App State Field Hockey Faces Bellarmine, No. 18 Dukes

BOONE, N.C. — The App State field hockey team will travel to Louisville, Ky. to face the Bellarmine Knights on Friday at 1 p.m. The Mountaineers will then return home for a Sunday matchup against No. 18 James Madison at 1 p.m.

The Mountaineers (6-1, 1-0) are coming off a dominant 7-1 win over Vermont, featuring goals from Sophia Baxter, Lise Boekaar, Frederique Grimbergen, Hadley Kuzmicky, and Kate Richardson.

Friday’s Matchup

• Who: App State vs. Bellarmine
• Where: Trager Stadium // Louisville, Ky.
• When: Friday, Sept. 26, 1 p.m.

Sunday’s Matchup

• Who: App State vs. James Madison
• Where: Dr. Jan C. Watson Field at the Brandon & Erica M. Adcock Field Hockey Complex // Boone, N.C.
• When: Sunday, Sept. 28, 1 p.m.

Scouting the Mountaineers
Through their first seven games, the Mountaineers lead the conference in goals (35) and scoring average (5.0), while also second in assists (26) and shots (130).

Boekaar has been on a tear this season, leading the Mid-American Conference (MAC) in assists (14) and total points (30) while also ranking second in goals (8). She leads the nation in assists per game (2) and points per game (4.29). Her performance during the opening weekend earned her the MAC Offensive Player of the Week honor after she was responsible for the team’s first 10 goals of the season.

Boekaar currently holds the App State record for the most assists in a single season (14), and three more assists will give her the most in App State Field Hockey history.

On the defensive end, Baxter has been a force, earning the MAC Defensive Player of the Week honor for her play against Davidson. She has tallied six goals and two assists this season.

The 2025 team features three players who earned All-MAC selections in 2024. Midfielder Boekaar was named to the All-MAC First Team and the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) South Region First Team. Henriette Stegen was named to the All-MAC Second Team, while Grimbergen earned a spot on the All-MAC Freshman Team.

Six Mountaineers are on the 2025 NFHCA Division I Watch List: returning players Baxter, Boekaar, Grimbergen, and Stegen, and newcomers Richardson and Calista Schwartz. Baxter represented the Mountaineers at the Senior Nexus Championship last summer.

 

Scouting the Knights

Bellarmine (0-7, 0-1 MAC) enters the matchup after a 4-13 (1-7 MAC) season in 2024. Most recently, they suffered an 11-0 loss to Miami (OH). The Knights are led by head coach Toby Platt, who is in his first season at the helm.

 

Scouting the Dukes

No. 18 James Madison (6-3, 1-0 MAC) enters the matchup after a 14-6 (7-1 MAC) season in 2024, with their only MAC loss coming to App State in the last game of the regular season. This defeat gave the Mountaineers a share of the regular-season title. Most recently, the Dukes took down No. 8 Michigan 3-1 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, helping them earn a national ranking of 18 in the NFHCA poll. The Dukes are led by head coach Christy Morgan, who is in her 20th season leading the program.

 

Series History

vs. Bellarmine: This is the seventh all-time meeting between the Mountaineers and the Knights, with App State leading the series 6-0.

vs. James Madison: This is the 22nd meeting between the Mountaineers and the Dukes. James Madison leads the series 15-5-1, with the Mountaineers winning the last three contests.

Up Next

The Mountaineers will remain in the High Country to host Miami (OH) on Oct. 3. First touch at the Dr. Jan C. Watson Field at the Brandon & Erica M. Adcock Field Hockey Complex is scheduled for 3 p.m.