GILBERT, Ariz. – The Ursinus College field hockey team is ranked No. 19 in the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) preseason poll.
The Bears received 132 points in the first set of national rankings, which was headed by defending champion Middlebury (829). Tufts (744), Rowan (708), Messiah (701), and reigning Centennial Conference champ Johns Hopkins (610) rounded out the rest of the top-5.
A glance at the schedule reveals a grueling gauntlet that pits the Bears against half of the top-10 squads in Division III. Fortunately, all five of those matchups will take place at home – Ursinus opens against No. 3 Rowan and No. 4 Messiah, then takes on No. 6 TCNJ (October 3), No. 10 Franklin & Marshall (Oct. 12), and No. 5 Johns Hopkins (Oct. 26) within the confines of newly renovated Snell Field. Rowan and Johns Hopkins both advanced to the national semifinals a year ago.
The Bears, picked third in the CC preseason poll, kick off the 2019 campaign Friday at 4:30 p.m.