Newberry field hockey moves up in latest DII NFHCA poll

All but one of the top five in the NFHCA DII poll are part of the PSAC.

Newberry made the biggest move in the latest National Field Hockey Coaches Association Division II poll after Parker Keeler delivered two goals in the final four minutes of Friday’s 3-1 victory over West Chester.

The NFHCA publishes polls every Tuesday throughout the field hockey season. The latest poll were votes cast from its member coaches and games played last weekend.

Last week’s win improved Newberry to 7-1. They handed West Chester their first loss of the season and helped lift the Wolves one spot to No. 3.

The Wolves completed a 2-0 week with a 3-0 shutout of unranked Mansfield, strengthening their case as the poll’s highest-ranked non-PSAC team.

Kutztown and Shippensburg remain firmly in the top two in the September 29 poll. The unbeaten Golden Bears stayed at No. 1 with all eight first-place votes, while Shippensburg held at No. 2.

Kutztown backed up its top ranking with another 2-0 week, winning 6-2 at Millersville before blanking American International 7-0 to improve to 9-0.

Shippensburg, now 4-1, showcased its depth in a 4-1 road victory over Frostburg State.

Emily Bitters and Elaina Fragassi struck in the first quarter, and Anne Gardner added two goals to put the game away.

Undefeated Slippery Rock also continues to climb. After sweeping Maryville 5-1 and 3-0, The Rock improved to 7-0 and moved up one place to No. 8.

According to the NFHCA, “the poll is intended to provide a weekly snapshot of the nation’s top-performing programs based on results, strength of competition, and insight from the sport’s coaching community. Beginning after the second week of regular-season competition, teams must maintain a .500 record or better to be eligible for ranking consideration.  

“These rankings reflect the collective assessment of the designated voting coaches each week and are designed to spotlight performance on a national scale. The Coaches Polls are independent of the NCAA Championship selection process and are not intended to predict or determine postseason qualification or seeding.”  

Here are the DII college field hockey teams with the most votes in the NFHCA week four coaches poll: 

10. Assumption, 3-3 (Unranked)

9. Saint Anselm, 4-2 (8)

8. Slippery Rock, 7-0 (9)

7. Indiana University of Pennsylvania, 6-1 (7)

6. Bloomsburg, 7-0 (6)

5. West Chester, 6-1 (4)

4. East Stroudsburg, 6-1 (3)

3. Newberry, 7-1 (4)

2. Shippensburg, 4-1 (2)

1. Kutztown, 9-0 (1)

*Simmie Samra is a student-intern at Penn State University.

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