AU Field Hockey Ranked No. 20 in Latest STX/NFHCA Division I National Coaches Poll

Sept. 30, 2008

WASHINGTON - The American University field hockey team was ranked No. 20 in the Sept. 30 STX/NFHCA Division I National Coaches Poll. The Eagles, who dropped their only game last week, 1-0, to Richmond, fell six places in the rankings to claim the final spot.

The Eagles (3-5) will open the conference portion of their schedule on Saturday at Jacobs Field against Holy Cross (3-5) on "Phil Jacobs Day". The Eagles took a 4-0 decision from the Crusaders a year ago to take a 9-3 lead in the all-time series. They were led by a five-point performance from Irene Schickhardt, who scored a pair of goals and added an assist to a Christine Fingerhuth score. Anne-Meike De Wiljes also tallied in the game on a penalty stroke. Alyssa Poorman made four saves in the victory.

"Holy Cross is one of our strongest traditional rivals and we expect this year to be no different," said AU head coach Steve Jennings. "As always, the beginning of Patriot League play means the start of the second season and we look forward to the challenge ahead."

American earned the top spot in the 2008 Patriot League Field Hockey Preseason Poll, which was voted on by the League's six field hockey head coaches and six field hockey sports information directors. The Eagles came in first in the poll with 50 total points and 10 first-place votes. Lafayette was second in the poll with 36 points and earned the other two first-place votes. Rounding out the poll were, in order, Colgate (29 points), Bucknell (24), Lehigh (23) and Holy Cross (18).

The game is set for a noon start and will serve as the next stop of the Phil Bender World Tour and will feature a free pre-game tailgate courtesy of AU Dining Services that will include hot dogs, veggie dogs, chips and Coke products and Robeks Fruit Smoothies of Tenleytown. There will also be half-time festivities with the opportunity to win Robeks gift cards and to receive the password to enter the drawing for Best Buy and Robeks gift cards and stay in the running for the end of the year prizes of a new MacBook or free books for the semester.