Field Hockey

NCAA Field Hockey Scholarships 2025–26: What Every Family Needs to Know

📑 Table of Contents

• What Is a Field Hockey Scholarship?

• How Many NCAA Field Hockey Scholarships Are There in 2025–26?

• When Can Field Hockey Coaches Contact Recruits?

• What Do Coaches Look For in Field Hockey Recruits?

• Field Hockey Recruiting Timeline (Freshman to Senior Year)

• Partial vs. Full Scholarships: What to Expect

• Common Recruiting Mistakes to Avoid

• FAQs

• Further Reading: Related Resources

👉 Download the Playbook now to get the complete system, including templates, timelines, and insider breakdowns coaches don’t publish.

Introduction

If you’re aiming for an NCAA field hockey scholarship in 2025–26, you’re stepping into one of the most competitive recruiting environments in college athletics. With over 270 NCAA programs, thousands of athletes fighting for limited spots, and complex rules about when coaches can contact you, timing and preparation are everything.

This guide gives you the foundation you need to understand how field hockey scholarships work. If you want the step-by-step system — including templates, timelines, and real-world examples — you’ll find all of that in our Field Hockey Scholarship Playbook.

What Is a Field Hockey Scholarship?

A field hockey scholarship is financial aid awarded to student-athletes to help cover the cost of college. Unlike pro contracts, these awards are usually partial, often stacked with academic or need-based aid.

• Nearly all scholarships go to women’s programs in the U.S.

• D1 and D2 offer athletic aid, while D3 and the Ivy League provide merit and financial aid only.

• NAIA programs and international recruiting are growing each year.

👉 Want to see exactly how programs combine athletic and academic money to build packages? That breakdown is in the Playbook.

NCAA Field Hockey Scholarship Limits (2025–26)

Here’s what you need to know at a high level:

• Division I: Equivalency sport, typically ~12 full scholarships spread across a 23–27 player roster.

• Division II: 6.3 scholarships per program.

• Division III + Ivy League: No athletic aid, but strong merit and financial packages.

• NAIA: Up to 12 scholarships per program, with more flexibility in how aid is distributed.

👉 Curious how coaches actually slice those scholarships by position and class? We break down real rosters inside the Playbook.

NCAA Recruiting Contact Dates

Understanding when coaches can officially reach out is critical:

• June 15 after sophomore year – Coaches in field hockey can begin calling, texting, and emailing recruits.

• September 1 of junior year – Expanded window for recruiting conversations, campus invites, and verbal offers. “Midnight calls” are common — some athletes hear from coaches the moment the clock strikes 12:01 a.m.

Non-NCAA options like JUCO and NAIA don’t follow these rules, meaning athletes may hear from them earlier.

👉 The Playbook includes email templates, timelines, and prep checklists for both June 15 and September 1 so you’re not caught off guard.

What Coaches Look For

At a surface level, coaches prioritize:

• Impact positions like goalkeepers and high-scoring forwards.

• Strong academics, since GPA affects both eligibility and scholarship stacking.

• Leadership and character, on and off the field.

• Highlight video that shows your decision-making and skill.

👉 Want to know what programs like UNC, Duke, or Maryland specifically value in recruits? That insider detail is in the Playbook.

Recruiting Timeline (The Smart Way to Stay Ahead)

Freshman Year

• Build athletic foundation (club + high school).

• Keep GPA strong — aim 3.5+.

• Create your first highlight video + athletic resume.

• Send a brief intro email to coaches: who you are, your goals, link to video. (They can’t reply yet, but they’ll start tracking you.)

Sophomore Year

• Update your highlight video with improved skills/game footage.

• Email coaches again with GPA updates, new video link, and your upcoming showcase schedule.

• Attend ID camps and tournaments — exposure matters early.

• By the time June 15 arrives, you’re already on radar.

Junior Year

• Coaches can now call, text, and email you starting June 15.

• You’re not introducing yourself — you’re following up.

• Continue showcasing academics + performance growth.

• Visit campuses and build toward offers.

Senior Year

• Narrow down choices.

• Compare offers and aid packages.

• Finalize commitment.

Scholarship Distribution Insights

Because field hockey is an equivalency sport, most players get partial awards. Academic money is often combined with athletic aid.

👉 The Playbook shows you real scholarship math examples — how $20K packages are built, how coaches balance budgets, and how families can maximize offers.

Common Recruiting Mistakes & Red Flags

These are the most common reasons athletes miss out:

• Waiting until junior or senior year to contact coaches.

• Submitting a weak or confusing highlight video.

• Ignoring GPA and test score requirements.

• Not understanding the June 15 / Sept 1 rules.

• Assuming club coaches will “handle recruiting” for them.

👉 Each of these mistakes is avoidable. The Playbook gives you case studies and templates so you don’t make them.

FAQs

Can men get field hockey scholarships in the U.S.?
Men’s field hockey is not a varsity NCAA sport in the U.S.; nearly all scholarships are awarded to women.

How many NCAA field hockey scholarships are available?
Division I programs typically split ~12 scholarships across rosters of 23–27 athletes. Division II allows 6.3 per program.

Are scholarships full or partial?
Most are partial. Coaches combine athletic and academic aid to build packages.

When should I start field hockey recruiting?
Begin preparation as early as freshman year. Official coach contact begins June 15 after sophomore year.

Which colleges are best for field hockey scholarships?
UNC, Maryland, Michigan, Penn State, and Duke consistently rank among the nation’s strongest programs.

Further Reading: Related Guides

How to Get a Field Hockey Scholarship in the U.S.

Final Thoughts

Every year, thousands of field hockey players chase just a few hundred scholarships. Don’t wait until it’s too late. Download our Field Hockey Scholarship Playbook — trusted by families just like yours — and get the exact steps, templates, and strategies recruiters want to see today.