UD Tops Preseason FH Poll
Tim McDonnell
RICHMOND, Va. (August 12, 2014) – Following one of the most successful seasons in program history, the University of Delaware field hockey team was picked to take home the CAA crown again in 2014 according to a vote by the league’s head field hockey coaches.
Delaware, which captured its first-ever CAA regular season title after finishing unbeaten (6-0) in league play last year, totaled four first-place votes and 32 points to earn the top spot in the 2014 poll. Drexel, which won the 2012 league title, grabbed two first-place votes and finished second in the poll with 29 points. Northeastern, which has been the CAA runner-up for the past three seasons, earned one first-place vote and was third with 28 points. James Madison placed fourth with 22 points, William & Mary followed in fifth with 17 and Hofstra (13) and Towson (6) rounded out the final two spots.
Delaware won a program record 17 games last fall, including a victory over Liberty in an NCAA Tournament play-in contest. Fourth-year head coach Rolf van de Kerkhof won NFHCA Mid-Atlantic Coach of the Year honors in 2013 and returns a handful of playmakers to help the Blue Hens bid for their second straight CAA title. Back for her sophomore campaign is reigning CAA Player and Rookie of the Year Esmee Peet, who set a new UD freshman record with 32 points (13 G, 6 A) in 2013 en route to becoming just the third player to capture the top rookie and individual CAA honor. Junior All-America midfielder Michaela Patzner led the CAA in points (41), goals (16) and tied for the lead in assists with nine. UD also returns two second team All-CAA honorees from last year in junior Allie Mikelson and sophomore Meghan Winesett.
Drexel recorded a 13-7 (4-2 CAA) mark in 2013 and enters 2014 with plenty of leadership. The Dragons have 14 upperclassmen on their roster for the upcoming season, including nine seniors who already helped the program win a CAA title in 2012. Senior goalkeeper Jantien Gunter is one of the league’s top shot stoppers and earned first team All-CAA recognition last year. The Netherlands native owned a stellar 1.49 goals against average and .773 save percentage for the Dragons last year. Junior Lauren Hibshman (first team All-CAA member in 2013) contributes on both sides of the ball, while senior Christina Conrad (7G, 4A) and sophomore Jessica McCarthy (3G, 1A) should help lead the way offensively at the midfield position.
Northeastern reached the CAA title game for the third consecutive season in 2013, though the Huskies are still on a quest for their first conference championship. NU, which went 8-13 overall and 3-3 in the CAA last season, has earned a berth in the NCAA Field Hockey Championship twice in the past three years. There’s a lot to look forward to as three Huskies – midfielder/forward Jessica Unger, midfielder Natalie Stewart and goalkeeper Becky Garner -- come back in 2014 following productive freshmen campaigns which saw each earn CAA All-Rookie honors.
James Madison just missed the CAA tournament last fall despite finishing 3-3 in league play and 10-8 overall. The Dukes have welcomed back a familiar face to lead the program this season as Christy Morgan was hired as the program’s head coach for the second time. Morgan helped guide JMU to a national title in 1994 and spent nine seasons coaching the Dukes. JMU won a CAA title in 1995 under Morgan and enjoyed back-to-back Final Four appearances in 1994 and ‘95. Dukes’ redshirt junior Taylor West accounted for 33 points last season (14G, 5A) and earned first-team All-CAA accolades. Also back is junior Loes Stijntjes, who supplied nine points last fall and made the All-CAA second team.
The 2014 field hockey season kicks off on Aug. 29 with five of the league’s teams in action in non-conference play.
2014 CAA FIELD HOCKEY PRESEASON COACHES POLL
1. Delaware 32 (4 first-place votes)
2. Drexel 29 (2)
3. Northeastern 28 (1)
4. James Madison 22
5. William & Mary 17
6. Hofstra 13
7. Towson 6