Michigan State field hockey is heading into a demanding split weekend with two ranked opponents on the docket, starting Friday in Oxford, Ohio, against No. 16 Miami before bringing No. 15 Louisville to Ralph Young Field on Sunday for the 2026 home opener.
The Spartans and RedHawks meet Friday, September 4 at 1:00 p.m. ET, with the game streaming on MiamiRedHawks.com. Two days later, Michigan State returns home to face Louisville at noon on Sunday, September 6, with the matchup airing on B1G+.
Michigan State already has a strong early marker under first-year head coach Tamara Durante. The Spartans opened the 2026 season with a 2-0 road sweep at Pruitt Field in Athens, Ohio, beating host Ohio 3-1 on Friday and then shutting out Saint Louis 3-0 on Saturday.
Junior goalkeeper Lola Munoz de Verger handled both starts in net and gave MSU exactly what it needed. She stopped six of seven shots over 120 minutes, making three saves against Ohio in her Spartan debut and adding three more against Saint Louis to collect her first collegiate shutout.
Senior forward Bianca Pizano was the engine of the offense, finishing the weekend with a team-high six points on three goals. She scored against Ohio and then buried two penalty strokes in the first period against Saint Louis.
Junior midfielder Mora Cavazza and sophomore forward Nina Angeli each added a goal in the opener against Ohio, while sophomore midfielder Ellie Kendall scored against Saint Louis. Midfielders Lillian Knorr and Ella Tambroni also got on the board with assists.
Miami comes into Friday’s game ranked No. 16 after a mixed opening weekend in Louisville. The RedHawks fell 2-1 in a shootout to the host Cardinals on Friday, then bounced back with a 2-1 win over ranked Indiana on Saturday.
Offensively, Miami has gotten goals from sophomore Justina Intzes, freshman Mieria Gifra and senior Lucia Ventos, with each player accounting for two points. Senior Nicky Sjouken has played every minute in goal through the first two games, including extra time against Louisville, and made four saves in the win over Indiana.
The all-time series favors Michigan State, which leads Miami 18-10-1. The teams last met in Oxford in 2025, when the RedHawks came away with a 3-1 win.
Louisville arrives in East Lansing at 2-0 and ranked No. 15 after protecting its home field to open the season. The Cardinals beat Miami 2-1 in a shootout on Friday and then outlasted Indiana 2-1 in overtime on Sunday.
Senior forward Aubreigh Uba has been Louisville’s top point producer so far with three points on a goal and an assist, including the game-winning penalty stroke in overtime against Indiana. Seniors Lauren Masters and Gigi Edwards have each added a goal.
In goal, Emily Young has been busy and effective, earning both wins while playing more than 145 minutes across the two extended games. She has 22 saves already, including 14 in the overtime win over Indiana.
Louisville holds a slim 9-8 edge in the all-time series with Michigan State. The teams met last season at Trager Stadium, where the Cardinals won 6-1, and Louisville has taken the last six meetings overall. Michigan State’s last win in the series came in October 2009, when the Spartans beat Louisville 2-1 in overtime at Ralph Young Field.
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Kirk Cousins is back in the spotlight, and this time it comes with another line for Michigan State fans to point to. The Las Vegas Raiders officially named the former Spartans quarterback their starter for the 2026 NFL season, handing the job to a veteran who has spent the past two years with the Atlanta Falcons and is heading into his 15th NFL season.
The decision means Cousins gets the nod over Fernando Mendoza, the No. 1 overall draft pick, while also taking on a role in helping develop the rookie. For Michigan State, it is the kind of NFL reminder that keeps Cousins in the programs long-running bragging rights conversation, with 167 career starts and four Pro Bowl selections still backing up his rsum. [Read more 🡒]
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Michigan State Is Making A Sideline Change Fans Will Notice Fast
Michigan States coaching setup will look different this fall, and fans should notice it quickly once the season gets rolling. Offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan and defensive coordinator Joe Rossi will be stationed on the field during games rather than working from the press box, a shift from last seasons arrangement and one that changes how the Spartans handle game-day communication in real time.
Rossi already spent part of last season on the sideline after starting upstairs, and now the move is set for both coordinators from the opening whistle. The NCAAs recent decision to remove the rule limiting the number of coaches also gives Michigan State more flexibility, with additional staff in the press box available to help relay information down to the field as the Spartans manage play-calling from a different vantage point. [Read more 🡒]