Central Michigan University Athletics
Field Hockey Announces 2026 Spring Exhibition Schedule
3/3/2026 11:29:00 AM | Field Hockey
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Central Michigan Field Hockey will play in six exhibition games in April of 2026, featuring five power four opponents. The games will stretch over three weekends, kicking off April 4, in Ann Arbor against Michigan, who ended their season ranked 16th in the National Field Hockey Coaches Association poll.
The six-game set will be the premiere of newly named Head Coach Kelly Terwilliger. Terwilliger was announced as the Chippewas' eighth head coach in the history of the Central Michigan field hockey program Jan. 23. Prior to Central Michigan she posted a 70-71 record across 10 years as a head coach at Indiana (Pa.) and Colby (Maine) College.
The brunt of the schedule will take place April 11, and April 12, where the team will travel to Evanston to face off against No. 9 Iowa, Louisville, Indiana and Ohio State in neutral site matchups. Iowa fell to Northwestern in the Big Ten Championship game ahead of taking on No. 8 Duke in the opening round of the NCAA tournament.
Spring exhibition games will conclude in Mount Pleasant at Cristy Freese field, April 18, with the Chippewa Classic, an intersquad scrimmage.
Central Michigan looks to build on a 10-9 2025 campaign which featured the Chippewas' first trip to the Mid-American Conference Tournament since 2019. In tournament play CMU fell in the opening round 1-4 to James Madison, the tournament's host. The 10-win season was the first time since 2006 where CMU finished with either a 10+ wins or posted a winning record.
Central Michigan's 2026 roster features two athletes who received All-MAC honors to close the 2025 season, sophomore Carolena Ryon and freshman Mora Rulli. Ryon earned Second-Team All-MAC honors and finished second on the squad in points (21) after racking up 10 goals and logging one assist. Four of Ryon's' goals came as game winners, tied for the most on the team. Rulli, hailing from Argentina found a spot on the Freshman All-MAC team and led the Chippewas in assists (9) in her debut season. She totaled 17 points on the year, third most on the team.
FULL 2026 SPRING EXHIBITION SCHEDULE:
Saturday, April 4: Michigan – Ann Arbor, Mich.
Saturday, April 11: Iowa – Evanston, Ill.
Saturday, April 11: Louisville – Evanston, Ill.
Sunday, April 12: Indiana – Evanston, Ill.
Sunday, April 12: Ohio State – Evanston, Ill.
Saturday, April 18: Chippewa Classic – Mount Pleasant, Mich.
