Ball State University Athletics
Ball State Field Hockey Announces Challenging 2026 Schedule
June 01, 2026 | Field Hockey
MUNCIE, Ind. — As head coach Caitlin Walsh enters her fourth year building the Ball State field hockey program, the Cardinals have announced a dynamic and highly competitive schedule for the upcoming 2026 season. The team enters the fall with high expectations and a rigorous lineup designed to test them early and often.
"We are excited about the challenges and opportunities our 2026 schedule presents," Walsh said. "This group has put in an incredible amount of work throughout the offseason. They are hungry to compete against a strong non-conference slate and a demanding MAC schedule. We are ready to embrace the challenge, compete at a high level, and show what this team is capable of this fall."
Coach Walsh and her staff have once again constructed a demanding non-conference lineup, starting right at home. The Cardinals will spark local fan interest early at the Briner Sports Complex with back-to-back home scrimmages against Power 4 opponents, hosting Indiana on August 20 and Louisville on August 22.
The regular season officially opens on the road the weekend of August 28–29 at Bucknell. The Cardinals will battle the host Bison before facing Sacred Heart in a neutral-site matchup. Ball State stays on the road the following weekend, traveling to Iowa on September 5–6 for a pair of games against Lehigh and the Hawkeyes.
Ball State then returns to Muncie for a highly anticipated three-game homestand. The Cardinals welcome Indiana on September 13, host James Madison University for the Mid-American Conference opener on September 18, and wrap up the home stretch against Michigan State on September 20.
League play intensifies on September 25 when Ball State travels to Central Michigan, followed quickly by a home game against Longwood on September 27. The Cardinals kick off October with a three-game MAC road stretch, visiting App State on October 2, Davidson on October 4, and Kent State on October 9.
The team returns to the Briner Sports Complex for its final home stretch of the season. Ball State will host UMass on October 16, Miami on October 18, Ohio on October 23, and Queens on October 25 for the home finale.
The Cardinals wrap up the regular season in Louisville, Kentucky, facing host Bellarmine on October 29 and playing a neutral-site game against Saint Louis on October 30. The post-season path is already set, as the Mid-American Conference Tournament will take place from November 4 to November 7 on the campus of Miami University.
"We are excited about the challenges and opportunities our 2026 schedule presents," Walsh said. "This group has put in an incredible amount of work throughout the offseason. They are hungry to compete against a strong non-conference slate and a demanding MAC schedule. We are ready to embrace the challenge, compete at a high level, and show what this team is capable of this fall."
Coach Walsh and her staff have once again constructed a demanding non-conference lineup, starting right at home. The Cardinals will spark local fan interest early at the Briner Sports Complex with back-to-back home scrimmages against Power 4 opponents, hosting Indiana on August 20 and Louisville on August 22.
The regular season officially opens on the road the weekend of August 28–29 at Bucknell. The Cardinals will battle the host Bison before facing Sacred Heart in a neutral-site matchup. Ball State stays on the road the following weekend, traveling to Iowa on September 5–6 for a pair of games against Lehigh and the Hawkeyes.
Ball State then returns to Muncie for a highly anticipated three-game homestand. The Cardinals welcome Indiana on September 13, host James Madison University for the Mid-American Conference opener on September 18, and wrap up the home stretch against Michigan State on September 20.
League play intensifies on September 25 when Ball State travels to Central Michigan, followed quickly by a home game against Longwood on September 27. The Cardinals kick off October with a three-game MAC road stretch, visiting App State on October 2, Davidson on October 4, and Kent State on October 9.
The team returns to the Briner Sports Complex for its final home stretch of the season. Ball State will host UMass on October 16, Miami on October 18, Ohio on October 23, and Queens on October 25 for the home finale.
The Cardinals wrap up the regular season in Louisville, Kentucky, facing host Bellarmine on October 29 and playing a neutral-site game against Saint Louis on October 30. The post-season path is already set, as the Mid-American Conference Tournament will take place from November 4 to November 7 on the campus of Miami University.
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