Field hockey: UVA heads to Princeton for NCAA first-round game

UVA (9-9) earned an at-large bid into the 2018 NCAA Field Hockey Championship and will head to Princeton, N.J. for the first and second round games being held Nov. 9 and 11.

Virginia earned one of eight at-large bids into the field of 18 teams and will face third- seeded Princeton (13-4) on Friday, Nov. 9 at 12 p.m. Penn State (12-5) and Harvard (16-1) will play the other first-round game that same day at 2:30 p.m. The winners will advance to the second-round game on Sunday, Nov. 11.

“It is always exciting to hear your name called on Selection Sunday,” said head coach Michele Madison. “Making the NCAA tournament is a testament to the resilience and hard work of our team. They always had hope, even when we were struggling, and they had the hard-work and determination to make it through that adversity. This was a whole team effort to get here and I am very happy that they have this opportunity to keep playing.”

This is the 23rd trip to NCAA Championship for the Cavaliers and their 11 in head coach Michele Madison’s 13 seasons at Virginia.

Duke, Maryland and North Carolina will serve as the other three host sites for the first and second round games. The winner of each site will advance to the NCAA semifinals on Nov. 16 at Trager Stadium in Louisville, Ky. The National Championship game will take place on Nov. 18.