Aug. 21, 2012
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State field hockey team will open the 2012 season ranked 9th in the preseason NFHCA Coaches Poll, as announced on Tuesday afternoon. Of the five Big Ten teams that made the top 25, the Nittany Lions are ranked the highest.
Penn State, ranked 8th in the 2011 NFHCA Coaches Poll, is coming off of the program's first Big Ten Tournament Championship since 1998. Boasting a successful history since joining the Big Ten in 1992, the Lions won back-to-back tournaments in 1995, 1996, 1997 and 1998, as well as earned Big Ten titles in 1993, 1997, 1998, 2005 and 2008 for their regular season records.
In total, Penn State will play nine of the top 20 teams in the nation and five in the top 10: Old Dominion (3), Princeton (4), University of Connecticut (6), University of Virginia (8), University of Michigan (10), University of Iowa (12), Ohio State University (15), University of California (16) and Northwestern University (20).
The defending national champion, the University of Maryland, is ranked No. 1 for the 2012 season. The Terps, who defeated No. 2 North Carolina 3-2 in the NCAA Championship, are looking for their third consecutive national title. Last season, Penn State defeated Maryland 3-2 in a preseason exhibition.
Penn States returns the majority of its scoring from the 2011 season, including leading-point scorers Kelsey Amy (Sweet Valley, Pa.), Whitney Reddig (Lititz, Pa.), Taylor Herold (Fredericksburg, Va.), Laura Gebhart (Mount Joy, Pa.), Brittany Grzywacz (Collegeville, Pa.), Hannah Allison (Mifflinburg, Pa.), Ashtin Klingler (Selinsgrove, Pa.) and Lauren Purvis (Maple Glen, Pa.). Also returning is starting goalkeeper Ayla Halus (Hershey, Pa.), who played in all 23 games last season for a .742 save percentage and four shutouts.
The Lions boast several returning 2011 All-Americans, six returners with 2011 NFHCA All-Mideast Regions honors, eight returners with 2011 NFHCA National Academic Squad honors, 10 returning 2011 Big Ten-All Academics and three members of the 2011 U.S. Under-21 National Team.
The regular season begins on Friday, Aug. 24 at 5:00 p.m., when Penn State hosts its highest-ranked opponent of the 2012 season, No. 3 Old Dominion. On Sunday, Aug. 26, the Lions will also host No. 8 Virginia at noon.
For fans attending this weekend's contests: Spectators need to park at the EAST PARKING DECK. Sunday is Move-In Day for all Penn State students, so prepare to arrive early due to campus traffic.
Check back to GoPSUsports.com for continued updates leading into the 2012 season.
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