WPI women’s field hockey makes program history, ranks nationally in latest NFHCA Division III poll
Caroline DiGiovanni (Babson), Eve Martineau (WPI), and Lindsey Loar (Christopher Newport) have helped their teams secure rankings in the NFHCA poll.
For the first time in program history, the Worcester Polytechnic Institute women’s field hockey program ranked nationally.
They earned the No. 25 spot in the National Field Hockey Coaches Association Division III week eight poll. Published earlier this week, the poll is a composite vote of member coaches.
The Goats, which compete against Smith in a New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) conference game on November 1, are 12-4 and have won their last three games.
Eve Martineau was recently named the NEWMAC defensive player of the week. WPI have allowed 16 goals all season.
John Hopkins head coach Jane Wells recorded her 300th career win during the team’s 2-0 victory over Haverford. Wells, who joined the Blue Jays in 2017, ranks 10th among active Division III coaches in total wins.
The victory also secured Johns Hopkins the No. 1 seed in the Centennial Conference tournament.
Christopher Newport’s Lindsey Loar also made history in the Captains’ 3-0 win over No. 14 Rowan.
Loar became just the fifth player in program history with three career hat tricks and the first Captain ever to score a hat trick against a nationally ranked opponent. She also joined an exclusive group as the sixth player in program history to record multiple hat tricks.
Babson senior Caroline DiGiovanni continued to climb the Beavers’ record book, moving to tied for seventh all-time with 51 career goals, and 10th in career points with 107. Babson also sits at the top seed in the NEWMAC tournament.
In the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC), Tufts University clinched the No. 1 seed, while Wesleyan matched a program record with its seventh shutout in a 4-0 win over Colby.
The victory extended the Cardinals’ win streak to seven games, tying the second-longest run in team history, and marking their best streak since 2004.
Rowan clinched its fifth straight New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) regular-season title after dominating William Paterson 7-0. The Profs look to earn their fifth consecutive conference championship.
According to the NFHCA, the poll is voted on by designated NFHCA member coaches from each conference and has no bearing on selection to the NCAA Division III Field Hockey Championship.
Bolded teams have moved positions higher or lower from week-to-week.
25. WPI, 12-4 (unranked)
24. York (PA), 10-6 (23)
23. TCNJ, 11-4 (22)
22. Washington & Lee, 11-4 (24)
21. SUNY Geneseo, 17-1 (21)
20. Shenandoah, 13-3 (20)
19. Haverford, 12-4 (16)
18. Lynchburg, 12-4 (15)
17. Stevenson, 15-2 (19)
16. Williams, 8-6 (18)
15. Franklin & Marshall, 13-3 (17)
14. Rowan, 13-4 (14)
13. Bowdoin, 9-5 (11)
12. Dickinson, 14-2 (13)
11. Stevens, 14-2 (12)
10. Middlebury, 10-4 (10)
9. Hamilton, 11-4 (7)
8. Endicott, 17-1 (8)
7. Wesleyan, 11-3 (8)
6. Bates, 11-3 (6)
5. Tufts, 12-2 (5)
4. Salisbury, 13-2 (4)
3. Babson, 16-1 (3)
2. Johns Hopkins, 15-1 (2)
1. Christopher Newport, 16-0 (1)
Thank you for reading Female Athlete News. Sydney Madden is a student-intern at Penn State University.