The University of Mary Washington field hockey team, coming off a 15-3 season a year ago, is ranked 16th nationally in the 2014 preseason NCAA Division III poll, released today by Penn Monto/NFHCA.

The Eagles opponents ranked in the poll are CAC foes Salisbury University (2nd) and Christopher Newport University (4th), as well as nonconference foes Franklin & Marshall (8th), Messiah (12th), Catholic (15th), and Lynchburg College (19th).

2014 Penn Monto / NFHCA Division III Preseason Poll

Institution Points

(first place votes in parentheses)

1. Bowdoin College 842 (37)

2. Salisbury University 794 (2)

3. Montclair State University 662 (2)

4. Christopher Newport University 653 (1)

5. Middlebury College 652

6. Skidmore College 643

7. Tufts University 573

8. Franklin & Marshall College 395

9. William Smith College 371

10. Amherst College 370

11. The College of New Jersey 334 (1)

12. Messiah College 273

13. Ursinus College 270

Tie. Wellesley College 270

15. Catholic University 268

16. University of Mary Washington 263

17. Mount Holyoke College 194

18. SUNY Cortland 177

19. Lynchburg College 157

20. DePauw University 135

Also Receiving Votes: SUNY New Paltz (114), Centre College (110), University of Rochester (48), Rowan University (43), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (36).

This poll is available on the NFHCA website at www.nfhca.org. The first regular season poll will be released on Tuesday, September 9, 2014. The Penn Monto / NFHCA Division III National Coaches Poll has no bearing on selection to the 2014 NCAA Division III Championship field.