Led by junior Greta Nauck, Delaware had five players named to the preseason All-CAA team.
Defending National Champs Headline Preseason FH Poll
Tim McDonnell
RICHMOND, Va. – After capturing the program’s first-ever NCAA Division I Field Hockey Championship in 2016, four-time defending conference champion Delaware has been picked as the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) field hockey favorite in 2017, following a vote by the league’s seven head coaches.
The Blue Hens (23-2) capped a historic title run a year ago winning their final 19 games, while outscoring opponents by a margin of 100-39 over the course of the entire season. UD, which headlined the preseason poll for the fourth consecutive year, totaled 35 points and five first-place votes.
Junior midfielder
Greta Nauck was chosen as the preseason Player of the Year, returning as the lone CAA player that earned First Team NFHCA All-American status last fall. Nauck led all of Division I in points per game (3.04) and goals per game (1.32) – both program records – tallying 33 goals and 10 assists in all. The Krefeld, Germany native won the prestigious CWSA Honda Sport Award in field hockey last December, becoming the first recipient of the honor in the sport for the conference since 2002.
Delaware led the way on the preseason squad with five players, as Nauck was joined by juniors
Kiki Bink (M | 4G, 6A) and
Lisa Giezeman (F | 9G, 7A) as well as seniors
Taylor Lister (F | 5G, 11A) and
Emmeline Oltmans (GK | 1.42 GAA, .729 Save %, 23-2 Record).
James Madison (30 points) edged William & Mary (28 points) for second place in the poll, collecting two first-place votes. The Dukes went 4-2 in CAA play and 13-7 overall in 2016, advancing to their third straight CAA Championship title contest. JMU welcomes back a pair of first team All-CAA selections in senior
Hannah Hall (F, M | 11G, 9A) and junior
Miranda Rigg (F/M | 16G, 32 PTS). Hall grabbed third team NFHCA All-America honors last season and Rigg led her team in goals and points.
William & Mary (9-10) is coming off a productive 2016 campaign, recording its most conference wins (five) and best finish (second place) during the regular season in league play since 2004. All three Tribe players on the preseason team are seniors, headlined by reigning CAA Defensive Player of the Year
Erin Menges. Menges led the league and ranked ninth nationally with five defensive saves - adding two goals and a team-best seven assists.
Cammie Lloyd (F/M | 15G, 6A) and
Estelle Hughes (M | 7G, 4A) paced the offense in 2016 with 36 and 18 points, respectively.
Drexel and Northeastern tied for fourth in the poll with 18 points apiece and both had one player named to the preseason squad. Dragon junior
Megan Wiest (F | 12G, 2A) was named to the All-CAA second team last season and Northeastern redshirt senior
Jamie Bartucca led the Huskies with 10 goals and a career-best 21 points. Hofstra (12 points) and Towson (six points) rounded out the remaining order in sixth and seventh place.
The 2017 season starts on August 25 and 26, with all seven of the league’s teams in action. The 2017 CAA Championship tournament features four teams and takes place on Friday, November 3 and Sunday, November 5 at the home of the regular season champion.
2017 CAA Field Hockey Preseason Poll
|
| Place |
Team |
Points |
| 1. |
Delaware (5) |
35 |
| 2. |
James Madison (2) |
30 |
| 3. |
William & Mary |
28 |
| 4. |
Drexel |
18 |
|
Northeastern |
18 |
| 6. |
Hofstra |
12 |
| 7. |
Towson |
6 |
( ) = First-place votes. Coaches cannot vote for their own team. |
2017 Preseason All-CAA Field Hockey Team
|
| Name |
School |
Pos. |
Cl. |
Hometown |
| Jamie Bartucca |
Northeastern |
F |
R-Sr. |
Farmington, Conn. |
| Kiki Bink |
Delaware |
M |
Jr. |
Wageningen, The Netherlands |
| Lisa Giezeman |
Delaware |
F |
Jr. |
Leidschendam, The Netherlands |
| Hannah Hall |
James Madison |
F, M |
Sr. |
Virginia Beach, Va. |
| Estelle Hughes |
William & Mary |
M |
Sr. |
Newcastle, NSW |
| Taylor Lister |
Delaware |
F |
Sr. |
Hummelstown, Pa. |
| Cammie Lloyd |
William & Mary |
F/M |
Sr. |
Midlothian, Va. |
| Erin Menges |
William & Mary |
M/D |
Sr. |
Richmond, Va. |
| Greta Nauck |
Delaware |
M |
Jr. |
Krefeld, Germany |
| Emmeline Oltmans |
Delaware |
GK |
Sr. |
Baarn, The Netherlands |
| Miranda Rigg |
James Madison |
F/M |
Jr. |
Fredericksburg, Va. |
| Megan Wiest |
Drexel |
F |
Jr. |
Northampton, Pa. |
2017 Preseason Player of the Year: Greta Nauck, Delaware |
Honorable Mention: Katie Bagdon, Drexel (M/B); Tess Bernheimer, Drexel (F/M); June Curry-Lindahl, Northeastern (F); Laura MacLachlan, Northeastern (F); Marloes Schavemaker, Hofstra (D); Annie Snead, William & Mary (F/M)
|