Liberty University’s field hockey team has been placed eighth in the 2026 NFHCA preseason national poll, marking the second‑highest ranking the program has ever achieved in a preseason poll and underscoring its continued prominence on the national stage.
A decade of consistency
The Lady Flames have now appeared in eleven straight preseason polls dating back to the opening week of the 2025 season, a streak that includes ten consecutive years of national ranking except for the abbreviated 2021 spring campaign. Their sixth‑place finish in 2022 remains the program’s highest preseason standing to date.
Entering the new season as defending BIG EAST champions, Liberty will test its mettle against a demanding schedule that features several of the country’s top programs. The roster of opponents includes No. 2 North Carolina, No. 5 Virginia, No. 6 Duke, as well as No. 10 Miami (Ohio), No. 11 Connecticut, No. 15 UMass and No. 20 Saint Joseph's.
Opening the campaign
The Lady Flames are slated to open the 2026 season on Friday at noon, with their home debut against Virginia scheduled for September 11 at 5 p.m. The early‑season matchup promises to set the tone for a year in which the team hopes to translate its preseason respect into on‑field success.