For Immediate Release
August 24, 2011
South Easton, Mass. – The University of Massachusetts Lowell field hockey team was voted number one in the nation in this year's Kookaburra/National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Preseason Poll. The honor comes following the River Hawks' undefeated campaign last year en route to the National Championship.
Last December, UMass Lowell (24-0, 10-0 NE-10) completed their perfect season with a 1-0 victory over Shippensburg in the NCAA Championship game in Louisville, Kentucky. The River Hawks also captured the Northeast-10 Conference championship with a 10-0 record in league play, outscoring opponents 56-3 in those contests.
UMass Lowell will return 14 players from last year's championship team, and will look to advance to the NCAA championship for the fifth straight year this fall. The River Hawks had lost in the national title game in each of the previous three seasons before taking home last year's championship.
Two other Northeast-10 institutions also cracked the top ten in the NFHCA preseason poll, with Stonehill College (16-7, 9-1 NE-10) receiving 81 points for fourth place and Bentley University (7-12, 3-7 NE-10) garnering 22 points for the 10th spot.
For the complete Kookaburra/NFHCA Preseason Poll, see below.
The Northeast-10 is an association of 16 NCAA Division II colleges and universities located in New England and New York that are committed to supporting balanced academic and athletic opportunities for more than 6,500 student-athletes. Each year, 4,500 of those student-athletes compete in Conference championships in 23 sports, making the NE-10 the largest DII conference in the country. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the Northeast-10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.
2011
Kookaburra/NFHCA Division II Preseason Poll
1. UMass Lowell – 152 (9)
2. Shippensburg – 147 (5)
3. Bloomsburg – 130 (2)
4. Stonehill – 81
5. West Chester – 77 (1)
6. East Stroudsburg – 71
7. Kutztown – 68
8. Indiana of PA – 57
9. Millersville – 35
10. Bentley – 22
( ) – Denotes first-place votes
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