Deciding to compete in college can be a game changer for student-athletes. After you’ve decided that you want to compete in college, you will need to evaluate what types of schools you may be interested in. NCSA Power Rankings were designed to help student athletes identify the right fit across the different divisions.
BEST FIELD HOCKEY COLLEGES
Field Hockey is one of the most played sports in the world. So, as you can imagine, there is a lot of competition. If you want to compete in college, there are about 260 four-year colleges that offer opportunities to play college field hockey.
1. Princeton University
2. Harvard University
3. Yale University
4. Duke University
5. Columbia University
Top 100 Colleges for Field Hockey Student-Athletes
BEST NCAA DIVISION 1 FIELD HOCKEY COLLEGES
NCAA Division 1 has more than 70 field hockey colleges. Princeton University came out on top in our 2019 Power Rankings. Check out the top five schools below.
1. Princeton University
2. Harvard University
3. Yale University
4. Duke University
5. Columbia University
Top 50 NCAA D1 Field Hockey Colleges
BEST NCAA DIVISION 2 FIELD HOCKEY COLLEGES
Not every high school hockey player dreams of playing D1 hockey. There are many student-athletes that know Division 2 would be a better fit academically, athletically, socially and financially. The NCAA D2 level has 30+ colleges with field hockey teams. Fully funded D2 programs can offer up to 6.3 scholarships per team.
1. Bentley University
2. West Chester University of Pennsylvania
3. Assumption College
4. Stonehill College
5. Bellarmine University
Top 50 NCAA D2 Field Hockey Colleges
BEST NCAA DIVISION 3 FIELD HOCKEY COLLEGES
Most families don’t realize NCAA Division 3 athletes can receive several forms of financial aid (academic scholarships, grants and aid) that can make these schools competitive with any other division levels’ scholarship offers. For student-athletes that are considering D3, there are about 150 field hockey programs. Interested in learning more? Get started by looking at our top five below.
1. Johns Hopkins University
2. Amherst College
3. Tufts University
4. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
5. Williams College
Top 50 NCAA D3 Field Hockey Colleges
WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A COLLEGE AS A STUDENT-ATHLETE
College is at least a four-year journey for student-athletes. Not only that, student-athletes have a heavy workload. So, it’s important to research schools and make sure you find the right fit athletically, academically, socially and financially before you commit to a school.The guidelines below will help you decide if a school is worth your time.
• Athletic Fit – Athletic Fit is generally about what type of experience you want to have on your team. Do you prefer a close-knit team or is being a part of a bigger team your dream? Competition level while competing is also something to consider when making a list based on athletic fit.
• Academic Fit – Deciding what major you would like to study in school plays a big part in where you will enroll. You want to ensure that you can get the best education possible.
• Social Fit – Aside from getting a good education and competing in college, there are more things to consider. Social fit is huge because you will spend the next 4 years in this environment. Think about what extracurricular activities you may want to be involved in and research what schools has them on campus.
• Financial Fit – Families should expect to cover some, if not all of the cost of college for some of the years in school. It may be worth your while to research financial aid options early so that you know what the best fit is financially.
