DURHAM, N.C.- The Duke field hockey team has announced their 2012 schedule which includes ten home matches and a new Friday/Sunday format for the weekend competition schedule. 

"The Duke Field Hockey program is excited to play ten of our 17 matches at home on Williams Field at Jack Katz Stadium. " Head Coach Pam Bustin Commented.  "Not only will we be able to showcase the 2012 field hockey team to our hometown fans, but we will open each home weekend with a Friday night matchup at 6 p.m."

Duke will open up its season on the road with a scrimmage against conference opponent Wake Forest followed by a run of non-conference foes.

The Blue Devils home opener is a matchup against Princeton, who is one of five opponents that made an appearance in the 2011 NCAA tournament.  Other opponents include the 2010 and 2011 national champions, Maryland and 2011 NCAA runner-up, North Carolina (UNC). 

The Blue Devil squad spends almost the entire month of September at home against conference opponents UNC and Boston College and nonconference  competition such as Old Dominion(ODU), Richmond, Northwestern, Michigan State and Kent State.  The only road game during September will be in Winston-Salem, N.C. against Wake Forest. 

October will put the Blue Devils on the road against Maryland, James Madison and Old Dominion.  Then, the Blue Devils will finish their regular season at home against California and Atlantic Coast foe Virginia before heading to UNC for the ACC tournament. 

All home matches will played at Williams Field at Jack Katz Stadium on Duke's east campus.  

In 2011, Duke finished with a 14-8 record overall and an NCAA quarterfinal appearance. They lost five seniors due to graduation, including All-Americans Stefanie Fee, Rhian Jones and Samantha Nelson. Head coach Bustin and the rest of the Blue Devil coaching staff are bringing in five newcomers to make up the class of 2016

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