WASHINGTON – A 2024 NCAA Tournament runner up and three total Top 20 teams are on deck for the American University field hockey team for the 2025 season. The Eagles, after going 6-0 in Patriot League play in 2024 to claim the regular season title, are looking to continue their league dominance and make a return to the NCAA Tournament.
 
Poised for greatness, for a 27th season, American will be under the tutelage 12-time, and reigning, Patriot League Coach of the Year Steve Jennings. He will be once again joined by associate head coach Kristin Matula and assistant coach Weslee Littlefield.

"We are excited about our very challenging schedule for the fall—we have great competition within Patriot League play, against annual rivals, and versus programs whom we expect to be in the top echelon of the national rankings," said Jennings. "As always, the goal is to do everything possible to reach and be successful in the postseason. We are confident that the weekly challenges we will face throughout the fall will help us develop our identity and sharpen both our technical and tactical game to the highest degree."

FORTRESS JACOBS

• The Eagles continue to make Jacobs Complex a stronghold, having gone 27-10 at home over the past five seasons, including posting a 7-3 record in 2024. This bodes well for the Eagles who have eight upcoming home contests against opponents from the ACC, CAA, MAC, A-10, Big East, and the Patriot League.
• Since Jacobs opened in September 2005, the Eagles have been dominant at home with a 135-51 (.726) overall record, including 10 Patriot League Championship titles and five NCAA tournament play-in victories.
• The 2025 season opener will be on Sunday, Aug. 31 and will see the Eagles squaring off with NCAA tournament quarterfinalists, Duke. The Blue Devils and the Eagles have met three times before, all games coming during the NCAA tournament; Duke holds the 3-0 series advantage, most recently winning 2-1 over AU in the 2023 NCAA First Round.
• Starting with a game against Lafayette (Oct. 3), the Eagles will have a five-game home stint ending with a contest against Bucknell on Oct. 17 to display their dominance.
• The final home game of the regular season will be the squad's regular season finale and will see the Eagles in a conference battle with Holy Cross on Sat., Nov. 1 for AU's Senior Day and Alumni celebration.

PUSHING THE LIMITS

• Three opponents on the 2025 schedule ended the previous season ranked in the Top 20 in the final NFHCA Coaches Poll of the 2024 season.
• American will make its 27th appearance at the Terrapin Invitational hosted by Maryland in College Park on Sept. 12 and 14. AU has been among the teams featured at the invitational in all but two years since it began in 1996 and holds a 32-17 record at the event.
• While in College Park, the squad will face Saint Joseph's and Penn. The Hawks finished the previous season ranked No. 3 in the Coaches poll played No. 2 Northwestern in the National Championship match, downing No. 20 Lafayette (1-0), No. 13 Princeton (1-0), and No. 1 North Carolina (2-5) to get there.
• The other two NCAA tournament teams on AU's schedule include Patriot League foe, No. 20 Lafayette at home on (Oct. 3), and No. 9 ranked Duke for their home opener (Aug. 31).
• The Eagles are 4-1 over the last three seasons against the Leopards, including 1-1 in the Patriot League tournament. The Blue Devils were taken out of the 2024 NCAA tournament in the second round by North Carolina (3-0) and went 13-7 last season, going 6-2 in ACC play.

Admission to all regular season field hockey home games at Jacobs Complex is free for all fans!
 
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