Old Dominion Wins BIG EAST Field Hockey Title
The Monarchs beat No. 2 UConn 2-1 in the final and will face No. 3 Harvard in the NCAA first round.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Hockey
Old Dominion field hockey won the 2026 BIG EAST Championship, defeating No. 2 UConn 2-1 in the final. The Monarchs, now 15-4 on the season, will play No. 3 Harvard in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Why it matters
The title is Old Dominion's first BIG EAST championship since 2023 and secures a spot in the NCAA Tournament. Earlier in the event, the Monarchs also beat No. 13 Liberty 1-0.
Goalkeeper Suus Broers made nine saves across the tournament and allowed one goal in the 2-1 final against No. 2 UConn. The source does not provide shot totals or possession figures for the matchups.
The players
Old Dominion Monarchs
The Old Dominion University women's field hockey program competes in the BIG EAST Conference and is based in Norfolk, Virginia.
Harvard Crimson
Harvard University's field hockey team is a longstanding Ivy League program based in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
The details
Madison Zalewski scored early in the fourth quarter against UConn, and Cosima Perleth added an empty-net goal to seal the win. The Monarchs' first-round NCAA game against Harvard is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 13 at noon in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Timeline
Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025: Old Dominion beat UConn 2-1 in the BIG EAST final.
Friday, Nov. 13, 2026, 12 p.m.: Old Dominion plays No. 3 Harvard in the NCAA first round.
Season Trajectory
The conference title extends Old Dominion's recent run of BIG EAST success, with its last championship coming in 2023. Securing a bid to the NCAA Tournament positions the Monarchs for a postseason matchup against a ranked Harvard team.
Old Dominion's path through the NCAA bracket depends on the Harvard result on Nov. 13, with a potential second-round game on Nov. 15 against the Yale-UMass winner. Fans following the program can track the bracket directly through the NCAA schedule.
The takeaway
Old Dominion's BIG EAST title and its upcoming NCAA opener give the Monarchs a clear, scheduled test against a ranked opponent. The next game against Harvard will show whether the team's defense, anchored by Suus Broers, can carry it deeper into the tournament.
What happens next
Old Dominion plays No. 3 Harvard in the NCAA first round on Friday, Nov. 13, 2026 at noon, and the winner faces the Yale-UMass winner on Sunday, Nov. 15, 2026.
Further reading
Explore more Hockey coverage for context on collegiate tournament play.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WAVY-TV 10 Hampton Roads.
