DELAWARE, OH – The second-seeded Denison Big Red captured the 2025 North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) Field Hockey Tournament title on Saturday, November 8, with a 2-1 overtime victory over the top-seeded, Ohio Wesleyan Battling Bishops. The tournament championship is Denison’s sixth overall and first since 2023.
 
As conference tournament champions, Denison has earned the league's automatic bid into the 2025 NCAA Division III Field Hockey Tournament. The NCAA Division III selection show will be held at 9:30 p.m. on Sunday, November 9 on NCAA.com.
 
#2 DENISON (12-6) 2, #1 OHIO WESLEYAN (11-6) 1 (OT)

• Ohio Wesleyan struck first midway through the second quarter when first-year Morgan Leeper (Georgetown, DE/Sussex Academy) redirected a pass from senior Emma Morgeson (Louisville, KY/Christian Academy of Louisville) in front of the cage to give the Battling Bishops a 1-0 lead at the 23:18 mark.
• Despite trailing, Denison controlled much of the possession and pressure, outshooting Ohio Wesleyan 4-1 and earning six corners throughout the second and third quarters. However, OWU junior goalkeeper Payton Mindel (Louisville, KY/duPont Manual) kept the Bishops in front with three saves.
• In the fourth quarter, with under two minutes remaining, senior Katherine Flanagan (Lexington, MA/Proctor Academy (NH)) scored the equalizer off a pass from first-year Lulu Keil (Lake Forest, IL/Lake Forest), tying the game at 1-1 and forcing overtime.
• In the extra period, Denison continued to press. After an OWU corner on the opposite end, the Big Red earned a set piece of their own. On the restart, junior Emma Gebhart (Carlisle, MA/Concord Carlisle) scored the game-winner at 68:48, completing the comeback and sealing the 2-1 victory.
• Sophomore goalkeeper Therese Lucian (Mickleton, NJ/Tower Hill School (DE)) made three saves in the win, while Mindel finished with seven. Gebhart led all players with seven shots, including three on goal.
• Denison outshot Ohio Wesleyan 16-5, including an 11-4 edge in shots on goal, and earned 16 corners to the Bishops’ six. 

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