WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – William & Mary field hockey splits its matches this week between the road and home. The Tribe travels to Richmond to face former league rival VCU on Friday, Sept. 5, at 3 p.m., before hosting defending Patriot League Champion Lafayette on Sunday, Sept. 7, at Busch Field at noon.
The W&M-VCU match-up on Friday will be broadcast on ESPN+, while the contest with the Leopards will be available on FloCollege.
Clear Bag Policy and Metal Detectors
Furthering its commitment to a first class and secure environment at home athletic events, William & Mary will implement the use of walk-through metal detectors at the entrances to athletic venues (both ticketed and non-ticketed events) beginning in the fall of 2025. This enhanced security method mirrors standard practice at most major professional and intercollegiate athletic events throughout the country and compliments the
Clear Bag Policy already in place. Fans will proceed through metal detectors prior to having their tickets scanned or entering a venue for non-tickets events. Entrants will not need to remove items such as belts, cell phones, coins, jackets, jewelry, watches, wallets, shoes or other small objects. If additional screening is necessary, security staff will ask the individual to proceed to a secondary screening area, where they will be asked to divest themselves of certain items and pass through again until clear.
Tribe News and Notes
- Junior
Alexandra de Jesus started both games during the opening week in goal for the Tribe. In the setback at Old Dominion, she produced one of the top performances in school history, tallying 24 saves against the Monarchs. It marked the fourth-most saves in a game in school history, was the most for a Tribe goalkeeper since 1994, and is the most for a goalkeeper nationally in 2025. de Jesus currently ranks fourth nationally averaging 14 saves per game.
- W&M leads the all-time series with VCU at 57-13, including a 23-5 mark in Richmond. Each of the last five meetings between the teams have been decided by a goal, including three contests that have been decided in overtime or a shootout. After the Tribe posted back-to-back OT wins over the Rams in 2022 and 2023, VCU notched a 2-1 victory in Williamsburg last season.
- The Tribe holds a 4-1 advantage in the all-time series with Lafayette. The teams will meet for the first time since W&M notched a 3-2 overtime win at the Leopards in 2019. The Green and Gold has won three-straight in the series. The Tribe and Rams have met in 40 of last 43 years.
- Junior
Josie Mae Gruendel and senior
Emme Schwartz earned Preseason All-CAA honors ahead of the 2025 season. Gruendel was one of 12 players named to the preseason All-CAA team, while Schwartz was among five players be earn honorable mention distinction. It marked the second-straight season in which Gruendel was recognized after she was on the honorable mention list in 2024.
- The Tribe's nonconference schedule includes four NCAA Tournament teams from last season (Lafayette, Duke, Virginia, and Delaware), and three teams ranked in the preseason national top 20 by the NFHCA. No. 3 Virginia (Oct. 19) and No. 5 Duke (Sept. 12) are both among the national top five and make trips to Williamsburg in 2025. Liberty is also in the national rankings at No. 17 and travels to Busch Field on Sept. 28.
