Boston College Athletics
Field Hockey Picked To Repeat As BIG EAST Champions
August 04, 2004 | Field Hockey
Aug. 4, 2004
Providence, R.I. - Boston College and Connecticut were jointly selected as the favorites to win the regular season title in the 2004 BIG EAST Preseason Field Hockey Poll, as picked by the coaches. Both teams received three first-place votes. Boston College won the 2003 conference championship on its home Alumni Stadium turf. Veteran Head Coach Sherren Granese returns 10 starters from last year's 15-7 squad that qualified for the NCAA Tournament. The Eagles compiled a 4-1 conference record one year ago. Connecticut also finished with a 4-1 conference record last year, taking a share of the regular season championship. Junior Kristen Madden (Concord, N.H.) got the nod as the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year while she and two other teammates found a spot on the Preseason All-BIG EAST first team. Madden looks to repeat the honor, taking home the 2003 BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year with three goals and six assists on the season. Bronwen Kelly (Mississauga, Ontario) and Sara York, (Watertown, Mass.) are also selections to the Preseason All-BIG EAST first team. York, a 2003 All-BIG EAST first team selection, is the team's leading returning scorer, netting 24 goals for 48 points while Kelly was the 2003 BIG EAST Tournament Most Outstanding Performer. In 2003, Boston College finished with a 15-7 overall mark (4-1 BIG EAST). The Eagles won their third overall conference crown and first since 1997. The team qualified for its first NCAA Tournament since that same year.
2004 FIELD HOCKEY PRESEASON POLL 2003 Record 2003 Finish Points BE Overall Regular Season 1. Boston College (3) 23 4-1-0 15-7-0 T-1st Connecticut (3) 23 4-1-0 17-6-0 T-1st 3. Villanova 16 4-1-0 11-7-0 T-1st 4 Syracuse 11 1-4-0 7-11-0 5th 5. Rutgers 10 2-3-0 7-13-0 4th 6. Providence 7 0-5-0 8-11-0 6th First-place votes in parentheses2004 FIELD HOCKEY PRESEASON AWARDS Offensive Player of the Year: *Lauren Henderson, Sr., Connecticut Defensive Player of the Year: Kristen Madden, Jr., Boston College All-BIG EAST Team: Becky Helwig, Jr., Connecticut * Lauren Henderson, Sr., Connecticut Bronwen Kelly, Jr., Boston College Kristen Madden, Jr., Boston College * Abby Ostruzka, Sr., Connecticut * Vanessa Pizzulli, Sr., Villanova * Laura Puddle, Jr., Connecticut Rory Rogers, Jr., Villanova Erin Scott, So., Villanova Mary Szymonowicz, Sr., Rutgers * Sara York, Jr., Boston College *unanimous selections
