BOONE, N.C. — The App State field hockey team looks to add another victory to the win column, traveling to James Madison on Friday at 2 p.m. in its final MAC road test of the season, followed by its last nonconference matchup of the year against No. 9 North Carolina in the High Country.
The Mountaineers (8-7, 4-3 MAC) are coming off back-to-back wins, shutting out Central Michigan 5-0 on Friday before completing a late comeback for a 3-2 overtime victory against Kent State to move to 4-3 in conference play.
Sophia Baxter scored four goals over the course of those two games and was named the MAC Defensive Player of the Week for her performance.
Friday's Matchup
· Who: App State at James Madison
· Where: JMU Field Hockey Complex // Harrisonburg, Va.
· When: Friday, Oct. 23, 2 p.m.
Sunday's Matchup
· Who: App State vs. No. 9 North Carolina
· Where: Dr. Jan C. Watson Field at the Brandon & Erica M. Adcock Field Hockey Complex // Boone, N.C.
· When: Sunday, Oct. 25, 1 p.m.
Scouting the Mountaineers
The Mountaineers have been stout defensively outside of contests against ranked opponents, allowing only nine goals through those 11 games while posting five shutouts, most recently in Friday's 5-0 victory over CMU. Anchoring that defensive unit is two-time MAC Goalkeeper of the Week Anderson, who ranks second in the MAC in save percentage (0.788) and 11th nationally in the category.
App State has been relentless at home, holding a 6-1 record at Jan C. Watson Field, with its sole loss coming against No. 6 Wake Forest on Sept. 13.
Newcomers have made a major impact on scoring for the Mountaineers, with freshman
Chloe Hook leading the team with eight goals this season. Michigan State transfer
Brynn Shaffer trails Hook with five goals, with both Hook and Shaffer finding the back of the cage last weekend.
The Mountaineers retain key returners from the 2025 squad, led by four-time 2025 Defensive Player of the Week
Sophia Baxter, along with fellow team captains
Kassie Paul and
Calista Schwartz, a Vancouver, British Columbia, native and member of the FIH Junior World Cup roster.
App State has added impactful transfers to its 2026 roster, highlighted by Canadian National Team player and Vancouver native
Rylie Novak, who transferred from Iowa. Senior
Madie Baker, who saw action at Liberty, joins the team along with Shaffer, who appeared in 15 games last season while tying for third in goals, assists, and points for the Spartans. Hailing from Santa Rosa, Argentina, is
Amparo Figueroa, a junior forward transfer from Converse University who earned 2025 First-Team All-SAC honors after leading her team in goals (12), points (30), shots on goal (47), and game-winning goals (3) while finishing second with six assists.
The Mountaineers have also added five freshmen, headlined by sisters
Chloe Hook and
Morgan Hook, who both had standout careers at Penn Manor High School in Millersville, Pennsylvania. Joining them in the freshman class is fellow Pennsylvania native
Reagan Bailey from Dallastown Area High School, where she was named Offensive Player of the Year. The final two newcomers are
Jackie Kerner from Crofton, Maryland, where she won multiple state titles, and
Mai Hattori from Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Scouting the Dukes
JMU enters the matchup 7-6 (6-1 MAC) on a six-game winning streak, most recently defeating CMU 3-1 at home. The Dukes sit tied for second in the MAC with Miami (Ohio), with their only conference loss coming against the Redhawks. The Dukes return six starters from last year's squad while replacing five. JMU is led by head coach Alyssa Parker Rosenblum, who is in her first year at the helm.
Scouting the Tar Heels
No. 9 UNC enters the matchup 9-5 (5-1 ACC) on a two-game winning streak, most recently taking down 13th-ranked Syracuse, 2-1. The Tar Heels have faced nine ranked opponents this season, holding a 4-5 record in those contests. UNC is led by head coach Erin Matson, who is in her fourth season leading the program after a playing career that featured four national championships.
Series History
· vs. JMU: This marks the 22nd all-time matchup between the Mountaineers and the Dukes, with App State trailing 5-15-1 in the series but winning the last four. Last season, the Mountaineers defeated the 18th-ranked Dukes to propel App State to its first national ranking in school history at No. 17. Head coach
Emily Dinsmore is undefeated against JMU during her tenure.
· vs. UNC: Sunday's matchup marks the 28th all-time meeting between the Mountaineers and the Tar Heels, with App State trailing 2-24-1. In last year's meeting on Sept. 12, 2025, the Mountaineers fell 5-0 on the road to the second-ranked Tar Heels.
Up Next
The Mountaineers will remain in the High Country for their regular-season finale and Senior Day, hosting Longwood on Oct. 30.
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