Field Hockey Set for Pair of NEC Matchups Against Mercyhurst, Merrimack

Friday, October 16

Erie, PA

2:00 PM

Quinnipiac University

Mercyhurst

Jule Hoefer with the ball against Dartmouth (Oct. 11, 2026 in Hamden, CT)

Photo by: Rob Rasmussen / P8Photos.com

Field Hockey Set for Pair of NEC Matchups Against Mercyhurst, Merrimack

10/15/2026 10:58:00 PM | Field Hockey

Quinnipiac at Mercyhurst
Friday, Oct. 16, 2026 | 2:00 PM
Erie, PA | Saxon Stadium
Watch: Click Here | Live Stats: Click Here

Quinnipiac vs Merrimack
Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026 | 12:00 PM
Hamden, CT | QU Field Hockey Stadium
Watch: Click Here | Live Stats: Click Here

HAMDEN, CT – Quinnipiac field hockey returns to action this weekend for a pair of NEC matchups, traveling to Erie, PA to face Mercyhurst on Friday afternoon before hosting Merrimack on Sunday for Alumnae Day.

Friday's contest marks the first-ever meeting between the Bobcats and the Lakers.

CATS KEEP CLIMBING

Quinnipiac enters the weekend with a 7-4 overall record and 3-1 in NEC play.
The Bobcats rank 9th nationally in save percentage (.787) and 29th in points per game (6.82).
QU leads the NEC in overall save percentage (.787), goals-against average (1.78) and scoring average (2.455).
Ava Bleier leads the team and conference with seven goals, while Rozemarijn van Keulen and Martina Calveira are tied for first with 15 points apiece.
First-year goalkeeper Meike van Schoot has allowed 19 goals through 11 games, the fewest among NEC goalkeepers.

ROZE TO THE OCCASION

Rozemarijn van Keulen has recorded 15 points over nine games, including a six-game point streak from Sept. 4-27.
Van Keulen ranks 29th nationally in points per game (1.67) and 30th in assists per game (.56).
The sophomore recorded her first multi-goal game of the season against Columbia, marking the fourth of her collegiate career.
Van Keulen leads the NEC in points per game (1.67), ranks second in goals per game (.556) and sits third in total goals (5).
Van Keulen returns for her sophomore campaign after totaling 20 points on eight goals and four assists across 16 games as a rookie.

MEIKE-ING AN IMPACT

First-year goalkeeper Meike van Schoot has posted a 7-4 record in her debut collegiate season.
Van Schoot ranks 14th nationally in save percentage (.784) and 18th in saves per game (6.27).
Van Schoot earned NEC Rookie of the Week honors on Oct. 13 after helping the Bobcats secure back-to-back wins over LIU and Dartmouth. The rookie came up with a crucial save in overtime against Dartmouth to help seal the victory.
Van Schoot won her second NEC Defensive Player of the Week honor on Sept 22. She recorded 16 saves on the weekend while allowing just two goals.
The goalkeeper earned NEC Defensive Player and Rookie of the Week on Sept. 9 after an impressive weekend in goal, recording 23 saves on 29 shots faced against Bucknell and Brown.
Van Schoot posted a career-high 18 saves against Brown, including six on penalty corners and a crucial penalty stroke save just three minutes into the game.
In just her fourth collegiate appearance, van Schoot's 18 save performance marked the most saves by a Quinnipiac goalkeeper in a single game since Sept. 4, 2011.

RETURN TO THE NEC

The Bobcats rejoin the Northeast Conference after previously competing as a full-time member from 1998-2013. During that span, QU won the inaugural NEC Field Hockey Tournament in 1999, including two more NEC tournament titles, and four regular-season championships.
QU was selected to finish second, behind Wagner, in the coaches' preseason poll with five first-place votes.

LEADERSHIP GROUP

Katie Shanahan returns for her second straight year as captain of the Bobcat squad, with the addition of senior Audrey Everett and junior Jule Hoefer to the leadership group.

NEW CATS ON THE BLOCK

Head Coach Nina Klein and her staff brought in eight newcomers ahead of this season.
Among the group, there are four joining QU from across the Atlantic, with Senne Fassbender, Julia Lutz, and Meike van Schoot from the Netherlands and Evelyn Henderson from England.
Kaia Jackson, Mia Khazin, Maddie Lathrop, and Lily Mastrella are each from the Northeast.
QU's roster is made up of 14 underclassmen among the 24 players.

HEAD COACH NINA KLEIN

Nina Klein enters her fourth season as the head field hockey coach and second coach in program history, replacing longtime head coach Becca Main.
A season ago, Klein helped lead the Bobcats to their first 10-win season since 2013.
Sophomore Francisca Eschoyez was named BIG-EAST co-offensive player of the year, ALL-BIG EAST First Team, and NFHCA Third-Team All-American. In 2024, Eschoyez earned Second Team All-BIG EAST honors.
In Klein's first season at the helm of the Bobcats, she helped the Bobcats to one of their best finishes in BIG EAST play.
Klein also helped guide Stella Tegtmeier to the first major BIG EAST award in program history, with Tegtmeier taking home BIG EAST Midfielder of the Year in 2023.
A selector for USA Field Hockey U16 goalkeepers, Klein returns to Quinnipiac after serving as the assistant field hockey coach at Boston College for the 2022 season.
Prior to her time at Boston College, Klein joined the Bobcats under Becca Main and was elevated to associate head coach prior to the 2019 season.
A UConn graduate, Klein served the Huskies as a volunteer assistant for the 2018 season.