SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (July 13, 2026) – The Western New England field hockey team has released its upcoming 2026 fall season schedule, featuring 18 regular-season contests, including eight at Golden Bear Stadium. 

Western New England will open the season with a pair of home competitions, starting on Tuesday, September 1, at 7:00 PM when the Blue and Gold host Smith College. The two teams have split the last four meetings overall. WNE then hosts Worcester Polytechnic Institute on Saturday, September 5 at 1:00 PM. WNE looks to avenge last season's loss on the road to the Engineers. The Golden Bears are winners in their last two home games against WPI. The first road trip of the season begins in Castleton, Vermont, where Western New England travels to Vermont State University Castleton on Wednesday, September 9, at 6:30 PM. WNE knocked off the Spartans last season at home 2-1 and looks to make it three wins in their last four tries overall. The game at Castleton begins a stretch of three consecutive road games for WNE, with their next contest coming in Conference of New England (CNE) play when the Blue and Gold travel to Gordon College. WNE has shut out the Fighting Scots in their last five meetings, outscoring them 32-0 over the span. WNE's final game of the road trip is a stop at Keene State College on Wednesday, September 16, at 6:00 PM. WNE is on a three-game win streak over the Owls, including a 4-1 triumph last season. 

An important four-game homestand begins following, with a pair of CNE games to begin and end the swing. The Golden Bears begin the homestand against Roger Williams University on Saturday, September 19, at 1:00 PM. Western New England is in search of its first win over the Hawks in six tries, having scored just two goals in their last five meetings overall. WNE then welcomes Wheaton College (Mass.) to Springfield on Monday, September 21, at 7:00 PM. The Golden Bears defeated the Lyons on opening day last season, claiming a 2-0 victory. The homestand continues with another non-conference opponent for the Blue and Gold, welcoming Springfield College on Wednesday, September 23, at 4:00 PM.  WNE has had the upper hand in the last seven meetings overall and has nearly evened the all-time series, which Springfield College leads, 8-7. WNE has allowed just four goals over the seven wins in a row and has scored 23 of its own. The four-game homestand wraps up with a CNE contest against Endicott College on Friday, September 25, at 7:00 PM. WNE will look for revenge after being eliminated from the CNE Tournament in double overtime last season at the hands of the Gulls, and is looking for its first win over Endicott since 2016.

The month of October opens with more CNE action for Western New England as they travel to Johnson & Wales (JWU) University on Saturday, October 3, at 12:00 PM. WNE defeated JWU twice last season, including in the opening round of the CNE Tournament. From there, the Golden Bears head to Amherst College on Wednesday, October 7, at 6:30 PM for non-conference action. The Golden Bears played to a close 2-1 defeat last season on home turf. WNE returns home for conference action, welcoming the University of Hartford on Saturday, October 10, at 1:00 PM. Hartford makes its first appearance at Golden Bear Stadium after adding the sport in 2025. WNE defeated the Hawks 5-0 on the road last season. 

A stretch of four straight games on the road sees Western New England close out the regular season with five road contests in its final six. The road swing begins on Wednesday, October 14, at MIT. The Golden Bears are 2-2 all-time against the Engineers, with a pair of overtime victories coming in 2023 and 2025. CNE play resumes when the Golden Bears head to Nichols College on Saturday, October 17, at 4:00 PM. WNE has had an abundance of success over the Bison in their last six games, having outscored Nichols 32-3 in the span. The final three regular-season road contests are in non-conference action, beginning on Tuesday, October 20 at 7:00 PM, traveling to Wesleyan University. Western New England will be looking for its first victory over the Cardinals all-time. The road trip wraps up when the Golden Bears travel to Westfield State University on Thursday, October 22, for a 7:00 PM contest. The Golden Bears have taken down the Owls in their last seven meetings, including three straight shutout victories. Western New England returns home for its final regular-season home contest, which also serves as its final CNE regular-season game, hosting the University of New England on Saturday, October 24, at 4:30 PM. WNE won its first contest over the Nor'easters in program history in 2024 and will look to repeat the feat in 2026 on home turf. The final game of the regular season comes at Salve Regina University on Wednesday, October 28, at 6:00 PM. The Golden Bears have won their last two games over Salve and five of the last six overall. 

The Conference of New England Tournament will begin with opening round matchups on Saturday, October 31, followed by the CNE Semifinals on Wednesday, November 4, and the championship game on Saturday, November 7. To view the full 2026 Western New England Field Hockey schedule, click here.