Following our Big Ten breakdown, we now shift to the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) to evaluate how much playing time freshmen earned during the 2025 season. The ACC continues to be one of the most competitive conferences in Division I, and the distribution of minutes among first-year athletes reflects each program’s approach to roster depth, player development, and international recruitment.
Using data reported on the official team websites, we compiled all playing-time totals for ACC freshmen. The table below presents the updated figures for the 2025 season, organized by college.
DEF = Defender MID = Midfielder FWD = Forward
FH College Path
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In our previous article, “Freshman Realities: What to Expect in Your First Year of College Field Hockey”—published on October 22, 2024 and available here: https://www.fhcollegepath.com/fhcp-blog/freshman-realities-what-to-expect-in-your-first-year-of-college-field-hockey —we promised a deeper look into how much playing time true freshmen are earning across NCAA Division I conferences.
Today, we continue that commitment by turning our attention to the Big Ten Conference for the 2025 season. The Big Ten remains one of the most physically demanding and tactically sophisticated conferences in the nation, where competition for minutes is as intense as the conference rivalries themselves. For first-year athletes, playing time is more than a statistic—it’s a window into development, team needs, coaching philosophies, and the transition from high-school or international play to the elite Division I level. Across the Big Ten, programs differ significantly in how they integrate freshmen into their lineups. Some rely heavily on incoming players to fill immediate gaps, while others lean on experienced upperclassmen, easing freshmen into the rotation over time. Additionally, roster composition—including the presence of international student-athletes—also shapes opportunities for new players. Using the most recent data available on each program’s official website, we have compiled the latest playing-time information for Big Ten freshmen during the 2025 season. The results highlight notable variations not only between programs but also within the broader national landscape when compared to other conferences. Below is the full table and collected data for this year’s analysis.
FCHP
A New Standard In Field Hockey Player EvaluationFH College Path is proud to introduce the Individual Player Rating System (IPRS), a modern, transparent, and competitive framework designed to evaluate field hockey players across the United States. This rating model emerges as the natural next step following the success of the College Path Players initiative for the Classes of 2026 and 2027, where FHCP recognized outstanding athletes who demonstrated elite ability, development, and collegiate potential. With the rapid expansion of field hockey across the country and the increasing intensity of NCAA recruiting, the IPRS provides a long-needed structure that reflects the true hierarchy of national competitive achievements. For many years, FH College Path has carefully monitored USA Field Hockey’s official development pathway, including the Nexus Championship, Junior Olympics, Junior National Team Selection Camp, the Junior U.S. Women’s National Team (USWNT), the Junior U.S. Women's National Indoor Team (USWNIT), and the respective outdoor and indoor travel teams. These events gather the nation’s best athletes and challenge them in rigorous, high-performance environments where skill, adaptability, tactical intelligence, and competitiveness are tested at the highest level. However, despite the depth and quality of these pathways, the sport lacked a unified system capable of translating each milestone into an evaluation tool that could be easily understood by families, clubs, and college coaches. Why a Star-Based System is NecessaryA key reason for establishing the IPRS is the need for fairness and clarity in evaluating athletes across the country. Major American sports—including football, basketball, soccer, lacrosse, volleyball, and tennis—have relied on star-based recruiting systems for decades. These systems allow college coaches to instantly understand the competitive level and projected potential of a young athlete. Field hockey, despite its rapid growth and rising national profile, lacked an equivalent standardized rating mechanism. The IPRS finally brings field hockey to the same recruiting standard as these major sports. A Transparent Path ForwardUnlike other ranking systems in youth sports that rely on coach nominations, subjective submissions, or large pools of unverifiable recommendations, the IPRS is fundamentally anchored in objective, competitive, and official evaluations. No athlete receives stars based on opinions or reputation—only on documented participation and progression through USA Field Hockey’s national structure. At the core of the system is a five-star scale. Achievements within USAFH’s pathway translate directly into star accumulation, with the outdoor pathway carrying the highest competitive weight. Indoor achievements contribute additional value but serve a complementary role and cannot elevate a player beyond the five-star maximum. Every milestone—indoor or outdoor—remains visible on an athlete’s FHCP profile, ensuring full transparency and recognition without inflating the rating itself. To provide clarity and accessibility, FHCP presents the IPRS structure in a visual progression chart:
