Louisville Plays Host to Michigan State and Ohio in Season Opening Weekend

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The University of Louisville field hockey team will open the 2025 campaign on Friday when the Cardinals play host to Michigan State at 12 p.m. at Trager Stadium. Louisville will continue its opening weekend on Sunday with a 1 p.m. matchup against Ohio University. Admission is free.

GAME INFORMATION
Louisville vs. Michigan State
Date/Time: August 29, 2025, 12 p.m.
Location: Louisville, Ky.| Venue: Trager Stadium
ACCNX Watch Link | Live Scoring

Louisville vs. Ohio University
Date/Time: August 31, 2025, 1 p.m.
Location: Louisville, Ky.| Venue: Trager Stadium
ACCNX Watch Link | Live Scoring

TRAGER STADIUM GAME DAY INFORMATION
Admission: Free | UofL Clear Bag Policy
Parking: Fans attending games held at the University of Louisville may utilize the Floyd Street Parking Garage located across from Cardinal Park (Floyd Street entrance) for a $5 fee

CARDINAL QUICK HITS
• The Cardinals return 17 letterwinners following a rebuilding year that saw a 6-11 overall record and a 1-7 mark in ACC play. Louisville also welcomes six newcomers to this year's squad.
• Senior Izzy Bianco was selected to the 2025 Preseason All-ACC Field Hockey Team. The midfielder is coming off of a solid junior campaign which culminated in National Field Hockey Coaches Association All-West Region honors.
• Senior forward Rylie Wollerton returns as the Cardinals' leading scorer after tallying a career-high seven goals, two assists and 16 points.
• Wollerton and Bianco, along with junior forward Lauren Masters, are members of the U.S. Under-21 National Team. The trio recently helped the USA to a silver medal in the Junior Pan American Games in August.
• Bianco, Masters and Wollerton were named to the 2025 NFHCA Collegiate Watch List
• Redshirt sophomore Emily Young played in nine games last season and posted a 4-4 record while carrying a 2.10 goals against average.
• The 2025 Louisville field hockey co-captains are Bianco, senior midfielder Chloe Cuzzupe and senior back Tatum Kroon
• Louisville field hockey is 10-4 in season-opening games under head coach Justine Sowry.
• The Cardinals were picked to finish eighth in the ACC preseason coaches poll.
• The 2025 slate features 10 opponents who are ranked among the top 20 in the National Field Hockey Coaches Association preseason rankings – six of those teams stand in the top 10.
• Louisville's Trager Stadium will serve as the host site for the 2025 ACC Championship. The Cardinals last hosted the event in 2017 when they advanced to the title game.
• Justine Sowry is entering her 15th season at the helm. During her tenure, Sowry has guided the Cardinals to nine NCAA tournament appearances, advancing to the quarterfinals in three of the last six years and reaching the semifinals in 2020.

UP NEXT
The Cardinals will continue preseason action on Sunday when they travel to Oxford, Ohio to face Miami (Ohio) in another scrimmage. Louisville will officially open the season on August 29 when Michigan State visits Trager Stadium.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Michigan State
Series History: Michigan State leads 9-7
Last Meeting: Sept. 8, 2019 - Madison Walsh dished out two assists to propel Louisville to a 4-1 win, with the lone Spartan goal coming from Mienke Bloemsaat. This win was the Cardinals first road win of the year and gave them a 4-0 record to start the year. Four different Cardinals scored a goal in the last meeting of these two teams, including three unanswered in the second half.
Scouting the Spartans: Both teams have a fresh start to the year in this contest, with it being their first official game of the year. The Cardinals are riding a five-game winning streak against the Spartans and are playing this game at Trager Stadium for the first time since 2018.
• Michigan State held an 8-10 record in the 2024-25 season, with a 1-7 record in Big Ten play.
• Rising senior Emma O'Niell led the team last year with 16 points in 18 games played.
• Helen Knull is in her 15th season at the helm. She is the longest tenured coach in the program's history and also holds the second most wins in program history at 170 wins, with 104 of those coming as head coach.

Ohio University
Series History: Ohio leads 28-13 - the last seven meetings have gone to the Cardinals. The bulk of the series was played when both teams were member of the MAC (1994-2004)
Last Meeting: Aug. 27, 2021 - Louisville won 6-0 at Trager Stadium – Erica Cooper notched a pair of goals with the help of Katie Schneider's three assists to push the Cards past the Bobcats early.
Scouting the Bobcats: The Bobcats held a 7-11 record last year, going 3-5 in the Mid-American Conference. Ohio opens with Michigan state on the 30th of August, then takes on Louisville the following day at Trager Stadium.
• Sasha Dikotla lead the Bobcats last year in both points (13) and goals (6). The Junior was also one of only six players to start in every single game last year.
• Macy Lotze has spent the bulk of the time in the cage for the Bobcats and carries a 2.74 goals against average with two shutouts and an .691 save percentage.
• Ali Johnstone is in her eighth season at the helm. She was a MAC Co-Coach of the year in 2023 and has led Ohio to multiple postseason appearances.

Louisville Plays Host to Michigan State and Ohio in Season Opening Weekend

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Players Mentioned

Izzy Bianco

Chloe Cuzzupe

Tatum Kroon

Lauren Masters

Rylie Wollerton

Emily Young

University of Louisville Athletics