The Ursinus Bears Field Hockey team is off to an absolutely blazing hot start, and also finding themselves ranked #14 in the Division 3 national coaches poll from September 15th, 2026. This has come with a 5-1 record and some signature wins six games in, and all the momentum you could imagine. This has also come with the help of Ursinus’s home crowd these last few games, with Head Coach Janelle Benner stating, “We’ve loved being able to compete in front of our families, friends, and supporters, and we’re excited to have more opportunities to do that.”
One of the games that will be remembered came against Messiah University, where the Bears claimed victory in a second overtime. The Bears struck first in the second quarter, with Kirsten Johnson ‘27 scoring on the assist from Kylie Moore ‘29. Messiah struck back in the third quarter before both teams scored in the fourth to send it to overtime. Both teams took two shots in the first overtime with neither scoring. Then, in the 78th minute, Moore took and made the game winning shot, with the assist from Ava Mikulski ‘27.
“I love being part of this team,” Moore told us after the game. “It is such a hardworking team and we put the work in.”
Moore’s shot finished the upset over the 11th ranked Messiah team, and will be a crucial win as the season goes on. Another game that many will recall is another victory against a ranked opponent, this time #17 (at the time) University of Lynchburg. The victory came courtesy of an elite team defensive performance and two goals from captain Marie Brainard ‘27.
While this hot start is awesome for fans and the team, the schedule will not get any easier as the season goes on. The season is still young and there are still four Top 25 ranked teams (as of the September 15th poll) on the Bears’ schedule: The College of New Jersey (19), John Hopkins (4), and Franklin and Marshall (7). When asked about how to keep the momentum from this hot start going, Coach Benner said,“We still have a lot of room to grow in our consistency and execution. We want to keep raising our standards and becoming a team that can stay composed and connected, regardless of what the game throws at us.” One of, if not their hardest, match-ups will come against away at Johns Hopkins University, though Hopkins did lose to Messiah. The team is also looking to rebound following a tough 1-0 loss to Stevenson in overtime.
One notable aspect with this team is their special bond. On the field, they work hard together, play for one another and don’t let anything that may go wrong affect their connection. The connection is apparent when you watch them play, how much all their time together playing and just as a group has had its impact on this team. It’s clear they have not only bought into one another, but also the coaching team’s approach, a combination that makes the Bears different from a run-of-the-mill team.
“We have a lot of different personalities and strengths, but there’s a genuine belief that everyone matters and everyone has a role in our success,” Coach Benner told the Grizzly. “That selflessness has become a big part of who we are.”
This group is clearly committed to their coaches and one another, and the results have spoken for this hard work and connection so far.
The Bears hope to continue their hot start when they resume action at home against The College of New Jersey on September 23rd at 7 p.m.
