William & Mary Field Hockey Gears Up for Challenging Homecoming Weekend
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The William & Mary field hockey team is set to face a demanding pair of contests during Homecoming Week,welcoming no. 13 Monmouth on Friday, October 17th, and No. 3 Virginia on Sunday, October 19th, to Busch Field. Sunday’s match will also serve as Senior Day, honoring the contributions of Natasha Browning, Erin Griffin, Amelia Morgan, Eme Schmittel, Emme Schwartz, and Ellie Taylor.
Homecoming Weekend Schedule & Fan Information
The Tribe will kick off the weekend against CAA rival Monmouth at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, with the game being streamed on FloCollege. Fans are advised to plan ahead, as William & Mary’s Homecoming Parade will begin at 4 p.m. on Richmond Road and conclude at Kaplan Arena, perhaps causing increased traffic and limited access to certain areas of campus.
Sunday’s Senior Day matchup against Virginia is scheduled for noon. Prior to the game, the team will recognize its graduating class for their dedication and achievements.
Enhanced Security Measures Coming to W&M Athletics
William & Mary is committed to providing a secure habitat for all attendees at its athletic events. Beginning in the fall of 2025, the university will implement walk-through metal detectors at the entrances to all athletic venues, both ticketed and non-ticketed. This enhancement complements the existing Clear Bag Policy and aligns with security protocols at major professional and collegiate athletic events nationwide. According to a university release, fans will not be required to remove items such as belts, cell phones, coins, jackets, jewellery, watches, wallets, shoes, or other small objects during the screening process.Security personnel will address any necessary secondary screenings individually.
Tribe Faces tough Competition
The Tribe enters the weekend with momentum following a strong offensive performance in their most recent home game against Davidson on October 5th, scoring a season-high four goals.Senior Emme Schwartz made a significant impact, scoring her first two career goals for William & Mary.
Junior josie Mae Gruendel continues to lead the Tribe’s offensive efforts, adding to her team-leading goal total against Davidson. She scored twice in the final moments of a September 7th victory over Lafayette, demonstrating her clutch performance ability. Gruendel currently ranks fifth in the CAA in goals scored (4) and ninth in total points (9).
Defensively, William & Mary is anchored by junior goalkeeper Alexandra de Jesus, who leads the CAA and ranks fourth nationally with an impressive 8.82 saves per game. Her save percentage of 72.4% is second in the CAA and 28th in the country. De Jesus recently recorded a career-high 24 saves against Old Dominion on August 31st, marking the fourth-most saves in a single game in school history and the most by a Tribe goalkeeper since 1994. It also stands as the highest single-game save total nationally in 2025.
Series History
william & Mary holds a 7-1 advantage in the all-time series against monmouth,having won three of their four matchups since Monmouth joined the CAA. Though, Monmouth secured their first-ever victory over the Tribe last season. In 2023, the Green and Gold triumphed over Monmouth 3-2 in double overtime to claim the CAA Championship title at Delaware.
The series with Virginia is heavily tilted in favor of the Cavaliers, with a record of 36-16-2.Virginia has won the last ten meetings, including a 4-1 victory in Charlottesville last season. William & Mary’s last win against Virginia came in 2013, a 2-1 upset in Charlottesville against then-No. 5 Virginia.
