University of Connecticut Athletics
Field Hockey Maintains Top Spot in NFHCA Poll
9/19/2017 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Full NFHCA Release and Top-25
GILBERT, Ariz. - The UConn field hockey team is the last undefeated team left in the country, and the Huskies are also a resounding selection as the No. 1-ranked squad in the Penn Monto/National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Division I National Coaches Poll announced on Tuesday.
Representing the BIG EAST in the poll, the Huskies maintained their grip on the top spot with 1,165 points and 43 out of a possible 47 first-place votes. Rounding out the top-5, Duke inched up two places to No. 2 in the poll, followed by No. 3 Penn State, No. 4 Virginia and No. 5 Delaware. UConn will visit the defending national champion Blue Hens on Sunday, and will mark UConn's sixth game of the season against a top-20 opponent.
Head Coach Nancy Stevenshas led the UConn field hockey program to its fourth No. 1 ranking since taking over at the helm. Stevens and the Huskies last held the distinction in 2016, after a 9-0 start to the season.
For the second week in a row, the Huskies were led on the attack by senior forward Charlotte Veitner. Over the past four games Veitner has scored 11 goals and dished out three assists, and was named BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week for the second consecutive Week, Monday afternoon. In Friday's BIG EAST opener against Old Dominion, Veitner scored two goals in a 6-0 victory. Then on Sunday, against No. 20 Boston University, the senior found a hand on seven of the teams' eight goals, finishing the afternoon with four goals and three assists as UConn routed the Terriers 8-1.
On the defensive side of the ball, UConn is led by senior back Casey Umstead who earned her fourth consecutive BIG EAST Player of the Week honor, earning Defensive Player of the Week for the third time this season. In last week's pair of contests the Huskies outshot their opponents 47-11, and through the opening seven games haveoutscored its opposition 34-5.
UConn is back in action on Friday, Sept. 22 at BIG EAST foe Temple (6 p.m.). The Huskies are currently 1-0 in conference action after defeating Old Dominion, 6-0, last week.
