Aug. 10, 2009

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - Massachusetts has been selected to win its third consecutive Atlantic 10 field hockey title in voting conducted by the league's head coaches.

The Minutewomen captured their league-leading 11th A-10 crown and advanced to the NCAA Field Hockey Championship for the 21st time last season while amassing 17 victories, the program's highest total since 2000. UMass is led by sophomore goalie Alesha Widdall, who shared Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year honors with Richmond's Katelin Peterson.

A first-team All-Conference selection, Widdall led the league in both goals against average (1.06) and save percentage (.778) and was tabbed a second-team All-American by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA).

Vying for its third title and first since 1994, Temple has been picked second by the coaches, followed by 2008 runner-up Richmond, Saint Joseph's, West Chester, La Salle and Saint Louis.

The four-team A-10 Field Hockey Championship will be held Nov. 6-7 at Massachusetts' Garber Field.

2009 Predicted Order Of Finish (2008 A-10/Overall record in parentheses)
1. Massachusetts (6-0/17-5)
2. Temple (4-2/8-12)
3. Richmond (5-1/10-11)
4. Saint Joseph's (3-3/11-9)
5. West Chester (2-4/7-11)
6. La Salle (1-5/6-13)
7. Saint Louis (0-6/4-13)