University of Delaware Athletics
Delaware Holds Steady at No. 9 in NFHCA Coaches Poll
11/1/2016 10:59:00 AM | Field Hockey
NFHCA Release
CHANDLER, Ariz. – Delaware maintained the No. 9 spot in the Penn Monto/NFHCA Division I Coaches Poll Tuesday as teams prepare for conference tournament action this coming weekend.
The Blue Hens wrapped regular season play by tying a school record with 17 wins and went undefeated in conference action for just the second time since 1991 to earn the top seed in the CAA standings. Delaware is set to host the CAA Tournament for the second time in four seasons this coming weekend. The Hens previously went 6-0 during the 2013 campaign, a year in which Delaware last hosted the CAA Tournament and captured its first of three consecutive titles.
UD is currently second nationally with an 89.5 winning percentage (17-2) and is the only team besides UConn (18-1; .947) to reach at least 17 wins on the year. The Hens also rank fourth nationally with 4.21 goals per game, a scoring margin of 2.52 and 11.63 points per contest.
Duke (15-2) collected 832 points and 37 first place votes to remain at No. 1 in the poll this week. The rest of the top five was virtually unchanged, with Syracuse (14-2; one first place vote) holding the No. 2 spot once again while Maryland (15-3; one first place vote) came in at No. 3 and UConn (18-1; two first place votes) was at No. 4. North Carolina (15-4; one first place vote) held its position at No. 5.
The next Penn Monto/NFHCA Division I Coaches Poll will be announced on Tuesday, November 8. The poll is voted on by NFHCA member coaches and has no bearing on selection into the NCAA Tournament.
The Blue Hens will vie for their fourth straight and sixth overall CAA crown this coming weekend at Fred P. Rullo Stadium. The semifinal format begins on Friday, Nov. 4 with the top-seeded Blue Hens (17-2, 6-0 CAA) taking on fourth-seeded Drexel (8-10, 3-3 CAA) at 3 p.m. Following that contest, second-seeded William & Mary (9-9, 5-1 CAA) squares off against third-seeded James Madison (12-6, 4-2 CAA) at approximately 6 p.m.
The 2016 title game takes place at 1 p.m. Sunday, with the victors from Friday's semifinals contests competing for the conference crown and automatic bid to the NCAA Field Hockey Championship.
MEDIA CONTACT: Maggie Hayon, Assistant Sports Information Director | mhayon@udel.edu | O: 302-831-6389 | C: 302-379-9182
