NEW YORK – With the 2016 field hockey season opening this weekend, the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) and Penn Monto released the Preseason Poll on Tuesday with three BIG EAST teams ranked in the top 20. Reigning BIG EAST champion and conference preseason favorite Connecticut (UConn) ranked in the top three while Liberty and Old Dominion (ODU) came in at No. 13 and No. 20, respectively.
Leading the way for the BIG EAST, the No.3 Huskies garnered 818 points and three first-place votes in the first poll of the year. UConn only trails No.1 North Carolina with 915 points and No.2 Syracuse with 898 points. Overall, UConn will face seven top 20 teams in 2016, beginning with No.11 Stanford in its season opener on Aug. 26.
In 2015, UConn went undefeated, 18-0, in the regular season and collected its 15th BIG EAST Championship title. The Huskies finished 22-1 overall, after bowing out to Syracuse in the NCAA Final Four.
The No.13 Liberty Flames earned 306 points and will square off against eight teams ranked in the top 20 this season, including six in the top 10. The conference newcomer enters the league after finishing the 2015 season as an independent with a 12-6 record.
No. 20 Old Dominion earned 130 points. In 2016, the Monarchs are set to match up against eight nationally ranked teams. ODU went 9-10 in 2015.
For a full listing of the top-20 teams and others receiving votes, click here: http://bit.ly/2bfrdx5.