Orono, ME - The University of Maine field hockey program announced their 2023 schedule on Friday, June 23. The 20-game schedule will feature 14 home games at the brand new Maine Field Hockey Complex, two exhibitions and the first nine regular season games on home field.

The Black Bears, who are coming off of a 14-5 season, including a perfect 8-0 America East record and home field advantage for the second-straight season in Orono, will begin their 2023 season with a pair of exhibitions against Stonehill (at UMass Lowell) on Aug. 17 and then a home exhibition against Merrimack on Aug. 19. Maine will be hosting their grand opening ceremony of the Maine Field Hockey Complex on Friday, Aug. 18. More details to be announced soon on the ceremony.

The regular season begins on Friday, Aug. 25 as the Black Bears welcome Boston College and Providence to Orono for a pair of games each. The Black Bears take on the Terriers on Friday and the Friars of Providence College on Sunday, Aug. 27. Providence and Boston College will square off on Saturday.

The Black Bears then welcome Boston University and Ohio to begin September. Maine takes on Boston University on Friday, Sep. 1 and Ohio on Sunday, Sep. 3. Boston University and Ohio will face each other on Saturday.

Maine kicks off the following weekend with two highly touted programs visiting Orono in the forms of Northwestern University, who were the 2021 National Champions, and UMass, a perennial top-25 program in the NCAA. Maine will begin the weekend by taking on Northwestern on Friday, Sep. 8 and conclude the weekend against UMass on Sunday, Sep. 10. Northwestern and UMass will face off on Saturday.

The Black Bears continue their extended nine-game home opening streak with the start of America East action against UC Davis on Friday, Sep. 15 and conclude the weekend with Stanford on Sunday, Sep. 17. The Black Bears defeated both programs in the regular season a year ago, defeating them 4-2 and 6-2, respectively.

Maine wraps up the nine-game homestand with another America East matchup against the UMass Lowell River Hawks on Friday, Sep. 22. The Black Bears shutout UMass Lowell a season ago, 1-0 at UMass Lowell.

Maine hits the road for the first time in the regular season on Friday, Sep. 29 as they travel to UAlbany for a contest against the Great Danes. Maine defeated the Great Danes in a thrilling shootout in Orono a season ago.

The Black Bears make a stop at Hofstra on Sunday, Oct. 1 before returning to Orono to take on the Bryant Bulldogs on Friday, Oct. 6. Maine defeated Bryant last season by a final score of 6-3.

Maine takes to the road on Sunday, Oct. 8 as they head to Quinnipiac before making the trip across the border to New Hampshire to face off against the Wildcats in the Buffalo Wild Wings Border Battle on Friday, Oct. 13. Maine took down the Wildcats in 2022 by a final score of 5-1.

The Black Bears make the trip back to Orono to take on Fairfield on Sunday, Oct. 15 as part of homecoming at the University of Maine.

Maine heads onto the road for the final time in the 2023 regular season as they head to Vermont on Friday, Oct. 20. The Black Bears defeated the Catamounts in Orono last season, 2-1 on a late fourth quarter score.

The Black Bears will wrap up the 2023 regular season with a pair of home games on Sunday, Oct. 22 against Northeastern and on Sunday, Oct. 29 against California. The Black Bears contest against California will be senior day for the Black Bears.

The America East Tournament is slated to begin on Thursday, Nov. 2. The location of the tournament is TBA.

-UMaine-