*JUSWNT = Junior US Women’s National Team | *JUSWNIT = Junior US Women’s National Indoor Team
Through this progression, athletes and families gain a transparent understanding of how national athletic achievements translate into a meaningful rating. College coaches, in turn, receive a reliable tool for identifying prospects capable of making an immediate impact at the NCAA level. The system rewards progression—not participation—and reinforces the competitive integrity of the USAFH structure. Access, Equity, and Evaluation Beyond NexusFH College Path recognizes that participation in the USAFH pathway, especially Nexus, often requires significant travel, logistical commitment, and financial investment. Many families live far from regional hubs, many athletes are multisport competitors, and many face economic barriers that make year-to-year participation in Nexus impossible. Understanding this reality, FHCP has committed to developing IPRS Evaluation Events—professional technical assessments led by qualified coaches—to provide equitable avenues for athletes who cannot access USAFH pathways. These events will maintain high evaluation standards while expanding opportunities nationwide. In addition, FHCP will launch a National IPRS Showcase, where many of the most talented athletes from across the country will be able to perform directly in front of college coaches. While the Showcase does not currently award stars, it plays a crucial role in ensuring visibility and leveling the playing field for all athletes. The Class of 2028 and the Future of the IPRSFH College Path is also proud to announce that the first official IPRS release for the Class of 2028 will be launched soon, providing the inaugural cohort evaluated under this standardized and equitable model. The Class of 2028 will set the foundation for annual updates and future expansions, making the IPRS the national reference point for field hockey talent evaluation. With the launch of the IPRS, FH College Path reaffirms its commitment to transparency, competitive excellence, and athlete development. This system not only elevates visibility and opportunity for deserving athletes but also strengthens the recruiting process for NCAA programs nationwide. As field hockey continues to grow across the country, the IPRS will serve as a guiding force—acknowledging achievement, enabling fairness, and shaping the next generation of collegiate players. The IPRS is more than a rating system; it is the beginning of a new era in how field hockey talent is identified, measured, and celebrated in the United States.
FH College Path
Field Hockey · Recruiting · College Pathway
The 2025 NCAA Final Four delivered two decisive results on Friday. In the first semifinal, Princeton defeated Harvard 2–0, with goals scored in the fourth quarter by Caitlin Thompson and Anna Faulstich, sending the Tigers to the national championship game. In the second semifinal, Northwestern beat North Carolina 4–3 in overtime. The Wildcats’ goals were scored by Maja Zivojnovic, Olivia Bent-Cole, Ilse Tromp, and Ashley Sessa, while North Carolina scored through Ryleigh Heck, Kara Heck, and Isabel Boere. With both semifinal results finalized, the national championship matchup is set: Northwestern vs. Princeton — this Sunday, November 23 at 1:00 PM. Watch live on ESPN+.  The NCAA Final Four weekend has arrived, bringing together four of the strongest programs in the nation for two high-stakes semifinals. At noon, Princeton and Harvard open the action in a classic Ivy League showdown, followed by a powerhouse matchup between North Carolina and Northwestern. With championship history, rivalries, and elite talent on display, this weekend sets the stage for an electrifying battle to determine who will advance to Sunday’s national title game.  On November 14th, all eight first-round games of the NCAA Division I Field Hockey Championship were decided, setting the full bracket for the next round. Harvard dominated New Hampshire 8–2, while Princeton advanced with a 3–1 win over Fairfield. UConn shut out Wake Forest 2–0, and Syracuse edged Liberty in a tight 3–2 battle. One of the biggest surprises came from Miami (OH), who upset No. 4 seed Virginia 2–1 to reach the Elite Eight for the first time in program history. North Carolina survived a tough test from Saint Joseph’s, earning a 2–1 victory, while defending national champion Northwestern rolled past Yale 5–1. Closing the day, Duke completed a comeback to defeat Iowa 2–1. These results finalize a strong quarterfinal lineup.  FHCP
The field is officially set for the 2025 NCAA Division III Field Hockey Championship. This year’s tournament brings together 28 programs from across the nation, showcasing the best of Division III field hockey and highlighting the balance of skill, speed, and determination that defines this level of play. The championship field features 18 automatic qualifiers, awarded to conference champions, and 10 at-large selections, chosen based on overall season performance, strength of schedule, and results against regionally ranked opponents. At the top of the bracket, Christopher Newport, Bates, Johns Hopkins, and Babson have earned the top four overall seeds, each receiving a first-round bye. The 2025 NCAA Division III Field Hockey Championship bracket is now available.  FHCP
