LANCASTER, Pa. - The Ursinus College field hockey team was picked third in the Centennial Conference preseason poll. 

After a run of four straight Centennial Conference championships, the Bears have come up just short in the semifinals each of the past two years. The Bears made the playoffs for the 16th straight season in 2018, but fell, 1-0, to No. 11 Johns Hopkins in the semifinals. 

Placing third in the preseason poll, the Bears trail Johns Hopkins and Franklin & Marshall. Johns Hopkins led the way with eight first-place votes and 98 points while Franklin & Marshall came in second with three first place votes and 93 points. The Bears come in third with 82 points followed by Muhlenberg (67) and Dickinson (63) to round out the top-5. 

Leading the way for the Bears in 2019 will be senior Erin Saybolt. Saybolt earned first-team All-Centennial Conference honors for the first time in her career after earning second-team honors as a sophomore. She also earned first-team All-Region accolades. Saybolt scored a career-high 13 goals for the Bears last season which included a hat-trick against Muhlenberg. Six of her 13 goals were game-winners. The Bears were 9-0 last season when she scored a goal. Her 13 goals and 29 points were both team-highs and ranked second in the league. 

Sophomore Devon Carroll was one of the Bears' breakout performers last season and she'll look to build off of what was a strong freshman campaign. She was named honorable mention All-Centennial Conference and ranked second on the team with nine goals which included the overtime game-winner against Washington College. She also finished second on the team in assists (6), and points (24).

The Bears will be without Bridget Sherry who earned All-American honors last season on defense. 

Junior Addie Frey and freshman Jordan Ulsh are the team's goalkeepers this season after Jules Singer graduated. Frey allowed just one goal in 52 minutes last season and made three saves. 

The Bears will begin their season at home on August 30th against Rowan at 4:30 p.m.