Aug. 26, 2009

The conference's seven field hockey squads open the 2009 season this weekend, beginning the 25th full season of Big Ten field hockey.

Three Big Ten teams will open the season Friday, beginning with Northwestern hosting Day 1 of the Wildcat Classic. The Wildcats will host Boston University on Friday, Ohio on Saturday, and defending NCAA Champion and preseason No. 1 Maryland in the classic's final match Monday.

Also on Friday, 2008 Big Ten Champion and preseason No. 11 Penn State will visit No. 16 Old Dominion, and Indiana will face No. 14 American.

The remaining four Big Ten schools will open the new season Saturday. Three-time defending Big Ten Tournament Champion and 2008 Final Four participant Iowa, which enters the season at No. 9, will face national runner-up No.2 Wake Forest in the opener of the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. Preseason No. 19 Michigan is the second team involved in the Challenge and will face No. 4 North Carolina following the Iowa/North Carolina match. Preseason No. 18 Ohio State will open the 2009 season at home against No. 12 James Madison, while eighth-ranked Michigan State opens its season at the Champions Challenge, hosted by Duke. The Spartans' first game is Saturday against Delaware, and the team will then play either No. 10 Duke or No. 13 Louisville Sunday.

The Big Ten/ACC Challenge will continue into Sunday when Iowa will host North Carolina, and Michigan will face Wake Forest. Penn State will visit No. 6 Virginia, Indiana travels to Richmond, and Ohio State will finish its opening homestand against Saint Louis.

The Big Ten conference season will begin Sept. 25 with the Big Ten Tournament scheduled to begin Nov. 5.

Friday's Schedule:
Boston at NORTHWESTERN [1] 11 a.m.
INDIANA vs. No. 14 American [2] 11 a.m.
#11 PENN STATE at #16 Old Dominion 5 p.m.

Saturday's Schedule:
#2 Wake Forest at #9 IOWA [3] 11:30 a.m.
#12 James Madison at #18 OHIO STATE 1 p.m.
#19 MICHIGAN vs. #4 North Carolina [3] 2 p.m.
#8 MICHIGAN STATE vs. Delaware [4] 2 p.m.
Ohio at NORTHWESTERN [1] 3 p.m.

Sunday's Schedule:
#4 North Carolina at #9IOWA [3] 11:30 a.m.
#8 MICHIGAN STATE vs. Duke/Louisville [4] 11:30 a.m./2 p.m.
#11 PENN STATE at #6 Virginia 1 p.m.
INDIANA at Richmond 2 p.m.
Saint Louis at #18 OHIO STATE 1 p.m.
#19 MICHIGAN vs. #2 Wake Forest [3] 2 p.m.

Monday's Schedule:
#1 Maryland at NORTHWESTERN [1] Noon

[1] - Wildcat Classic (Evanston, Ill.)
[2] - at Richmond (Richmond, Va.)
[3] - Big Ten/ACC Challenge (Iowa City, Iowa)
[4] - Champions Challenge (Durham, N.C.)

Big Ten Field Hockey

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