANSTON, Ill. - Opening its 2026 season, the No. 1 Northwestern field hockey team will host two games at Lakeside Field this weekend. After an incredible unseeded run to claim its second straight national title in 2025, the Wildcats turn the page to attack another competitive slate.
NU begins its 2026 campaign on Friday, Aug. 28, at noon CT, hosting VCU. The Wildcats then take on Lafayette College on Sunday, Aug. 30, at 11 a.m. CT. The weekend will feature Banner Day and Kids’ Day on Friday and Sunday, respectively, with free admission and giveaways. Both games will be streamed on B1G+.
Scouting the Rams
NU holds a 2-1 all-time record against VCU. The Wildcats and Rams first met in 2010, and most recently played a neutral-site match in 2025, which NU won 3-0.
In 2025, VCU claimed a share of its conference regular-season title and concluded the year with a 13-5 (5-1 A-10) mark. Three Rams (Morena Macera, Emma Clements and Lina Behrmann) earned NFHCA All-South Region honors. Clements and Behrmann return to VCU this season and are joined by Josefina Ventimiglia on the Preseason All-A-10 list.
VCU goalkeeper Clements, who was named A10 Goalkeeper of the Year in her sophomore season, posted eight shutouts in 2025. On the national leaderboards, VCU concluded last season with impressive marks in save percentage (.800, third) and shutouts per game (0.44, fifth).
Behrmann earned A-10 Rookie of the Year in 2025 and All-Atlantic 10 First Team honors. She led the conference in assists with 15, setting a VCU single-season record. Behrmann ranked eighth nationally in assists per game with 0.83. She ranked second for the Rams and fifth in the A-10 with 21 total points during the regular season.
Head Coach Stacey Bean is entering her 11th season at the helm and holds the highest winning percentage by any coach in VCU history.
Scouting the Leopards
Sunday’s game between the ‘Cats and the Leopards will be the first meeting between the two schools.
In 2025, the Leopards’ offense was led by Katie Gibb and Lena Thedrian, with 21 points apiece. The pair of seniors were key to Lafayette’s 2.53 goals per game last year, while limiting opponents to an average of only 1.53 gpg. The Leopards finished their season with a 12-7 (5-1 Patriot League) record, taking second in their conference after a season-ending loss to Boston University.
Head Coach Jennifer Stone is entering her 14th season in the role at Lafayette and is fresh off leading the Leopards to a winning record and the third straight season of competing in the conference title match. Under Stone, the Leopards secured milestones such as four All-Patriot League honorees, three All-Mideast Region selections and eight Patriot League Players of the Week.
Northwestern Notables
Returning 2025 NFHCA All-Americans Olivia Bent-Cole, Juliana Boon, Ashley Sessa and Ilse Tromp headline the ‘Cats roster, which added 11 newcomers ahead of the new season.
Bent-Cole concluded her junior season with All-Big Ten and NFHCA All-West First Team selections, after tallying 22 points across appearances in all 23 of NU’s games.
Boon, who was voted 2025 Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Year, returns to the cage for the ‘Cats after setting numerous records in her redshirt first-year season. Notching 62 saves with a 0.775 save percentage and 10 shutouts, the goalie played in all 23 games of the Wildcats’ season and led the nation in goalie win-loss percentage and ranked third-best in NCAA goals-against average.
Sessa, the 2025 Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year, was the leading scorer in NU’s last campaign with 65 points. She was second in the NCAA in points per game (2.95) and led the conference in assists and points. The senior holds the top two spots in NU’s single-season scoring records and is climbing the program’s career scoring charts headed into the 2026 season.
Tromp tallied 35 points in her junior season, also claiming 2025 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year honors. The back/midfielder returns to her key role for the ‘Cats after an electric game-winning goal to claim the national championship last season.
A junior from Santiago, Chile, Laura Salamanca is expected to be a key piece of the 2026 ‘Cats roster. In her sophomore season, Salamanca collected two goals and a pair of assists, and earned second-team honors in the Big Ten and NFHCA All-West teams.
After claiming their third national championship in five years and ninth Big Ten regular-season title in 2025, the 'Cats look ahead to attacking their 2026 slate. Eight of Northwestern's 2026 opponents appear in NFHCA preseason rankings, including four from the Big Ten.
The 2026 captains for Northwestern are Aerin Krys, Sessa and Tromp.
Preseason Watchlists: Bent-Cole, Sessa and Tromp appear on the Big Ten Players to Watch List. Bent-Cole, Boon, Salamanca, Sessa and Tromp were tabbed for the 2026 NFHCA DI Watch List.
NFHCA Preseason Ranking: No. 1. The Aug. 25 ranking comes in as Northwestern’s second-straight unanimous preseason No. 1 selection from the NFHCA. It is the fourth season in the past five years (2022, 2024, 2025) that the 'Cats topped the poll heading into regular-season competition. The Wildcats spent seven weeks in the No. 1 spot last season en route to winning the program's third national title.