PHILADELPHIA- The University of Pennsylvania field hockey team is set to begin its new season this weekend, as the Quakers face two nationally ranked teams in No. 14 Wake Forest and No. 2 North Carolina on Friday and Sunday, respectively. These games are part of the inaugural Conference Crossover between The Ivy League and ACC and will take place at Ellen Vagelos Field.

The other Ivy League representative participating in the Conference Crossover is No. 10 Princeton who will play North Carolina on Friday and Wake Forest on Sunday, with both games scheduled to start at 11 a.m.

Conference Crossover Schedule
Friday, Aug. 31
    #10 PRINCETON (0-0) vs. #2 NORTH CAROLINA (2-0)
    11 a.m. | Ellen Vagelos Field | Live Stats
    
    PENN (0-0) vs. #14 WAKE FOREST (1-1)
    2 p.m. | Ellen Vagelos Field | Live Stats | Video

Sunday, Sept. 2
    #14 WAKE FOREST (1-1) vs. # 10 PRINCETON (0-0)
    11 a.m. | Ellen Vagelos Field | Live Stats
    
    PENN (0-0) vs. #2 NORTH CAROLINA (2-0)
    1:30 p.m. | Ellen Vagelos Field | Live Stats | Video

The Quakers are building a lot of excitement for the upcoming campaign with 17 returning letter winners coupled with a strong group of incoming freshmen, which includes dual-sport athlete Madison Jiranek. Two-time All-Ivy selections Alexa Schneck and Paige Meily lead the returning starters. 

Colleen Fink enters her ninth season as head coach and has added Rachel Stauffer to her staff as an assistant coach. Stauffer joins the Quakers after spending the 2017 season as an assistant coach at Swarthmore College and the 2016 season as an assistant at Colby College.

Another addition to Fink's staff is Penn's all-time leader in points and goals, Alexa Hoover. Hoover has taken a position as Director of Operations and will plan the team's travel, assist in film breakdown, and manage administrative tasks for the team. 

Ivy League on ESPN
The Ivy League Network has paired with ESPN and you will be able to find all Penn home field hockey games, as well as road Ivy games, on ESPN+ this fall with the same high broadcast quality you've come to expect. ESPN+ is a new, subscription-based service that offers monthly ($4.99) and yearly ($49.99). Click here to subscribe to ESPN+ and start your 7-day free trial! Click here for frequently asked questions about the Ivy League on ESPN.

Previewing Wake Forest
The Demon Deacons entered the season ranked No. 14 in the Penn Monto/NFHCA Division I National Coaches Poll. They started their season last weekend, losing 2-1 to No. 20 Iowa and upsetting No. 5 Michigan 3-2.

Wake Forest finished its 2017 season ranked No. 12 with a 12-8 overall record after losing to runner-up Maryland in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. 

Previewing North Carolina
The Tar Heels enter the 2018 season ranked No. 2 in the NFHCA Coaches Poll behind last year's national champion, UConn. North Carolina enters the weekend at Ellen Vagelos Field full of confidence after two wins to start its season, including a 5-1 drubbing of No. 5 Michigan.

North Carolina finished the 2017 season with an 18-5 record. The Heels lost in the NCAA semifinals to eventual national champion Connecticut in a game that was decided by strokes.