SALISBURY, MARYLAND — Mid-Shore college sports calendars turn to Sea Gull Stadium this week: Salisbury University's field hockey team, ranked No. 5 in the National Field Hockey Coaches Association preseason poll, opens the 2026 season at home Tuesday against Swarthmore at 6 p.m.

Salisbury athletics' official preview (Aug. 31) says the Sea Gulls finished 2025 at 19-3, reached a 40th overall and 31st consecutive NCAA Tournament, and advanced to the Elite Eight as SUNYAC champions in their first conference season. They fell 1-0 to No. 1 Christopher Newport in the game that decided a Final Four berth. The Gulls earned the SUNYAC automatic bid with a 7-1 championship win over SUNY Cortland after a semifinal win over SUNY Oneonta, then beat Denison 5-0 in the NCAA first round at Sea Gull Stadium and No. 11 Dickinson 5-0 in Newport News, Va.

This is Salisbury's second year as a SUNYAC associate member in field hockey. The Sea Gulls were picked as the conference preseason favorite. Key returners listed by the SID include senior midfielder Regan Nacrelli (Smyrna, Del.), senior defender Regan Worley (Poquoson, Va.), and junior defender Devon DeGregory (Lewes, Del.). Head coach Dawn Chamberlin is in her 40th season; in the SID release she said the group is "young, full of energy," and that the staff asked players "to come out and compete every time they step on this field and they have certainly done that."

Talbot and Chestertown readers get a Shore rivalry date next: Washington College visits Salisbury on Wednesday, Sept. 9, at 6 p.m., per the university's July schedule release (16 regular-season games, nine at Sea Gull Stadium).