Princeton University Athletics
Princeton Field Hockey Seventh in Kookaburra/NFHCA Preseason Poll
August 25, 2009 | Field Hockey
PRINCETON (8/25) -- The Princeton field hockey team enters the 2009 season ranked seventh in the Kookaburra/NFHCA Division I Preseason Poll. Princeton was 17-3 a season ago and advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals for the second time in three seasons.
Princeton received one first-place vote in the poll and ranked seventh overall with 379 points. Princeton wrapped up 2008 ranked ninth in the poll and was the fifth-ranked team in RPI.
Four schools received first-place votes, led by defending National Champion Maryland, which earned 24 first-place votes and 573 points to top the poll. Wake Forest, Syracuse, North Carolina and Connecticut round out the top five.
Princeton has six games on its schedule against teams in the preseason Top 20. The Tigers open the year against 18th-ranked Ohio State and third-ranked Syracuse over Labor Day Weekend in Syracuse. The Tigers also have home games against fifth-ranked Connecticut and 11th-ranked Penn State this season, and will visit top-ranked Maryland, 14th-ranked American and 20th-ranked Providence. Princeton also will meet Richmond and Harvard this season. The pair were among the 19 schools receiving votes in the poll that were outside of the Top 20. Princeton is the only Ivy League team ranked in the Top 20.
Princeton enters the 2009 campaign looking for its fifth-straight Ivy title, its 18th overall and its 15th in the last 16 years. The Tigers kick off the 2009 season on Sept. 5 against 18th-ranked Ohio State in a game played at Syracuse.