Sept. 12, 2006

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - For the third-consecutive week, the reigning NCAA and ACC Champion field hockey team is ranked No. 1 in the National Field Hockey Coaches Association Top 20 poll. The Terps are tied for the top spot in the ranking with ACC foe Wake Forest. Maryland is in the midst of a six-game homestand and host Delaware on Wednesday, Sept. 13 at 4 p.m.

Maryland is 6-0 heading into Wednesday's matchup against the Blue Hens, who are receiving votes in this week's poll. Delaware comes into the mid-week game at 2-3, dropping a heartbreaking 5-4 double-overtime decision to Rutgers over the weekend. Delaware has lost the last seven games against the Terps as the series stands at 19-10-2 in Maryland's favor.

All six ACC teams have moved into the top 10, with four of the top five positions still being occupied by the conference. Both the Terps and the Demon Deacons earned 738 points, but the NCAA Champions garnered 20 first-place votes while WFU had 17.

Duke and North Carolina remained at the No. 4 and 5 spots, respectively, while Boston College made a slight move from No. 9 last week to No. 8 this week. Virginia, who made the biggest jump in the poll last week, is 10th after being ranked 11th a week ago.

The Terps, under the direction of 19th-year head coach Missy Meharg, who is also a 1985 Delaware graduate, start the season at 6-0 for the fifth year in a row.

Admission to field hockey games is free and are played at the Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex.

STX/NFHCA Coaches Poll
Sept. 12

T1. MARYLAND (6-0)       738 (20)
T1. Wake Forest (7-0)    738 (17)
3.  Old Dominion (5-1)   667
4.  North Carolina (6-0) 639 (1)
5.  Duke (5-1)           629
6.  Ohio State (4-0)     522
7.  Penn State (4-2)     495
8.  Boston College (5-1) 462
9.  Connecticut (5-1)    461
10. Virginia (4-1)       392
11. Louisville (3-2)     312
12. American (5-2)       292
13. James Madison (5-1)  285
14. Indiana (5-1)        246
15. California (5-2)     242
16. Providence (6-0)     219
17. William & Mary (5-1) 142
18. Hofstra (4-2)        82
19. Richmond (2-2)       70
20. Villanova (4-3)      57

Also Receiving Votes: Northeastern (42), Iowa (38), Michigan (37), Drexel (33), Boston University (29), Pennsylvania (27), Pacific (26), Princeton (26), Cornell (12), Ohio (8), Delaware (4), Rutgers (4), Towson (4).