EASTON, Pa. – The 2026 Patriot League Field Hockey Championship begins on Thursday, Nov. 5, with a pair of semifinal round matches at Lafayette College’s Rappolt Field in Easton, Pa.
 
The top-seeded Leopards (15-2, 6-0 PL, who host the four-team championship in Easton, Pa. for the first time since 2012, meet No. 4 Holy Cross (9-6, 3-3 PL), who return to the postseason for the first time since the spring 2021, in the first semifinal match at noon.  
 
Second-seeded American (10-7, 4-2 PL) will take on defending Patriot League Champion No. 3 Boston University (8-9, 4-2 PL) in the second game of the day at 3 p.m. The winners of the semifinal-round matchups will meet in the 2026 Patriot League Field Game, set for Saturday, Nov. 7 at noon.
 
All three games of the 2026 Patriot League Field Hockey Championship will be available live on ESPN+. Justin Rocke will call play-by-play, with Kate Arnold providing analysis and Paige Messier reporting from the sideline.
 
For more information on the 2026 Patriot League Field Hockey Championship, visit Championship Central.
 
2026 Patriot League Field Hockey Championship Schedule

Semifinal Round	Thursday, Nov. 5 – Hosted by Lafayette College	Time	Coverage
Game 1	No. 4 Holy Cross at No. 1 Lafayette	Noon	ESPN+
Game 2	No. 3 Boston University vs. No. 2 American	3 p.m.	ESPN+
Championship Game	Saturday, Nov. 7 – Hosted by Lafayette College	Time	Coverage
Game 3	Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 2	Noon	ESPN+

 
NO. 4 HOLY CROSS CRUSADERS (9-6, 3-3 PL) AT NO. 1 LAFAYETTE LEOPARDS (15-2, 6-0 PL)
Rappolt Field/Easton, Pa.                                                Noon (ESPN+)
LIVE STATS
BROADCAST (ESPN+): PxP – Justin Rocke; Analyst – Kate Arnold; Sideline – Paige Messier
HOLY CROSS ALL-LEAGUE HONOREES: Marianna MacLean, Fr., M (ROY, 1st); Mia McCloskey, Jr., GK  (2nd); Maguire Sturgis, Sr., M (2nd).
LAFAYETTE ALL-LEAGUE HONOREES: Katie Gibb, Sr., M (MOY, 1st); Addison Kahn, Jr., GK (GKOY, 1st); Stella Malinowski, Sr., F (1st); Lena Thedrian, Sr., D (DOY, 1st); Lea Good, Sr., M/F (2nd); Rosalie van Gool, So., D (2nd).
POSTSEASON HISTORY: Lafayette and Holy Cross will meet for the sixth time in Patriot League Championship history, marking the fourth time the programs face off in the semifinal round. The Crusaders hold a 3-2 advantage overall, going 2-1 in semifinal-round games.
1997 - No. 2 Holy Cross 2, No. 4 Lafayette 1 - Championship Game
1999 - No. 1 Lafayette 4, No. 4 Holy Cross 2 - Semifinals
2000 - No. 1 Holy Cross 2, No. 4Lafayette 0 - Semifinals
2002 - No. 1 Lafayette 2, No. 2 Holy Cross 1 - Championship Game
2006 - No. 2 Holy Cross 5, No. 3 Lafayette - Semifinals
 
REGULAR-SEASON MEETING: (Sept. 25, 2026 – BOX SCORE) – Lafayette 1, at Holy Cross 0 – Laila Pasic scored at the 31:03 mark in the third quarter to lift Lafayette to a 1-0 victory over Holy Cross at the Hart Turf Field. The Leopards defense limited Holy Cross to one shot, with goalkeeper Addison Kahn making one save to record a shutout. The Crusaders defense limited Lafayette’s offense to two shots.  
GAME PREVIEWS: HOLY CROSS | LAFAYETTE
 
NO. 3 BOSTON UNIVERSITY TERRIERS  (8-9, 4-2 PL) AT NO. 2 AMERICAN EAGLES (10-7, 4-2 PL)
Rappolt Field/Easton, Pa.                                                Noon (ESPN+)
LIVE STATS
BROADCAST (ESPN+): PxP – Justin Rocke; Analyst – Kate Arnold; Sideline – Paige Messier
BOSTON UNIVERSITY ALL-LEAGUE HONOREES: Lucy Johnson, So., F (FOY, 1st); Caroline O’Brien, Gr., F (1st); Alex Purcell, Sr., D (1st); Nicole Lauro, Sr., M (2nd); Jenna Park, Fr., M (2nd).
AMERICAN ALL-LEAGUE HONOREES: Jordan Reicher, Sr., F (1st); Sophie Willemse, Sr., D (1st); Emilia Winkler, Sr., M (1st); Nora Tromble, Fr., M (2nd)
POSTSEASON HISTORY: Boston University and American meet for the eighth time in the Patriot League Championship, with the Terriers holding a 4-3 advantage, including a 1-0 upset win over the top-seeded Eagles in the 2025 semifinals.
2013 - No. 1 American 3, No. 2 Boston University 0 - Championship Game
2014 - No. 2 Boston University 3, No. 3 American 1 - Semifinals
2015 - No. 1 Boston University 2, No. 2 American 1 - Championship Game
2016 - No. 2 American 1, No. 1 Boston University 0 - Championship Game
2018 - No. 1 Boston University 2, No. 2 American 1 - Championship Game
2024 - No. 1 American 1, No. 4 Boston University 0 - Semifinals
2025 - No. 4 Boston University 1, No. 1 American 0 - Semifinals
 
REGULAR-SEASON MEETING: (Oct. 16, 2026 – BOX SCORE)  - At American 3, Boston University 2 – Jordan Reicher scored the game-winning goal at the 55:08 mark in the fourth quarter to lift American to a 3-2 win over Boston University. Kaleigh Missimer a pair of second-quarter goals to help the Eagles keep pace with BU. Caroline O’Brien scored the game’s first goal at the 10:29 mark in the first quarter and added her second goal of the game at the 46:34 mark in the fourth quarter. O’Brien, the 2025 Patriot League Championship MVP, scored five goals in her last two games at AU’s Jacobs Field.  
GAME PREVIEWS: BOSTON UNIVERSITY | AMERICAN
 
ABOUT THE PATRIOT LEAGUE
The Patriot League is in its fourth decade of academic and athletic achievement, continually demonstrating that student-athletes can excel at both academics and athletics without sacrificing high standards. The Patriot League’s athletic success is achieved while its member institutions remain committed to its founding principle of admitting and graduating student-athletes who are academically representative of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.