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Field Hockey Powerhouses Highlight Growing Opportunity for Sun Belt Expansion

By Kyle Nachtsheim
7:49 PM 3 min read Updated Feb 6, 2026
Two female field hockey players in action on a vibrant green pitch.

The Sun Belt currently sponsors 13 sports, but several member institutions compete in sports not sponsored by the conference. Sun Belt Syndicate will examine which of these sports the conference could potentially adopt. Two of these sports already have multiple Sun Belt members fielding teams.

Field Hockey

Three Sun Belt Conference members currently compete in field hockey during the fall season.

Appalachian State first fielded a team in 1968 and posted winning records in each of its first five seasons. The Mountaineers mostly competed as an independent before joining the Northern Pacific Field Hockey Conference in 2006. The conference disbanded in 2015, and App State joined the Mid-American Conference as a single-sport member in 2017.

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James Madison, which began sponsoring field hockey in 1973, also competes in the MAC alongside Appalachian State. The Dukes moved to Division I in 1991, aligning their field hockey program with the rest of their sports in the Colonial Athletic Association. Following two seasons as an independent after joining the Sun Belt, the program became a single-sport MAC member this past season. Unlike App State, the Dukes have made nine NCAA Tournament appearances. They won the national championship in 1994, defeating North Carolina.

Old Dominion began competing in field hockey in 1974 and joined the CAA in 1991 along with its other sports. In 2013, the school moved to Conference USA and joined the Big East for field hockey. The Monarchs were a strong addition, having won nine national championships between 1981 and 2000. They reached the NCAA Tournament twice as a Big East member but lost in the first round both in 2013 and 2023.

Women’s Lacrosse

Three Sun Belt Conference members currently compete in women’s lacrosse during the spring season.

Coastal Carolina launched its women’s lacrosse program in 2013 as a member of the Big South Conference. At the time, all of the university’s athletic programs were part of the Big South. After joining the Sun Belt, the Chanticleers became an affiliate member of the Atlantic Sun Conference. They spent the 2021 season in the Southern Conference before returning to the ASUN. In 2024, Coastal won its first conference tournament title and earned its first NCAA Tournament berth. They lost 24-6 to seventh-seeded Notre Dame.

The American Athletic Conference currently sponsors women’s lacrosse for two Sun Belt schools: James Madison and Old Dominion. The Monarchs just completed their fifth season in the AAC. Before joining the AAC, they played in the Atlantic Sun and Big East after departing the CAA. Old Dominion has made just one NCAA Tournament appearance, falling to Towson in the first round in 2016.

James Madison launched its women’s lacrosse program in 1969 and moved it to Division I in 1992 as part of the CAA. In 34 Division I seasons, the Dukes have missed the NCAA Tournament only nine times. They are currently riding a streak of 10 consecutive appearances. That run includes the 2018 national championship, when JMU defeated three ACC opponents, including Boston College in the final. Since winning the title, the Dukes have reached the third round only once — in 2023.

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