Today, we could have two first-time champions in NCAA field hockey, depending on whether or not St. Joseph’s University wins the Division I championship and whether Saint Anselm wins the Division II tournament.
It’s been quite a season for first-time champions. In the schools, we have found at least 14 teams winning their first terminal tournament championship — either a state title, regional championship, or sectional tournament final.
We’re not entirely sure why the number of first-time titlists is so high. Is it because of a leveling of the playing field between the haves and the have-nots? Or is it because these new champions finally copped an attitude, having seen their seasons end earlier than that of their peers?
Thing is, we also saw nearly 10 teams this year fall one game short of their first-ever state or sectional championship.
Will we see St. Joseph’s or St. Anselm win their first championship, or fall just agonizingly short of their first title?
Come and join us today at 1 p.m. on Instagram Live for our whiparound coverage of the three NCAA title matches, as well as bonus coverage of the National Field Hockey League finals, which will be ending shortly before the NCAA games.