Field Hockey | 8/27/2019 2:50:00 PM
The Washington & Jefferson college field hockey team was ranked as the No. 17 team in the preseason Penn Monto/NFHCA Division III National Coaches Poll on Tuesday, Aug, 27.
The Presidents earned their first preseason ranking from the Penn Monto/NFHCA Coaches Poll in program history following a historic 2018 season.
Last fall, the Presidents broke into the Penn Monto/NFHCA National Coaches Poll for the first time in team history. The Presidents rose as high as high as No. 15 in the final poll (Nov. 6).
W&J won school-record 18 games, captured its second-consecutive Empire 8 championship and collected its first-ever NCAA Tournament.
As a team in 2018, the Presidents led Division III in goals against average (0.30), save percentage (.903) and shutouts per game (0.75).
Then-senior Rachel Buyan and junior goalkeeper Rena Israel (Wexford, Pa./North Allegheny) earned All-American status.
The Presidents are the lone Empire 8 team to receive preseason votes. W&J has one matchup schedule against a team that also received preseason applause. The Presidents will host Denison (RV) on Sept. 6 at 7 p.m.
The Penn Monto/NFHCA Division III National Coaches Poll is a weekly ranking of the top 20 teams in Division III field hockey. The first in-season ranking is slated for Sept. 10.
The Presidents begin the 2019 campaign on Friday, Aug. 30 when W&J takes on Wittenberg at Cameron Stadium at 7 p.m.