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COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The two-time NCAA Champion Maryland field hockey team was ranked No. 1 in the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) preseason poll, which was recently announced. All six teams in the ACC were ranked in the top 10.
Led by head coach Missy Meharg, who enters her 20th season at the helm, the Terps return 12 letterwinners, including seven starters, from last year's championship squad. Among those returning are All-Americans senior Kathryn Masson (Richmond, British Columbia), junior Susie Rowe (London, England) and sophomore Nicole Muracco (Sewell, N.J.).
Maryland's schedule is stacked this season, which kicks off this weekend against Central Michigan on Aug. 26 in Evanston, Ill. The ACC continues to show its dominance in the sport, occupying the top four spots in the rankings, while 12 of the 20 ranked teams appear on the 2007 slate.
Following the Terps, Wake Forest is No. 2, North Carolina is No. 3 and Duke is No. 4. Three of the four NCAA semifinalist teams in the last four years have been ACC teams. Virginia and Boston College are ranked eighth and ninth, respectively.
Maryland also faces perennial power Old Dominion in a home-and-home series. The Lady Monarchs are ranked No. 6 in the poll. The 2006 and 2007 national champions also has games scheduled with 12th-ranked Michigan, the home opener on Sunday, Sept. 2. Ohio State, who is 13th on the list, visits College Park for the Terrapin Classic on Sept. 8 and 9, the Terps travel to No. 16 American on Sept. 19, while No. 18 Princeton and No. 20 Boston University battle the Terps on Sept. 26 and Oct. 7, respectively.
The Terps received 18 of 35 first-place votes. Maryland Wake Forest, 1-0, last year in the national championship game. The rematch is slated for Saturday, Sept. 22 in College Park.
2007 STX/NFHCA Division I Preseason Poll
Rank Team Points (first place votes)
1. Maryland 673 (8)
2. Wake Forest 623 (1)
3. North Carolina 573 (14)
4. Duke 554
5. Connecticut 551
6. Old Dominion 543
7. Penn State 487 (1)
8. Virginia 398 (1)
9. Boston College 317
10. Iowa 302
11. James Madison 284
12. Michigan 281
13. Ohio State 271
14. Louisville 235
15. Indiana 183
16. American 173
17. Providence 146
18. Princeton 119
19. Michigan State 110
20. Boston Univ. 109
Also Receiving Votes: California (95), Northeastern (49), Richmoond (44), William & Mary (33), Syracuse (32), Stanford (29), Hofstra (28), Ohio (25), Albany (21), Villanova (10), Delaware (9), Rutgers (9), West Chester (7), Northwestern (5), Dartmouth (4), Kent State (4), Bucknell (3), Miami (Ohio), Pennsylvania (3), Cornell (2), Holy Cross (1), Lock Haven (1), Massachusetts (1).
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