Last season’s top ranked (ACC and Nationally) field hockey team didn’t find their way into the NCAA Championship. Was it a surprise that the conference didn’t perform better overall in the title run? Yes, and no. The swing of experience and depth on any one or multiple teams will almost inevitably take a dip. Alas, the pendulum swings both ways and even though an ACC team isn’t at the top of the NFHCA Field Hockey Preseason Top 20 it’s more about extending a nod to the prior year’s champion.
Let’s be clear, it’s not as if Northwestern isn’t a great program and has more in the ways of personnel and coaching to elevate them once again, it’s just that there’s an enormous wave of momentum coming from ACC teams. We’ll get to see how that plays out immediately as the season begins today (Friday, August 29) with teams facing off against top-ranked opponents.
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What’s on the plate for opening day?
- Stanford @ #4 Maryland
- #2 North Carolina @ #7 Michigan
- #20 Wake Forest @ #15 Iowa
- #17 Liberty @ #5 Duke
- #18 Penn State @ #3 Virginia
- Lock Haven @ #11 Syracuse
Field Hockey
Now that we’ve revealed some of the rankings let’s take a look at the Top 20.
| NFHCA | TEAM |
| #1 | Northwestern |
| #2 | North Carolina |
| #3 | Virginia |
| #4 | Maryland |
| #5 | Duke |
| #8 | Boston College |
| #11T | Syracuse |
| #20 | Wake Forest |
How did the ACC Coaches rank the conference?
- North Carolina
- Duke
- Virginia
- Boston College
- Syracuse
- Wake Forest
- Stanford
- Louisville
- Cal
There are more ranked matches this weekend –
- Saturday – #8 Boston College @ Indiana
- Sunday – #20 Wake Forest @ #7 Michigan
- Fairfield @ #11 Syracuse
- #5 Duke @ American
- #2 North Carolina @ #15 Iowa
The ACC Network will carry ten field hockey matchups this season.
