DELAWARE, OH – Top-seeded Ohio Wesleyan captured the 2024 North Coast Athletic Conference Field Hockey Tournament title on Saturday, November 9, with a 1-0 victory over second-seeded Denison. The tournament championship is the Battling Bishops' third overall and first since winning back-to-back crowns in 2021 and 2022.
 
As conference tournament champions, Ohio Wesleyan has earned the league's automatic bid into the 2024 NCAA Division III Field Hockey Tournament. The NCAA Division III selection show will be held at 9:30 p.m. on Sunday on NCAA.com.
 
#1 OHIO WESLEYAN (17-4) 1, #2 DENISON (11-7) 0

• Through the first quarter of action, the Battling Bishops' defense held the Big Red to just one shot, while Denison limited OWU to three.
• Both teams' defensive units continued to apply pressure through the end of the first half as neither team was able to fire off a single shot.
• However, after the break and just 2:29 into the third quarter, it was OWU junior Avery Slucher (Louisville, KY/Christian Academy of Louisville) who launched the eventual game-winning goal over the heads of the Big Red's defenders. Slucher was assisted by first-year Mary Powers (Centreville, VA/Chantilly) who earned the penalty and handed the Bishops the chance to take the lead.
• With the win, the Bishops won their first tournament title since 2022 when they defeated DePauw, 1-0 in double overtime.
• Denison was led by sophomores Reilly Desmond (Eagle, CO/Proctor Academy (NH)), Lila Smith (Charlotte, NC/Myers Park), and Emma Gebhart (Carlisle, MA/Concord Carlisle) as they recorded one shot apiece.

The NCAC All-Tournament team announced at the conclusion of the tournament. Twelve members from Denison, DePauw, Ohio Wesleyan and Wittenberg made up the squad. Ohio Wesleyan's Slucher was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player.