The first NCAA Tournament of the 2026-27 school year starts in earnest this weekend as 16 remaining field hockey teams — three from the Big Ten — embark on the path to a national title. The first round starts Friday, November 13 before the national quarterfinals on Sunday, November 15. Take a look. 
 
Thrillers on the Horizon in Evanston 
 
Two-time defending national champs. Overall No. 1 seed. Conference regular season and tournament champions. Tournament favorite Northwestern and reigning NFHCA Offensive Player of the Week Ashley Sessa open against St. Joseph’s in a rematch of the 2024 championship game. The Hawks won their sixth-straight Atlantic 10 Championship to qualify for the tournament and beat Vermont in the opening round to advance. Tune in for the matchup at 1 p.m. ET on ESPN+. 
 
Should the ‘Cats win on Friday, they’ll face either No. 8 seed North Carolina or Miami (OH) on Sunday. If the Tar Heels advance, we’ll have a rematch of the 2025 overtime NCAA semifinal (Northwestern victory), the 2022 and 2023 NCAA Championship games (UNC victories), and the 2021 first round, when the Wildcats eliminated the three-time defending national champions. The two schools have combined to win every national title since 2018. Safe to say this one would bring some fireworks to Evanston. 
 
Terps, Hawkeyes Set on Collision Course 
 
No. 2 seed Maryland drew Wagner, who opened its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance with a opening-round win over Fairfield. The Terps will go up against a familiar face in Wagner assistant coach Rayne Wright, who was an All-Big Ten First Team selection at Maryland in 2023. Maryland now seeks its first NCAA Tournament win since that season against the Seahawks at 12 p.m. ET on ESPN+ in College Park. 
 
Should they advance, the Terps will clash with either Iowa or Duke. Speaking of the Hawkeyes... 
 
Seeking its Big Ten-leading 31st NCAA Tournament victory, No. 7 seed Iowa battles Duke, hoping unanimous All-Big Ten First Team selections Fréderique van Cleef and Dionne van Aalsum will lead its offense past a Blue Devils defense that’s allowed 1.41 goals per game this season (would rank fifth in the Big Ten). Catch this Power Four clash on Friday at 2:30 p.m. ET on ESPN+. 
 
Should the Hawkeyes advance, they'll either have a rematch of the Big Ten Tournament semifinal between Iowa and Maryland (the Terps won 4-1), or NEC Champion Wagner on Sunday. 
 
Check out the full bracket, and get ready for some postseason field hockey.