LHU Athletics Press Release

	August 16, 2004 Haven Field Hockey Ranked Third in NEC Preseason Poll

	(Lock Haven, Pa.) - In its first season with the NCAA Division I Northeast Conference (NEC), the Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania field hockey team was ranked third in the 2004 NEC Field Hockey Preseason Coaches Poll. Defending NEC champion Quinnipiac University was picked as the favorite again this season. The Bobcats have collected four regular season crowns in six years, including the first undefeated season (11-0) in league history during the 2002 campaign. In 2003, Quinnipiac went 9-11 during the regular season including a 3-2 conference mark. Rider University occupies the second spot in the rankings after producing a 14-5 overall mark including a regular-season title with a 5-0 ledger in NEC play. In its first year of competition in the NEC after reclassifying from Division II, ninth-year head coach Pat Rudy’s Lady Eagles were voted third among the preseason picks. The Haven returns nine starters from last season’s 17-4 squad, including three All-Americans and four All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) players. Two-time All-American forward Nikki Sweger (Dauphin/Central Dauphin East) will pilot the Lady Eagle offense after scoring 21 goals along with four assists last season. Midfielder Kellie Kulina (Hummelstown/Lower Dauphin) and defender Courtney Hughes (Schwenksville/Souderton) were both Second Team All-America picks last season, Kulina totaling eight goals and a team-best 12 assists while Hughes added five goals and eight assists to top-level defensive play. Returning goalie Melissa Stubblefield (Carmel, N.Y./Carmel), a First Team All-PSAC selection, will again look to bolster the defense after posting a 0.69 goals against average in 2003. Rounding out the top five, Fairfield University was fourth and Sacred Heart University was fifth. Filling in the sixth through ninth slots were Monmouth University, Siena University, St. Francis (PA) University and Robert Morris University. The Lady Eagle field hockey team will open its 2004 season at home on August 29 against Towson University. The game is scheduled for a 2 p.m. start at Charlotte Smith Field.
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