FAN: NFHCA: Temple field hockey joins week five Division I poll, seven teams move up

The latest National Field Hockey Coaches Association Division I poll added one new team to the national list and saw seven teams move up.

The week five poll was published Tuesday. The University of Massachusetts-Amherst saw the greatest gains moving up four spots, according to coaches polled.

In addition to UMass, the University of California at Berkeley, Syracuse, Duke, Boston College, the University of Connecticut, and University of Michigan all moved up after a week of college field hockey. Temple is on a five-game winning streak.

Prior to the poll, Michigan was No. 6, but after defeating Big Ten rival No. 4 Ohio State, the Wolverines slid into No. 5. The top four spots have been a lock for a week for North Carolina, Northwestern, Virginia, and Ohio State.

According to the NFHCA, “the Penn Monto/NFHCA Division I Coaches Poll is a composite ranking of the top 20 teams with a .500 or better record in the nation each week. Each Division I team with an NFHCA member coach is permitted one vote for the ranking each week.

“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. Temple, 7-4, (Not ranked)

19. Liberty, 6-5, (18)

18. Cal at Berkeley, 6-3, (20)

17. Penn State, 6-5, (17)

16. Princeton, 6-4, (14)

15. UMass, 9-3, (19)

14. Syracuse, 8-3, (15)

13. Albany, 9-2, (13)

12. Iowa, 6-4, (10)

11. Duke, 7-4, (12)