NCAA Announces Field Hockey Championship Bracket

The 2020 Division I Field Hockey Championship bracket is set, with the top four teams (North Carolina, Iowa, Louisville, Michigan) all receiving first round byes.

Twelve spots were up for grabs. Nine programs were automatic selections for winning their conferences, while three programs — Iowa, Northwestern & Louisville — received at-large bids.

Taking the number one overall seed is North Carolina, who will be making a record 37th appearance in the NCAA tournament. They also have an opportunity to win a national championship on their home field, as the championship game will take place in Chapel Hill. 

Automatic Qualifiers:

• American East Conference: Stanford
• Atlantic Coast Conference: North Carolina
• Atlantic 10 Conference: VCU
• Big East Conference: UConn
• Big Ten Conference: Michigan
• Colonial Athletic Association: Delaware
• Mid-American Conference: Miami (OH)
• Northeast Conference: Rider
• Patriot League: Bucknell

First- and second-round contests will be split between two sites: Penn State and North Carolina. The semifinal and championship games will take place in Chapel Hill and be broadcast on ESPN3/ESPNU. 

April 30 — First Round:

• Miami (OH) vs. Stanford: 12 p.m. ET – Chapel Hill, NC
• Northwestern vs. Delaware: 3 p.m. ET – Chapel Hill, NC
• VCU vs. Bucknell: 12 p.m. ET – University Park, PA
• UConn vs. Rider: 3 p.m. ET – University Park, PA

May 2 — Second Round:

• #1 North Carolina vs. TBD: 12 p.m. ET – Chapel Hill, NC
• #4 Iowa vs. TBD: 3 p.m. ET – Chapel Hill, NC
• #3 Louisville vs. TBD: 3 p.m. ET – University Park, PA
• #2 Michigan vs. TBD: 12 p.m. ET – University Park, PA