University of Delaware Athletics
Field Hockey to Join Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF)
9/2/2025 11:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. – The University of Delaware field hockey program will be joining Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) for the 2025 season, joining UC Davis as one of two founding members of the league's sponsorship, the organizations announced jointly on September 2. This will be the newest field hockey NCAA DI conference since the Northeast Conference formed in 1998.
A program with rich tradition and history, Delaware enters MPSF after claiming its 10th Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) Championship in the last 12 seasons in 2024. Overall, UD has won 16 league crowns since the program's inception in 1971. The Blue & Gold have appeared in 17 NCAA/AIAW Tournament appearances, highlighted by a NCAA National Championship in 2016.
"We are thrilled to give our student-athletes the chance to compete in a new conference and the opportunity to compete for a league title," Interim Director of Athletics Jordan Skolnick said. "We are thankful to MPSF, Commissioner Foti Mellis and co-founding member UC Davis for joining us in creating this opportunity for our student-athletes. Our field hockey program has been and will continue to be one of our most nationally competitive teams at Delaware. Finding a path forward towards a conference has been critically important and creating a new conference gives us the ability to work towards once again being in a league with an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament."
Field hockey makes the record-setting 16th current intercollegiate olympic sport for the conference, exceeding the previous all-time high of 15 during the 2024-25 academic year. Field hockey is the seventh sport to be added to the MPSF in Commissioner Foti Mellis' tenure since the fall of 2021, four of which debuted last year. The conference champion will be decided by the winner of the championship contest between the two teams, hosted by UC Davis in November.
"We are excited to join the MPSF in the inaugural year of sponsoring field hockey," Delaware Head Field Hockey Coach Tara Zollinger said. "Alongside UC Davis, we are eager to compete and grow our conference while providing access to a conference championship for our deserving student-athletes."
Mountain Pacific Sports Federation, University of Delaware, and UC Davis will work together to attempt to get to six members for the 2026 season, the minimum needed to qualify for an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. The group hopes to attract teams from universities interested in starting field hockey programs, and from institutions who want their student-athletes to have a chance to compete for a conference championship and an automatic bid, as many conferences do not invite all member teams to compete in their conference tournament. MPSF plans to have all six teams compete in their conference tournament annually.
The MPSF Championship game against UC Davis will take place on November 8, and will be the first-ever matchup between the two schools.
Field Hockey alumni, donors and student-athlete parents who are interested in learning more about this announcement will have the opportunity to join a zoom call with Interim Director of Athletics Jordan Skolnick and Head Coach Tara Zollinger. Please check your email for more information on the call.
TICKETS
Single game tickets for field hockey are $10 for adults and $5 for children (3-12). Season ticket packages are also available at 50% off the single-game adult rate. There are group rate incentives, and additional gameday experience opportunities. Purchase your Delaware field hockey tickets at bluehens.com.
University of Delaware Athletics, Community, and Campus Recreation
Located in Newark, Delaware, University of Delaware Athletics, Community, and Campus Recreation sponsors 22 varsity sports and three spirit teams. Aiming to achieve excellence together, the department boasts a storied history of 543 All-Americans, 172 team conference titles, 282 individual conference crowns, and 10 national championships. Fourteen of UD's 22 varsity programs will be housed in Conference USA, with eight others joining as affiliate members in the Atlantic Sun (women's lacrosse, men's and women's swimming & diving), Atlantic 10 (men's lacrosse), Mid-American Conference (rowing), The Summit League (men's soccer), Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (field hockey), and Atlantic Hockey America (ice hockey). The Blue Hens' student-athletes have achieved a 3.0 GPA or better in 23-consecutive semesters, including its best year ever in 2024-25 at 3.41.
FOLLOW ON SOCIAL
For the latest on Delaware field hockey, follow the Blue Hens on X, Instagram, and like on Facebook.
A program with rich tradition and history, Delaware enters MPSF after claiming its 10th Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) Championship in the last 12 seasons in 2024. Overall, UD has won 16 league crowns since the program's inception in 1971. The Blue & Gold have appeared in 17 NCAA/AIAW Tournament appearances, highlighted by a NCAA National Championship in 2016.
"We are thrilled to give our student-athletes the chance to compete in a new conference and the opportunity to compete for a league title," Interim Director of Athletics Jordan Skolnick said. "We are thankful to MPSF, Commissioner Foti Mellis and co-founding member UC Davis for joining us in creating this opportunity for our student-athletes. Our field hockey program has been and will continue to be one of our most nationally competitive teams at Delaware. Finding a path forward towards a conference has been critically important and creating a new conference gives us the ability to work towards once again being in a league with an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament."
Field hockey makes the record-setting 16th current intercollegiate olympic sport for the conference, exceeding the previous all-time high of 15 during the 2024-25 academic year. Field hockey is the seventh sport to be added to the MPSF in Commissioner Foti Mellis' tenure since the fall of 2021, four of which debuted last year. The conference champion will be decided by the winner of the championship contest between the two teams, hosted by UC Davis in November.
"We are excited to join the MPSF in the inaugural year of sponsoring field hockey," Delaware Head Field Hockey Coach Tara Zollinger said. "Alongside UC Davis, we are eager to compete and grow our conference while providing access to a conference championship for our deserving student-athletes."
Mountain Pacific Sports Federation, University of Delaware, and UC Davis will work together to attempt to get to six members for the 2026 season, the minimum needed to qualify for an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. The group hopes to attract teams from universities interested in starting field hockey programs, and from institutions who want their student-athletes to have a chance to compete for a conference championship and an automatic bid, as many conferences do not invite all member teams to compete in their conference tournament. MPSF plans to have all six teams compete in their conference tournament annually.
The MPSF Championship game against UC Davis will take place on November 8, and will be the first-ever matchup between the two schools.
Field Hockey alumni, donors and student-athlete parents who are interested in learning more about this announcement will have the opportunity to join a zoom call with Interim Director of Athletics Jordan Skolnick and Head Coach Tara Zollinger. Please check your email for more information on the call.
TICKETS
Single game tickets for field hockey are $10 for adults and $5 for children (3-12). Season ticket packages are also available at 50% off the single-game adult rate. There are group rate incentives, and additional gameday experience opportunities. Purchase your Delaware field hockey tickets at bluehens.com.
University of Delaware Athletics, Community, and Campus Recreation
Located in Newark, Delaware, University of Delaware Athletics, Community, and Campus Recreation sponsors 22 varsity sports and three spirit teams. Aiming to achieve excellence together, the department boasts a storied history of 543 All-Americans, 172 team conference titles, 282 individual conference crowns, and 10 national championships. Fourteen of UD's 22 varsity programs will be housed in Conference USA, with eight others joining as affiliate members in the Atlantic Sun (women's lacrosse, men's and women's swimming & diving), Atlantic 10 (men's lacrosse), Mid-American Conference (rowing), The Summit League (men's soccer), Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (field hockey), and Atlantic Hockey America (ice hockey). The Blue Hens' student-athletes have achieved a 3.0 GPA or better in 23-consecutive semesters, including its best year ever in 2024-25 at 3.41.
FOLLOW ON SOCIAL
For the latest on Delaware field hockey, follow the Blue Hens on X, Instagram, and like on Facebook.
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