INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. --- Washington and Lee University, holders of the ODAC's automatic bid into the NCAA Division III Field Hockey Tournament after winning the conference championship on Saturday, learned that it will be the only school from the ODAC to compete in the 26-team field.
The Generals (16-2) will be making their fourth appearance in the NCAA Tournament. They are 2-3 in three previous berths including a 1-1 showing last season.
The 2022 NCAA field is slightly altered from last season. Seventeen teams earned entry like Washington and Lee as automatic qualifiers from their conferences. That is one AQ more than in 2021. Pool "B" for true independent programs or those competing in leagues without automatic qualification is reduced to just one entry, down one spot from last year. Pool "C" -- at-large choices among all remaining teams eligible for selection -- account for the remaining eight teams in the field.
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Washington and Lee will host a first round game on Wednesday, November 9. The Generals welcome Ohio Wesleyan University to Lexington. The Battling Bishops (16-2) punched their NCAA dance card by winning the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) championship with a 1-0 double-overtime victory over DePauw University on Saturday afternoon.
The winner of the W&L vs. OWU tilt will travel to Salisbury University for second and third round competition. The host Sea Gulls (17-0) received a bye through the first round. The other two teams in that eventual four-team pod will come from the winners of first round contests featuring DeSales University (15-4) at York College (Pa.)(15-5) and Johnson & Wales University (Providence)(19-1) at Williams College (12-5). DSU won the MAC Freedom Conference title, while Williams and York earned at-large selections out of the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) and MAC Commonwealth Conference, respectively.
Ten first round games are slated for Wednesday, November 9. Four locations will host four-teams pods in second and third round play on Saturday and Sunday, November 12-13. The national semifinals and championship will be competed on Saturday and Sunday, November 19-20, at Richard Wackar Stadium in Glassboro, N.J. Rowan University will serve as the national championship host.
Game times and ticket information will be announced later this week. For more information, visit the websites of any of the participating schools. You can also go to the home of the ODAC on the Internet at www.odaconline.com. Don't forget to become a fan of the ODAC on Facebook and follow @odacathletics on Twitter and Instagram.