Field Hockey Forward
Championing the growth of college field hockey
Field Hockey Forward
Dedicated to championing the growth and inclusion of women’s field hockey at the collegiate level, Field Hockey Forward is committed to increasing the visibility and footprint of this well-established sport. With its rich history as a women’s Olympic sport since 1980 and global participation exceeding 30 million, tremendous growth opportunities still exist across all collegiate divisions. While over 6,500 female field hockey student-athletes compete at the NCAA level today, advocating for increased female student-athlete participation continues to be an important initiative for many institutions. USA Field Hockey and the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) have united to enhance the visibility of our incredible sport through the Field Hockey Forward project.
An established sport that hosted its first NCAA Championship 1981, over 30 conferences currently sponsor field hockey across collegiate divisions (10 Division I, 3 Division II, and 20 Division III). Within these conferences, there are ample opportunities for sport sponsorship. Field hockey student-athletes consistently exhibit exceptional academic performance, boasting some of the highest graduation rates among all NCAA sports. This aligns well with the pursuit of institutional academic and athletic excellence, while serving as a means to bridge the gender equity gaps prevalent on many college campuses today.
Field Hockey Facts
Incentives & Support for New Programs
For more info about adding NCAA Field Hockey contact:
Cate Clark, NFHCA cate.clark@nfhca.org
Sally Goggin, USA Field Hockey sgoggin@usafieldhockey.com
Moving College Field Hockey Forward
NCAA Field Hockey Expansion
Five NCAA institutions are expanding their athletic programs to include field hockey at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) level, creating new opportunities for student-athletes, coaches, and umpires while igniting the growth of the sport. These institutions are taking exciting steps to open new opportunities for student-athletes, providing them with the chance to compete at the NCAA level and contribute to the growth of field hockey. Learn more.
Did You Know
95-98% is the average graduation rate for all NCAA field hockey athletes over the past several years.
Did You Know
18% of DI and DII NCAA field hockey student-athletes were international in 2021.
Did You Know
Over 1,800 high schools offer field hockey across 24 states in the U.S.
The NFHCA
The National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) is a nonprofit organization serving field hockey coaches and supporters of the game from across the United States. The mission of the association is to champion, strengthen, and celebrate field hockey coaches and the game. The NFHCA strives to be the organization that every field hockey coach looks to for the resources to grow in the game and the inspiration to stay in the game.