Top-Ranked Field Hockey Opens Road Trip At No. 14 Delaware

Sept. 18, 2002

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The No. 1 Maryland field hockey squad (6-0, 0-0 ACC) plays in the first of four straight away matches on Wednesday evening at 7 p.m. as the Terrapins visit No. 14 Delaware (5-2). Game time at the Fightin' Blue Hens' Fred P. Rullo Stadium is set for 7 p.m.

The Terps' trip to Blue Hen country marks a semi-annual homecoming for 1985 Delaware graduate Missy Meharg. The Terps' four-time national coach of the year was an All-America forward and Honda Award nominee for Delaware in 1983 and still ranks among the Blue Hens' single season and career leaders in goals and points. Meharg was inducted into the university's Sports Hall of Fame in 1998 and into the State of Delaware's Sports Hall of Fame this past summer. Meharg owns a 9-3-2 record against her alma mater since taking over as Maryland's head coach in 1988.

Maryland's visit to Newark also marks the first of many homecomings for freshman forward Jackie Ciconte (Wilmington, Del.). Ciconte, who like Meharg attended The Tatnall School and likewise played for Coach Anita Marcial, was named Delaware's High School Female Athlete of the Year in 2002 and was a two-time all-state selection.

Maryland earned a No. 1 ranking in the STX/National Field Hockey Coaches Association Poll (NFHCA) for the second week in a row, released Tuesday. The Terrapins were the only team in the nation with a 6-0 record after last weekend's play, and Maryland's match with Delaware will mark the second in which the Terps have faced a ranked opponent. Maryland has defeated four teams that received votes in this week's poll in addition to their 2-0 shutout of No. 2 Old Dominion on Sept. 8.

Topping The Charts Again

The Terrapins, who ran out to a 6-0 record to open the 2002 season and finished first in last season's final poll after capturing their fourth straight ACC championship and making a run to the NCAA title game, were once again voted the top team in the nation when the second NFHCA Coaches poll of the year was released on Tuesday, Sept. 17. The new-look Terps started six rookies in passing their first major test of the season with their shutout of perennial powerhouse Old Dominion, and now face the No. 14 Blue Hens.

All five ACC field hockey schools rank in the top 20, with 2002 national semifinalist Wake Forest (3-2) listed fifth and North Carolina (3-3) ranking 10th. Also joining the Terps, Demon Deacons and Tar Heels in the top 20 is No. 11 Virginia (4-1), while Duke occupies the 16th position.

Including the Terps' Sept. 8 victory over the No. 2 Monarchs and today's match-up with Delaware, Maryland plays a total of 10 regular season matches against teams listed in the second top 20 of 2002. Five more of the Terps' opponents received votes in this week's poll.

Maryland was voted No. 1 in six of the eight coaches' polls conducted in 2001, and has not been ranked below No. 5 in every NFHCA poll over the last four seasons.


RANK  INSTITUTION (RECORD)	POINTS
1.    Maryland (6-0) 	        575 (25)
2.    Old Dominion (5-1)        551 (2)
3.    Michigan (5-1)            503
4.    James Madison (4-0)       494 (1)
5.    Wake Forest (3-2)         458
6.    Michigan State (6-1)      417 (1)
7.    Penn State (4-0)          400
8.    Iowa (4-2)                341
9.    Louisville (2-2)          319
10.   North Carolina (3-3)      314
11.   Virginia (4-1)            311
12.   Northeastern (4-0)        242
13.   Boston College (5-1)      221
14.   Delaware (5-2)            191
15.   Kent State (3-1)          155
16.   Duke (3-2)                133
17.   Princeton (1-1)           124
18.   California (4-1)          113
19.   Ohio State (3-3)           66
20.   Syracuse (3-2)             38

ALSO RECEIVING VOTES: Hofstra (31), Boston (20), Harvard (20), Ohio (18), William & Mary (17), American (3), Maine (3), New Hampshire (3), Northwestern (3), Virginia Commonwealth (3), Temple (2), Dartmouth (1).

Terps At A Glance

Having graduated four All-Americans and the 2001 national player of the year among a senior class of eight last season, the Maryland Terrapins opened the 2002 campaign looking to make a fresh start with its new roster. Only three weeks in the season, the new-look squad has already made some waves on the national scene - a roster that features 10 newcomers and a starting line-up that includes six rookies finds itself ranked No. 1 in the nation.

On the offensive end, 2001 ACC Rookie of the Year Colleen Barbieri (Centereach, N.Y.) leads the way with six goals and two assists for 14 points, which places her tied for first in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Senior All-American Carissa Messimer (Mountaintop, Pa.) follows closely with six goals for 12 points, while ACC assist leader Katrin Rummer (Karlsruhe, Germany) totals six helpers and one goal for eight points. Seven different Terrapins have scored goals in Maryland's first six games, as the Terps have outscored their early-season opponents 17-2.

Defensively, the Terrapins are off to a fine start, ranked second in the nation limiting opponents to a 0.33 goals against average and only 3.2 shots per game. Led by sophomore netminder Kerry Hearsey (Leicester, England) and senior back Izzy Palmer (Malvern, England), the Terps' talented backfield continues to uphold the standard that led the nation in 2001.

Now in her 15th season, four-time national coach of the year Missy Meharg owns a career record of 233-76-9, good enough for 13th on the all-time Division I wins list. New to the 2002 season is the addition of the Missy Meharg Radio Show, which will air every other Thursday at 5:15 p.m. on campus radio website WMUC.com. The inaugural program aired live on Sept. 14. Check www.WMUC.com or www.umterps.com for the archived version.

Scouting No. 14 Delaware

The No. 14 Blue Hens are off to a fine start in 2002, posting a 5-2 record. Most recently the Blue Hens bumped off No. 4 Louisville, who had been a giant killer this season until falling to Delaware, 3-2 on Sept. 15.

The Blue Hens boast six seniors on the roster, but their leading scorer to date is sophomore Erica LaBar. The 2001 America East All-Rookie team selection totals six goals and three assists for a team-leading 15 points. Veteran back Kim Wagaman paces the Hens with five assists on the season.

In the cage, senior Stephanie Judefind owns a 4-2 record and a 2.09 goals against average. Up-and-coming sophomore Heidi Hibshman was also credited with a shutout victory.

Delaware grad Carol Miller is in her 10th season on the sidelines of her alma mater with a 196-126-4 record. She led the Hens to a 13-8 slate in 2001 and a third-place finish in the America East.

The Terrapins own a 14-10-2 record in the all-time series, having not lost a game to the Blue Hens since 1998.

Top-Ranked Field Hockey Opens Road Trip At No. 14 Delaware

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