The NCAA Division II Field Hockey Committee has officially announced the eight programs selected to compete for the 2025 NCAA Division II Field Hockey National Championship — a field that brings together perennial powerhouses, undefeated contenders, and regional rivals ready to battle for the title this November. The conferences and their representatives receiving automatic qualification are Saint Anselm (16–5) from the Northeast-10 Conference, Shippensburg (17–3) representing the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference, and Newberry (18–0) from the South Atlantic Conference. The five at-large selections, recognized for their consistent performance and competitive schedules are Assumption (13–6), Bentley (13–8), East Stroudsburg (16–3), Kutztown (19–1), and West Chester (13–6). The preliminary-round games are scheduled for Saturday, November 15, and will be played at campus sites across both regions. In the opening matchups, Bentley will travel to Newberry, West Chester visits East Stroudsburg, Saint Anselm faces Shippensburg, and Assumption takes on Kutztown. Winners of these matchups will advance to the national semifinals, scheduled for Friday, November 21, at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. (ET). The national championship game will be played on Sunday, November 23, at 12:30 p.m., with all games hosted at Steph Pettit Stadium on the campus of Bloomsburg University in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania. The official 2025 NCAA Division II Field Hockey Championship bracket is now available, outlining all matchups and paths to the national title.  FHCP
The NCAA Division I Field Hockey Committee has released the full lineup of teams that will compete for the 2025 national championship, marking the beginning of one of the most competitive postseason tournaments in recent years. Each fall, the selection process combines automatic qualifications from conference champions with at-large invitations determined by national performance metrics. Among these, the Ratings Percentage Index -known simply as RPI- plays a decisive role in shaping the championship field. The RPI is a mathematical system designed to evaluate teams beyond just wins and losses. It measures how successful a program has been while factoring in the strength of its competition. The index is built from three main components: a team’s own winning percentage (25%), the average winning percentage of its opponents (50%), and the average winning percentage of those opponents’ opponents (25%). This formula RPI = (Winning Percentage × 0.25) + (Opponents’ Winning Percentage × 0.50) + (Opponents’ Opponents’ Winning Percentage × 0.25) produces a single numerical value that allows the committee to compare teams across conferences with very different levels of competition. In practice, the RPI rewards programs that challenge themselves against high-level opponents rather than accumulating easy wins. A team that finishes with several close losses to nationally ranked competition can often rank higher than a team with a strong record against weaker opponents. The NCAA also applies adjustments to account for home and away results — with road victories carrying slightly more value than home wins — ensuring that teams demonstrating success under difficult circumstances receive proper recognition. In field hockey, the RPI has become one of the most influential tools guiding tournament selection and seeding. It offers a clear, data-based view of competitive strength across the country and helps the committee balance records with schedule difficulty. Because of this, teams from powerhouse leagues such as the Big Ten and ACC, where top-25 matchups occur nearly every weekend, often benefit from higher RPIs and stronger postseason resumes. In 2025, the index again proved decisive, with programs like Iowa, Wake Forest, and Duke earning at-large invitations largely on the strength of their RPI and quality-of-schedule scores. Check out the rankings at NCAA Stats. Ten conferences earned automatic qualification by capturing their league titles. Those champions include New Hampshire (America East), North Carolina (ACC), Saint Joseph’s (Atlantic 10), Liberty (Big East), Northwestern (Big Ten), Drexel (Coastal Athletic Association), Princeton (Ivy League), Miami of Ohio (Mid-American), Fairfield (Northeast), and Boston University (Patriot League). The four lowest-ranked automatic qualifiers will compete in opening-round contests, while the remaining six will advance directly into the first weekend of national play. The committee also selected eight additional programs to complete the 18-team championship field. Those at-large selections, chosen for their season-long consistency and competitive strength of schedule, include UConn (11-8), Duke (12-7), Harvard (17-1), Iowa (14-5), Syracuse (12-6), Virginia (16-2), Wake Forest (15-4), and Yale (12-5). Each earned its place through impressive performances across conference and non-conference play, bolstered by strong RPI rankings and significant wins over top-tier opponents. The official 2025 NCAA Division I Field Hockey Championship bracket has now been released, outlining all matchups, opening-round pairings, and potential tournament paths on the road to Durham.  FHCP
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