Field Hockey 8/28/2026 11:30:00 AM Turner Kirby - Director of Athletic Communications

Field Hockey Picked Second in SAC Preseason Poll

ROCK HILL, S.C. – After advancing to its second South Atlantic Conference (SAC) Tournament championship game in three seasons last year, the Lander field hockey team was picked to finish second in the 2026 SAC Preseason Poll, as voted on by the league's coaches.

Lander was also ranked No. 10 in the country in the NFHCA Preseason Rankings after spending much of last season ranked in the top 10 nationally.

Defending conference champion and national runner-up Newberry was the unanimous choice to win the league, picking up all five possible first-place votes. Lander earned the other first-place vote. Teams could not vote for themselves.

The top two teams in the preseason poll will meet twice during the regular season, with the first matchup scheduled for Oct. 6 at Frank Hill Stadium in Greenwood. The two teams will close the regular season against each other at Setzler Field in Newberry on Nov. 3.

The teams met three times last season, with Newberry taking a pair of one-goal wins during the regular season before handing Lander its only shutout of the season in the SAC Championship game.

Belmont Abbey, which Lander defeated in the SAC semifinals last season, was picked third. The Crusaders were the only other team outside of Newberry to defeat Lander last season, earning a 3-2 victory on Oct. 3, 2025, in Belmont, North Carolina. The teams will meet for the first time this season exactly one year later at Frank Hill Stadium before returning to Belmont on Oct. 24.

Wingate, Converse and Coker rounded out the projected SAC Tournament field in the top six, with Barton picked just one point behind Coker in seventh.

In addition to the preseason poll, five Bearcats were named Players to Watch for the upcoming season. Newcomer forwards Avrie Arnfeldt and Davyn Swindells joined returners Ollie Bond, Leira Van Tilburg and Talia Packham.

Bond was Lander's leading scorer last season with 22 points on nine goals and four assists. The first-team All-SAC selection recorded at least one point in six of Lander's final seven games of the 2025 season.

Van Tilburg scored eight points last season, the second-most among Lander's returning players, with two goals and four assists. A three-time All-SAC selection, the Netherlands native helped anchor a Lander backline that recorded a program-record seven shutouts, including two in the postseason.

Packham played in all 19 games last season, starting four, and looks to take on a larger role in the Lander midfield following the graduation of the core group that helped launch the program in 2022.

Swindells joins the Bearcats following a stellar high school career as one of the top goal scorers in the state of Maine.

Arnfeldt joins Lander following a senior season that saw her earn Pennsylvania Field Hockey Senior Cup honors after recording four assists from the midfield.

The No. 10 Bearcats will spend much of September on the road. Lander opens the season with a neutral-site matchup against defending national champion Shippensburg on Sept. 5 in Wingate, North Carolina, marking the first meeting between the two programs.

The Bearcats will then travel north for back-to-back games at Frostburg State and Slippery Rock. Lander defeated both teams in overtime in Greenwood last season, taking down Frostburg State 2-1 on a goal by Van Tilburg before defeating Slippery Rock 3-2 on a golden goal from Bond on a penalty stroke.

Lander opens SAC play against Wingate on Sept. 19 before wrapping up its season-opening road trip at Coker on Sept. 22.

The Blue and Gold will open the home portion of their schedule Sept. 26 at noon against Mansfield in their final nonconference game of the season before returning to the road to face Converse in Spartanburg.

The Bearcats will have back-to-back home games for the first time Oct. 3 and 6 against Belmont Abbey and Newberry before traveling to Wilson, North Carolina, to face Barton on Oct. 10.

Coker and Wingate will then visit the Emerald City on Oct. 17 and 20, respectively, before Lander makes its penultimate road trip to face Belmont Abbey on Oct. 24.

The regular-season home slate concludes with a matchup against Converse on Oct. 27 and a Halloween morning game against Barton on Oct. 31 at 11 a.m. Lander will close the regular season with a trip to Newberry on Nov. 3.

The SAC Tournament is scheduled to begin with the quarterfinals on Nov. 9 or 10, with the semifinals and championship game scheduled for the weekend of Nov. 13 at the site of the No. 1 seed.

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Players Mentioned

#4 Ollie Bond: D; 5' 3"; Junior

#23 Talia Packham: M; 5' 5"; Sophomore

#15 Leira Van Tilburg: D; 5' 2"; Senior

#17 Davyn Swindells: F; 5' 9"; Freshman

#19 Avrie Arnfeldt: M/F; 5' 3"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#4 Ollie Bond
: 5' 3"; Junior
: D

#23 Talia Packham
: 5' 5"; Sophomore
: M

#15 Leira Van Tilburg
: 5' 2"; Senior
: D

#17 Davyn Swindells
: 5' 9"; Freshman
: F

#19 Avrie Arnfeldt
: 5' 3"; Freshman
: M/F