Field Hockey Announces 2022 Schedule

EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State head field hockey coach Helen Knull announced the full 2022 schedule on Tuesday, with a total of 18 regular-season games and three exhibitions. Set to face eight qualifiers from the 2021 NCAA Tournament, the Spartans will open the regular season on Aug. 26 at Ralph Young Field.

"This fall's schedule is a good balance of home and away games that will provide us with tough challenges in and out of the Big Ten Conference," said Knull, who enters her 12th season leading the Spartans. "We look forward to welcoming American, Saint Louis and Central Michigan to East Lansing for the opening weekend on our newly-renovated Ralph Young Field turf. Additionally, we have not had matches on the west coast since 2017, so we look forward to a California road trip to take on UC Davis and Stanford before we kick off conference play at home."

MSU will play two exhibition contests on the road during the preseason, heading east to longtime rival Michigan on Friday, Aug. 19, and then making the short drive up to Central Michigan for a Sunday scrimmage on Aug. 21.

The Spartans begin the regular season at home against the defending Patriot League champions, American University, on Friday, Aug. 26. That contest with AU will serve as a reunion for MSU graduate transfer Georgia Davies, who was a First Team All-Patriot League selection last season for the Eagles. MSU will also face Saint Louis during the season-opening weekend, while also hosting the Billikens on Sunday, Aug. 28.

California awaits the Spartans after that first weekend, as MSU will head to UC Davis on Friday, Sept. 2, before facing Stanford on Sunday, Sept. 4 to close out the west coast swing.

An off-week following the California trip allows MSU to host an Alumni Game on Friday, Sept. 9 to welcome back former Spartan players for an exhibition contest.

The Green and White are set to open Big Ten action on Friday, Sept. 16 in East Lansing against 2021 B1G Tournament champion Rutgers, turning around and hosting Bellarmine two days later on Sunday, Sept. 18 in non-conference play.

MSU will then hit the road for four-straight, playing at conference foes Penn State (Sept. 23), Maryland (Sept. 25) and Ohio State (Sept. 30) before ending the eastern swing with a non-conference meeting with Ohio on Sunday, Oct. 2

The Spartans come home on Friday, Oct. 7 to host the rival Michigan Wolverines to return to B1G action, before heading down to Muncie, Ind., on Sunday, Oct. 9 for a showdown with Ball State. MSU then gets a pair of conference home games the following weekend, hosting reigning national champion Northwestern on Friday, Oct. 14 and Indiana on Sunday, Oct. 16.

A familiar face will be on the opposing bench when the Spartans travel to Central Michigan for a midweek matchup on Wednesday, Oct. 19, as former MSU volunteer assistant Jennifer Johnstone enters her first season as the head coach for the Chippewas.

Senior Day is set for the Spartans' home contest against MAC regular season co-champion and MAC Tournament champion Miami (Ohio), with MSU hosting the Redhawks on Sunday, Oct. 23. The final conference game for the Green and White will come on Friday, Oct. 28, when the Spartans travel to Iowa to face the defending Big Ten regular-season champion Hawkeyes.

Closing out the 2022 regular season at home on Sunday, Oct. 30, MSU will face its opening opponent from the 2021 season in the form of MAC regular-season co-champion Kent State.

The Big Ten Tournament is set for Nov. 3-6, being hosted by Ohio State in Columbus, Ohio.

Michigan State has 18 returners from its 2021 team, including All-B1G Second Team honoree Merel Hanssen. Knull and her staff will also add Davies and six incoming freshmen to the program this summer.

Players Mentioned

Merel Hanssen

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