Gwynedd Valley, Pa. – (7/28/2026) – With the first competition scheduled for a little more than a month from today, Gwynedd Mercy University Head Field Hockey Coach Alexa Ostoich is pleased to introduce the Griffins' 2026 schedule. "I am so excited for our season to begin! We have so much to look forward to, especially as we take on new opponents and compete in a new conference," opened Coach Ostoich. "The new conference will certainly new challenges, but new opportunities, and a chance to continue growing together as a team. I cannot wait to see what we accomplish!"
 
Gwynedd Mercy University's 2026 schedule includes many familiar opponents, but a change in league affiliation from the Atlantic East Conference (AEC) to the United East Conference (United East) will place the emphasis on some different adversaries. The season gets underway on Tuesday, September 1, when the Griffins travel to Misericordia University for a 5:00 p.m. contest; this marks the sixth straight season the Griffins and Cougars have opened their season versus each other. Misericordia University has won the last five encounters, including the 2025 engagement, by a 5-0 (Aug. 29, 2025) final.
 
Gwynedd Mercy University is on the road for their next two contests as they visit Delaware Valley University for a 7:00 p.m. affair on Wednesday, September 2, and then Eastern University for a 11:00 a.m. contest on Saturday, September 5. The Red and Gold is 12-9 all-time against the Aggies, but have lost the last four meetings, including a 3-0 (Sept. 3, 2025) final last season. Meanwhile, the Griffins are 4-15 against the Eagles, who defeated them by a 6-1 (Sept. 13, 2025) last year.
 
The Griffins' home opener is scheduled versus Moravian University at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 9; this contest will also serve as the Morgan's Message Game, raising awareness for student-athlete mental health. Gwynedd Mercy University is 3-8 all-time against the Greyhounds, who have won the last two meetings. In 2025, Moravian University controlled possession with a 19-2 edge on penalty corners and a 23-1 shot advantage, but the brilliant goalkeeping of junior Nikki Williams (Cinnaminson, N.J.) kept them off the scoreboard until the 43^rd minute (0-1, 42:57, 3^rd QTR) of a 1-0 (Sept. 24, 2025) final.

Saturday, September 12, will mark the third meeting between sister-coaches as Gwynedd Mercy University Head Coach and her Griffins welcome Albright College Head Coach Catherine (Ostoich) Wiese and the Lions to the Athletic Complex for a 12:00 p.m. contest. The Griffins are 1-5 all-time against the Lions with losses in each of the last three seasons. In 2025, Albright College eked out a 3-2 (Oct. 4, 2025) overtime victory with a game-winner in the 63^rd minute (3-2, 62:02, OT); senior forward Mackenzie Reed (Philadelphia, Pa.) put the Griffins on the scoreboard first (1-0, 4:09, 1QTR) and later found sophomore forward Allyssa Seifert (Philadelphia, Pa.) for a game-tying goal in the 46^th minute (2-2, 45:55, 3QTR).
 
Following Albright College, Gwynedd Mercy University will visit Arcadia University for a 6:00 p.m. contest on Wednesday, September 16, and Ramapo College for a 12:00 p.m. contest on Saturday, September 19. The Griffins are .500 against both teams as they lost their 2025 meetings with the Knights (10-10) and Road Runners (1-1); falling to the former on September 10 (L, 0-3) and the latter on September 20 (L, 2-3). Freshman midfielder Gianna Radcliffe (Harleysville, Pa.) (1-0, 0:43, 1QTR) and junior defender Lillie Uttenreither (Bel Air, Md.) (2-1, 16:38, 2QTR) gave the Griffins leads in the eventual loss to Ramapo College. Meanwhile, Williams made six saves en route to an appearance on the AEC Weekly Honor Roll (Sept. 22, 2025).
 
The Red and Gold returns home on Wednesday, September 23, to host Manhattanville University for a 4:00 p.m. contest. The Griffins are 3-1 all-time against the Valiants with their only loss coming by a 3-1 measure in 2025 (Oct. 29) season finale. The Valiants shot four times before junior midfielder Morgan Hoban (Cinnaminson, N.J.) netted the contest's first goal in the 25^th minute (1-0, 24:24, 2QTR). Unfortunately, a 21-15 shot advantage was enough to give the Griffins the chances they needed to outscore Manhattanville University.
 
A Saturday, September 26 (12:00 p.m.), game versus Hood College will serve as Senior Day for Williams, Uttenreither, Hoban, and fellow seniors Sarah Lindsay (Telford, Pa.) and Taylor Reynolds (Philadelphia, Pa.). The Griffins will aim for a better outcome than their 2025 meeting with the Mustangs as Hood College earned their first-ever win over Gwynedd Mercy University with a 7-0 (Sept. 27) victory.
 
The midseason homestand concludes with a 3:00 p.m. game versus St. Mary's College of Maryland on Saturday, October 3. The contest will serve as the Griffins' METAvivor Game, which raises awareness for women and men living with stage four metastatic breast cancer. The Red and Gold last saw the Seahawks in 2023, when they battled to a 5-1 (Oct. 25) loss as AEC rivals. St. Mary's College has a 4-0 all-time record against Gwynedd Mercy University and serve as the United East's reigning champion after a 1-0 (Nov. 8, 2025) double overtime victory over Penn State Harrisburg.
 
For the Griffins, United East conference play begins on Wednesday, October 7, when they visit Keystone College for a 4:00 p.m. contest. The Red and Gold is 12-4 all-time against the Giants including a 4-2 (Sept. 23, 2023) loss in their last meeting.
 
Gwynedd Mercy University's next two United East engagements will pin them opposite new opponents as the Griffins will travel to Wilson College for a 1:00 p.m. contest on Saturday, October 10, before returning to the Athletic Complex to host Lancaster Bible College for a 4:00 p.m. contest on Tuesday, October 13.
 
The Griffins round out their inaugural United East season with an October-17 (11:00 a.m.) contest at Cedar Crest College, an October-21 home game versus Penn State Harrisburg, and an October-24 (2:00 p.m.) regular-season finale at Immaculata University. Gwynedd Mercy University has a strong history against the Falcons and Mighty Macs with a 22-3 all-time standing and 17 consecutive wins over the former complemented by a 29-7 all-time record against the latter. In 2025, Reed netted the lone goal of a 1-0 (Sept. 17) victory over the Falcons as she finished a first-quarter Uttenreither pass at the mouth of the Cedar Crest College goal (1-0, 9:50, 1QTR). The Griffins evened the contest with the Mighty Macs when senior defender Abby LePage (Cinnaminson, N.J.) converted a late first-quarter penalty stroke (1-1, 14:36, 1QTR), and took a 2-1 (19:50, 2QTR) lead early in the second thanks to a penalty-corner connection between Hoban and Reed. Regrettably, Immaculata University evened the score, 2-2 (28:22), late in the quarter before coming out ahead in the seven-on-seven overtime when an unfortunate bounce was slapped to the back of the Griffins' cage; 3-2 (64:16, OT).
 
The 2026 United East Field Hockey Championship is scheduled for Saturday, November 7, with the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds respectively scheduled for Tuesday, October 27, and Saturday, October 31.