Princeton University Athletics
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Field Hockey Earns No. 4 Preseason Ranking
August 21, 2012 | Field Hockey
The Princeton field hockey team earned the No. 4 ranking in the 2012 Penn Monto/NFHCA Division I Preseason Poll, announced Tuesday by the NFHCA. The Tigers tallied 609 points and received seven first-place votes in the poll. Princeton is coming off its 15th NCAA Tournament appearance after winning its 20th Ivy League title and going 10-8, 6-1 Ivy in 2011.
The lone Ivy team to earn a preseason ranking, Princeton will face eight programs currently ranked in the top-25 during the upcoming campaign. The Tigers will tackle six preseason top-10 teams, including reigning National Champion No. 1 Maryland and No. 5 Duke in the season opener. Also tabbed for 2012 are: No. 6 Connecticut, No. 7 Syracuse, No. 8 Virginia, No. 9 Penn State, No. 13 Wake Forest and No. 25 American.
This year Princeton returns 18 letterwinners, including the return four veterans who spent the last year playing with the U.S. Senior National Team in Michelle Cesan, Kathleen Sharkey, Julia Reinprecht and Katie Reinprecht. The Tigers also welcome six freshmen to the lineup this fall.
2012 Penn Monto/NFHCA Division I Preseason Poll
Team Points (first place votes)1. Maryland * 815 (17)
2. North Carolina 799 (15)
3. Old Dominion 629
4. Princeton 609 (7)
5. Duke * 579 (1)
6. Connecticut * 565
7. Syracuse * 559
8. Virginia * 539 (3)
9. Penn State * 501
10. Michigan 426
11. Stanford 367
12. Iowa 347
13. Wake Forest * 293
14. Boston University 230
15. Ohio State 216
16. California 209
17. Boston College 199
18. New Hampshire 198
19. Albany 171
20. Northwestern 136
21. Northeastern 122
22. Maine 113
23. Louisville 60
24. Drexel 59
25. American * 58
* denotes 2012 opponent