Upcoming Event: Field Hockey at William & Mary on September 12, 2025 at 4 p.m.
/
4 p.m.
Field Hockey
at William & Mary
Friday, August 29
Durham, N.C.
4 p.m.
Duke University
vs
Liberty
Photo by: Duke Athletics
Duke Hosts Liberty and Travels to American to Open 2025 Campaign
8/28/2025 2:37:00 PM | Field Hockey
The Opening Hit
9 - Duke opponents ranked in the NFHCA preseason top 20
8 - Starters from the 2024 squad lost to graduation
10 - Newcomers to the Duke program in 2025 - eight freshmen and two graduate student transfers
497 - Total career games played by the 16 veteran players
65 - Career points for junior Alaina McVeigh, becoming the 30th Blue Devils to reach 60 career goals. The 65 points are 26th in Duke history.
30 - Career goals by McVeigh, 20th in Duke history
27-10 - American's home record over the past five seasons
38-14-2 - Record in season openers since the inaugural season in 1971
Preseason Recognition
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- Duke opens the 2025 season with a home and away weekend, hosting Liberty Aug. 29 and traveling to the nation's capital for a match at American University Aug. 31. The Flames enter the season ranked 17th in the preseason poll, while the Eagles are back after winning the Patriot League regular season crown.
- Duke enters the 2025 campaign having lost a wealth of talent and experience to graduation. However, the Blue Devils also welcome an incredible group of newcomers that brings a treasure trove of talent coupled with collegiate experience with a pair of graduate student transfers. The Blue Devils were picked to finish second in the ACC by the league's coaches, while Alaina McVeigh was voted to the preseason All-ACC team.
- The Blue Devils are 38-14-2 overall in season openers and 11-3 under head coach Pam Bustin. Duke is 22-6 in opening weekend series since 2011 and have only lost two games to start the season once in that span - 2020.
9 - Duke opponents ranked in the NFHCA preseason top 20
8 - Starters from the 2024 squad lost to graduation
10 - Newcomers to the Duke program in 2025 - eight freshmen and two graduate student transfers
497 - Total career games played by the 16 veteran players
65 - Career points for junior Alaina McVeigh, becoming the 30th Blue Devils to reach 60 career goals. The 65 points are 26th in Duke history.
30 - Career goals by McVeigh, 20th in Duke history
27-10 - American's home record over the past five seasons
38-14-2 - Record in season openers since the inaugural season in 1971
Preseason Recognition
- In a vote of the league's coaches, the Blue Devils were picked to finish second behind reigning champion North Carolina. The Blue Devils earned two first-place votes and 67 points. North Carolina topped the poll with six first-place nods and 77 points. Virginia was third with 63 points.
- Alaina McVeigh represented Duke on the preseason All-ACC team for the second consecutive season. The Tar Heels led all schools with three players on the 11-player list.
- Additionally, Madison Beach, Paige Bitting, Julia Boehringer, Macy Szukics and McVeigh were named to the NFHCA Watchlist. This list is intended to showcase those field hockey student-athletes with the strongest potential for consideration to the current year's NFHCA All-Region and All-American teams.Â
- Duke and Liberty meet for the 11th time since the first match in 2014. The Blue Devils lead the series 7-3, but the Flames have won three of the past four. Six of the 10 matchups have gone into overtime, including the last game in Durham in 2003Â - a 2-1 overtime win for Duke.
- Duke travels to the nation's capital for a game at American. It will be the first time the two programs have met in regular season action since 2010. The Blue Devils are 7-3 overall versus the Eagles and have won four of the past five. The two teams last faced each other in the 2023 NCAA First Round, a 2-1 Duke win.
- Duke has gone 2-0 in each of the past three opening weekends. The Blue Devils are 22-6 in season-opening weekends under head coach Pam Bustin. Duke has only lost its first two games once in the past 14 seasons - 2020.
- Duke faces a ranked opponent in the season opener for the ninth time. The Blue Devils are 6-2 against foes ranked in the NFHCA preseason poll, including a 2-1 shootout win over No. 8 Rutgers to kick off the 2022 campaign.
- The Blue Devils return three starters in Alaina McVeigh, Macy Szukics and Paige Bitting, losing eight to graduation. Duke also will be looking at an entire new backfield, filling the holes left by Bronwyn Bird, Megan Maransky, Josephine Veen and Frederique Wollaert. Duke is not without experience, however, with the 16 players having played nearly 500 combined games. .
- Duke welcomed eight freshmen to the team, hailing from two countries and four different states. The group will have an immediate impact all over the field, while the addition of graduate student transfers Ava Cickavage (B) and Brooke Borzymowski (G) provide leadership and experience to the newcomer group.
- Duke returns home to host the annual ACC/B1G Challenge Sept. 5 and 7. The Blue Devils will play Northwestern (Sept. 5) and Maryland (Sept. 7). Boston College is the fourth team in the weekend event.
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Players Mentioned
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