The Northwestern field hockey team has been No. 1 in the National Field Hockey Coaches Association poll for six weeks throughout the Fall 2024 season.
They have swapped places with North Carolina four times, dropping down to No. 2 respectively during those weeks.
The latest poll keeps the Wildcats on top. For the last two NCAA Division I tournaments, the two teams have pushed each other to the brink in the championship game. The Tar Heels were victorious in both games.
There’s more hockey to play, as conference games are getting underway this week. The latest week nine poll has teams mostly locked in at the same spot they were in last week.
A notable team that has slowly climbed from week-to-week is Saint Joseph’s, which had three out-of-conference major victories. The Atlantic-10 Conference Philly squad nabbed the fourth-place spot, more than likely for being consistent.
The Hawks beat nationally ranked Rutgers 1-0 (Big 10), Duke 1-0 (Atlantic Coast Conference), and Virginia 5-2 (ACC). The win over Duke, which ended in a shootout, was the team’s first-ever road trip victory against a top 5 team.
“Polls are announced every Tuesday during the field hockey playing season.
The Penn Monto/NFHCA Division I National Coaches Poll is voted on by NFHCA member coaches and has no bearing on selection to the NCAA Division I Field Hockey Championship.”
The following teams received the most votes cast by NFHCA members. The list is the rank, team name, record, and last position held in the prior poll.
Bolded teams have moved position higher or lower from week-to-week.
20. Old Dominion, 11-6, (Not ranked)
19. Indiana, 9-8, (Not ranked)
18. Liberty, 10-7, (18)
17. Drexel, 14-4, (19)
16. Iowa, 9-8, (16)
15. UMass-Amherst, 14-4, (15)
14. UAlbany, 15-3, (14)
13. Princeton, 12-4, (13)
12. Syracuse, 12-5, (12)
11. Harvard, 13-3, (11)
10. UConn, 15-3, (10)
9. Michigan, 12-4, (8)
8. Boston College, 12-5, (9)
7. Ohio State, 14-4, (4)
6. Duke, 11-5, (6)
5. Maryland, 12-5, (7)
4. Saint Joseph’s, 15-3, (5)
3. Virginia, 13-3, (3)
2. North Carolina, 15-0, (2)
1. Northwestern, 18-0, (1)
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Photo: North Carolina at St. Joe’s, October 2023, Bob Benscoter
