NEW YORK – The National Field Hockey Coaches’ Association (NFHCA) released its national rankings on Tuesday with two BIG EAST teams in the top 20. Connecticut (3-0) was ranked No. 4 with 697 points. Old Dominion (2-1) jumped from No. 20 in the preseason poll to No. 15 with 242 points after the second week of nonconference play.
The No. 4 Huskies are currently leading the BIG EAST with a three-game winning streak, including a 7-2 victory over Drexel this last week. In the season’s opening weekend, UConn defeated then-No.11 Stanford and Pacific. Connecticut is one of only 11 teams to still be undefeated this season.
Old Dominion joins UConn in the top 20 with a five-place jump from No. 20 to No. 15 after upsetting No.10 Delaware, 3-2, in overtime last week. The Monarchs first win of the season came against American on August, 28.
Top Defense
In the NCAA statistical rankings, Quinnipiac ranks first in the country in defensive saves with six. Temple stands in second in the national category with five, followed by Georgetown rating third with four and Villanova, ninth with two saves. Georgetown also ranks fifth in saves 10.50 per game. Individually, Temple’s Becky Gerhart and Quinnipiac’s Angie King rank first among all Division I players with three defensive saves. Liberty’s goalkeeper Allison Schaefer is third in the nation in saves per game at 9.67 while Georgetown goalkeeper Rachel Skonecki rates fourth with an average of 9.50 saves per game..
A Helping Hand
UConn currently leads the BIG EAST and ranks fifth in the NCAA with an average of 4.00 assists per game. The Huskie’s offensive strength is paced by BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year, Charlotte Veitner, who has totaled three assists, ranking 12th in the nation in assists per game at 1.00.