NORFOLK, Va. – As the 2015 season quickly approaches, the Old Dominion field hockey team has been preparing to get back to the NCAA Championships after just missing out on the tournament a season ago.
The season officially begins in three days, as ODU first squares off against the Penn State Nittany Lions at home on Aug. 28 at 6:00 p.m. before facing the American Eagles on Aug. 30 at 1:00 p.m. Live stats will be available for both matches and they will also be broadcast through Monarch Media. The Penn State match will be featured as the ODU "Game of the Week" and will have play-by-play by Ted Alexander and Katelyn Smither Makovec beginning at 6:00 p.m.
Last season, Old Dominion went 11-8 overall for its fifth-straight 11+ win season. The 2015 squad brings in a wealth of youth with nine newcomers, eight of which are freshmen, and strong leadership with 13 returning players.
Returners:
ODU returns three all-conference players, including First Team All-BIG EAST selection, Sarah Breen. Breen finished the season with a team-leading 10 goals to go along with her two assists. She was not only an all-conference selection, but also a Third Team Longstreth/NFHCA All-American, marking her second career All-American honor. At the start of the 2015 season, Breen was selected to the BIG EAST Preseason Team.
Megan Byas and Caitlin Walsh also return for the Lady Monarchs, after earning Second Team All-BIG EAST honors last season. The duo controlled the ODU defense that tallied six shutouts and finished the year second in the BIG EAST with a goals-against average of 1.53.
Senior Emily Harting, a 2015 BIG EAST Preseason Team selection, comes back for her senior season in 2015. Harting will transition to a midfield position this year after finishing last season with six points on two goals and two assists as a defender.
Conference Poll:
Last week, the BIG EAST field hockey coaches voted for its preseason polls. Seniors Sarah Breen and Emily Harting along with junior Megan Byas were all named to the 2015 All-BIG EAST Preseason Team, while the Lady Monarchs were picked to finish second in the league behind back-to-back national champions Connecticut. ODU will play nine non-conference opponents before opening BIG EAST play against Temple at home on Oct. 2. Conference home games also include Georgetown on Oct. 9 and Providence on Oct. 30.
Schedule:
Old Dominion once again put together a difficult schedule, as the squad will take on nine NCAA Tournament teams, seven of which were ranked in the final top-20 coaches poll. In total, the Lady Monarchs will play nine teams that finished the 2014 campaign ranked in the final NFHCA Coaches Poll. Of the nine ranked teams ODU will face, four finished the 2014 campaign in the top-5 (UNC No. 1, Maryland No. 2, Connecticut No. 3, Wake Forest No. 5), two in the top-10 (Penn State No. 6, Duke No. 9) and three in the top-20 (Temple No. 14, Virginia No. 15, Liberty No. 19).
Opening Match:
The Lady Monarchs face Penn State in their opening match on Friday. The Nittany Lions recorded a 16-6 overall record and a 5-3 mark in conference play, advancing to the Big Ten semifinal match against Maryland (L, 0-1). Penn State was awarded an at large bid to the NCAA Tournament and defeated Boston College, 2-1, in the quarterfinals before falling to Syracuse in the semifinals by a 3-1 score.
Three returning players were named to the 2015 Big Ten Field Hockey Players to Watch List, as Carly Celkos, Cori Conley and Stephanie Hussey each earned recognition.Celkos, one of just three returning starters, started all 22 games at midfield last season as a sophomore. Conley, a sophomore, played in all 22 games and started in 21 in her first season for the Nittany Lions. The only true freshman in last season's starting lineup, she was a member of a defensive unit that finished the season 10th nationally with a 1.31 goals against average, including six shutouts. Hussey, a senior, did not see any playing time last year after transferring to Penn State from Syracuse.
BIG EAST Tournament:
Old Dominion was selected to host the 2015 BIG EAST Field Hockey Championship at the L.R. Hill Sports Complex this fall. The tournament is slated for Nov. 6 and 8 with the top four seeds qualifying. The semifinals and finals will be broadcast on the BIG EAST Digital Network.
Social Media:
Follow Old Dominion Field Hockey on Twitter at twitter.com/ODUFieldHockey and find them on Facebook at facebook.com/ODUFH.