Aug. 26, 2009

AMHERST, Mass. - The National Field Hockey Coaches has released its Kookaburra/NFHCA Division I Preseason Poll with UMass beginning the season ranked 17th in the country with 126 points. The two-time defending Atlantic 10 champions finished the 2008 season ranked 17th in the final poll, a position they held for most of the year. The Minutewomen open the season on Saturday at home against #20 Providence at 1 p.m.

Defending national champion Maryland begins the season ranked No. 1 in the country with 573 points and 24 out of 29 first-place votes. Richmond and Temple are also receiving votes.

Since 2006, when the NFHCA first released a preseason poll, this is the first time UMass has been ranked prior to the start of the season. In 2008, the Minutewomen were the highest "others receiving votes" team and in 2007 received one vote in the preseason poll.

Justine Sowry's squad will face one of the nation's most challenging schedules in 2009. UMass will play six opponents ranked in the top 20 in the preseason poll: #3 Syracuse (Oct. 3), #5 UConn (Oct. 9), #9 Iowa (Sept. 5), #12 James Madison (Sept. 12), #14 Boston College (Sept. 20), and #20 Providence (Sept. 29). Three of those contests (Iowa, BC, and Providence) will be played at home on Garber Field. Syracuse and Iowa made up half of the NCAA Final Four from last season.

In all, UMass will play 12 of its 20 regular season games against clubs that received votes in the preseason poll.

2009 Kookaburra / NFHCA Division I Preseason Poll
1. Maryland
2. Wake Forest
3. Syracuse
4. North Carolina
5. Connecticut
6. Virginia
7. Princeton
8. Michigan State
9. Iowa
10. Duke
11. Penn State
12. James Madison
13. Louisville
14. American
(tie) Boston College
16. Old Dominion
17. Massachusetts
18. Ohio State
19. Michigan
20. Providence