University of Connecticut Athletics
Field Hockey Ranked No. 4 in STX/NFHCA Preseason Poll
8/26/2008 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
No. 17 Louisville captured a piece of the regular season championship last season with Connecticut. UofL ended the 2007 campaign with a 14-6 record and was ranked No. 13 nationally. The Cardinals were recently selected to finish third in the BIG EAST preseason poll. This season, Louisville will welcome back senior Lauren Schaefer and sophomore Nicole Youman, who were both unanimous selections to the All-BIG EAST Preseason Team.
No. 18 Syracuse ended the 2007 season with a 12-7 record after losing to Connecticut in the semifinals of the BIG EAST Championship. The Orange will welcome back sophomore Maggie Befort, who was named to the All-BIG EAST Preseason Team, and head coach Ange Bradley, who was named the 2007 BIG EAST Coach of the Year. Syracuse was recently picked to place second in the BIG EAST preseason poll and received one first-place vote.
Providence was selected to place fourth in the BIG EAST preseason poll. The Friars will feature three players who were named to the All-BIG EAST Preseason Team. Seniors Rachel Chamberlain, Jessica Lane, and Nellie Poulin will look to improve last season’s record of 14-8.
Villanova was selected to place fifth in the BIG EAST preseason poll. The Wildcats ended the 2007 season with a record of 11-7. Head coach Joanie Milhous will welcome back 13 letterwinners, including four starters.
The 2008 field hockey season begins on Aug. 29 with Rutgers playing host to Indiana. BIG EAST play will start on Sept. 19 with Louisville traveling to Syracuse, Providence visiting Connecticut and Rutgers hosting Villanova. Georgetown will open conference play on Sept. 26 when it hosts Rutgers.
The BIG EAST field hockey Championship will take place on Nov. 8 and 9. The University of Connecticut will host the four-team event. The champion will receive the league’s automatic berth in the 16-team NCAA Division I Field Hockey Championship.
The University of Connecticut field hockey team opens the preseason on Wednesday, August 27 against Durham University in a 4:00 p.m. (ET) start at the George J. Sherman Family Sports Complex.
2008 STX/NFHCA Division I Preseason Poll
(first place votes in parentheses)
Institution Points
1. North Carolina (29) 687
2. Maryland (4) 633
3. Wake Forest 582
4. Connecticut (1) 541
5. Iowa (1) 463
6. Penn State 451
7. James Madison 441
8. Old Dominion 407
9. Michigan 389
10. Michigan State 375
11. Virginia 360
12. Duke 353
13. Boston College 216
14. Boston University 201
15. American 191
16. Princeton 190
17. Louisville 181
18. Syracuse 172
19. Albany 88
20. Ohio 75
Also Receiving Votes: Massachusetts (68), University of California, Berkeley (67), Providence (60), Indiana (27), Ohio State (26), Stanford (23), Delaware (19), Northeastern (18), Hofstra (15), Temple (13), Kent State (9), Villanova (7), William & Mary (2).
