CENTER VALLEY, Pa.— The Patriot League announced Friday that the 51³Ô¹ÏÍø field hockey team was picked to finish sixth by the League’s coaches and sports information directors.
Defending league champion Lafayette was picked to finish first as the Leopards received 68 points and nine first place votes while Holy Cross was selected to finish second with 60 points and three first place votes. American was tabbed for third with 56 points and two first place votes while Bucknell garnered 38 points for fourth. Fairfield was chosen to finish fifth with 32 points and Lehigh rounds out the field with an eighth place pick and 15 points.
The Raiders return 16 letterwinners and their top nine point-producers from a year ago including last year’s leading scorer in junior Ashley Schneider (Linfield, Pa.) and sophomore Dana Shaner (Pottstown, Pa.), last year’s Patriot League Rookie of the Year.
Head coach Cathy Foto enters her 15th season on the sidelines and needs just two wins to hit 100 career wins.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø opens the season on Saturday, August 30 at the University of Maryland Baltimore County with a 12 p.m. start.