The high school field hockey season is heating up, and this weekend brings one of the biggest events on the calendar.
From September 18-20, the 2026 Max Field Hockey/Longstreth High School National Invitational will take over The Proving Grounds in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania. This three-day event brings together 69 teams from 14 states, with 70 official NFHS games scheduled across the weekend. And this isn’t just a tournament filled with talented teams. The field features 18 teams from the preseason national Top 25, including nine of the preseason Top 10, creating several nationally ranked matchups from Friday through Sunday.
How Did These Teams Earn Their Spot?
The invitational is built around MAX Field Hockey’s national and regional rankings. Teams that finished in the 2025 Final High School National Top 25 and/or Final Regional Top 20 automatically earned a spot in their year’s event. Other interested teams, including those listed as “Others Considered", could apply for consideration. That process has helped create an elite field with teams traveling from across the country to compete against some of the strongest programs in high school field hockey.
Nine Ranked Matchups to Watch
There will be plenty of games throughout the weekend, but nine matchups feature two preseason Top 25 teams.
Friday gets things started with No. 3 Villa Maria Academy vs. No.5 New Trier at 3 p.m. on Field 9. New Trier enters the weekend as the defending Illinois state champion and was listed at 10-0 heading into the week by Top of The Circle. Villa Maria also comes into the matchup undefeated at 4-0. Later Friday, No. 7 West Essex will meet No. 6 Sacred Heart Academy at 5 p.m. Sacred Heart enters the Invitational at 10-0, setting up an early test between two high-ranked programs.
Saturday brings five more ranked matchups. At 11 a.m., No. 5 New Trier takes on No. 4 Oak Knoll, followed by No. 22 Staples vs. No. 7 West Essex at 1 p.m. At 5 p.m., No. 6 Sacred Heart faces No. 19 The Hill School, before No. 12 Camden Catholic meets No. 17 Mechanicsburg Area at 7 p.m.
The final day features three more ranked matchups. No. 9 Agnes Irwin takes on No. 12 Camden Catholic at 11 a.m., while No. 23 Darien faces No. 10 Lower Dauphin at 1 p.m. on Field 9. At the same time, No. 15 Warwick meets No. 22 Staples on Field 1.
Keep an Eye on Field 9
With 70 games taking place throughout the weekend, it can be difficult to know which games to follow. Want an easy place to start? Field 9.
Field 9 features water-based turf and is generally where the biggest matchup of each time block is played. Several of the weekend’s nationally ranked games are scheduled there, including Villa Maria-New Trier, New Trier-Oak Knoll, Staples-West Essex, Sacred Heart-The Hill School, Camden Catholic-Mechanicsburg, Agnes Irwin-Camden Catholic, and Darien-Lower Dauphin.
The Proving Grounds also feature seven identical turf fields with lights and bleachers, along with the water-based field, giving teams a variety of high-level playing surfaces throughout the weekend.
An Exciting First for Vermont
This year’s Invitational also marks a milestone for Rice Memorial High School from South Burlington, Vermont.
Rice Memorial will become the first Vermont team to participate in the Invitational. The program entered the weekend as a back-to-back Vermont Division 2 state champion, adding another state to the event’s growing list of participating programs.
The official 2026 field includes teams from states stretching across the country, including California, Texas, Illinois, Kentucky, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York, Virginia, Vermont, and more.
One Weekend, 69 Teams, Plenty of Field Hockey to Watch
Whether you’re following the nationally ranked matchups, watching a team make its Invitational debut, or simply wanting to watch some of the best high school field hockey in the country, there will be plenty happening at The Proving Grounds this weekend.
With 69 teams, 14 states, 70 official games, and 18 preseason Top 25 teams, the 2026 MAX Field Hockey/Longstreth High School National Invitational is ready to put some of the country’s top programs head-to-head.
The action starts this Friday, September 18, and runs through Sunday, September 20. The National Invitational is here – now it’s time to prove it on the field.
