(Posted August 24, 2010)

HUNTINGDON, Pa. -- The Juniata College field hockey learned two things in Tuesday's release of the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Division III preseason poll.

One, the Eagles will begin the season ranked among the top 20. Second, they'll have plenty of chances early in the season to prove they belong there.

Juniata, 17-4 a year ago and three-time defending Landmark Conference champions, checked in at no. 16 in the NFHCA rankings with 289 points, trailing no. 15 Johns Hopkins University by a mere three points.

The Eagles' opponent in their September 1 season opener, Messiah College, was second in the preseson poll. Stevens Institute of Technology and The College of New Jersey, Juniata's opponents in the Stevens Field Hockey Tournament on Sept. 4-5, were ranked 18th and 17th respectively. Finally, Salisbury University - a possible Juniata opponent on September 12 at the Salisbury Invitational - was ranked first in the preseason poll, coming off last season's national championship run.

The complete poll can be found at the NFHCA website, www.nfhca.org.

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Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.