INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. --- There will be Hornets aplenty in the Division III Field Hockey Championship bracket with both Shenandoah University and the University of Lynchburg selected to the national tournament field. Both squads were awarded the added privilege of hosting first round contests on Wednesday.

Championships in Division III feature a few changes in 2024-25 starting with a bracket increase for several sports, including field hockey. The bracket increases from 26 teams to 28 with 18 earning automatic bids. Shenandoah falls into this category as the ODAC champion. The remaining 10 squads earned at-large berths. Lynchburg is a recipient of an at-large bid.

The method in which at-large selections were determined also changed this season. New for all Division III team sports is the NCAA Power Index (NPI). All teams in a given sport -- 164 in D-III field hockey -- feature a NPI rating. Those NPI ratings are ranked sequentially and form a transparent method of selecting teams at-large to Division III brackets, replacing the former process of the sport championship committees selecting teams at-large based on predetermined selection criteria. Once the 18 automatic qualifiers are known, the next 10 best NPI-rated teams formed the list of at-large selected programs to fill out the bracket.

Shenandoah (18-2), ranked ninth in Division III in the latest NFHCA coaches poll, welcomes Westfield State University (13-8) to campus on Wednesday. The Owls won the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) championship, 2-1, over Bridgewater State University on Saturday. Should the Hornets win, they will travel to Williams College for second round and quarterfinal play. They would meet either Messiah University or Roger Williams University in round two.

Lynchburg (15-4), the 13th-ranked team in the country, will serve as hosts to Susquehanna University. The Riverhawks (15-5) scored three goals in the fourth quarter to post a 3-2 victory over the University of Scranton to claim the Landmark Conference title. Should Lynchburg win, the Hornets would travel to Salisbury University on the weekend for second round and quarterfinal action. They would open with the host Sea Gulls.

ODAC country is the desired destination for all 28 teams with Washington and Lee University serving as host of the national semifinals and championship. W&L Turf Field in Lexington will showcase those games on Friday, November 22, and Sunday, November 24.

Stay tuned to ODAC and school websites for game times and ticketing information.