Oct. 23, 2007

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - The Providence College field hockey team is ranked 20th in the NFHCA Division I National Coaches' Poll, which was released on Tuesday, October 23. The Friars were ranked 17th in the NFHCA Preseason Coaches' Poll on August 17, but fell from the rankings after two losses to start the season. Since those losses, the Friars have posted a 12-4 record, including a 4-1 mark in the BIG EAST Conference for a 12-6 record overall.

In recent action, the Friars defeated BIG EAST foes Rutgers (2-1) on October 19 and Villanova (3-0) on October 21. With the victories, PC secured a spot in the four-team BIG EAST Conference Field Hockey Championship for the second-straight season. It marks the first time Providence has made back-to-back appearances in the tournament since earning consecutive invitations to the tournament in 1997 and 1998.

Providence is one of four teams from the BIG EAST Conference in the top-20. Connecticut checks in at No. 6, followed by 13th-ranked Louisville and 19th-ranked Syracuse. A fifth BIG EAST team, Villanova, is receiving votes in the poll.

The Friars will conclude their BIG EAST Conference schedule with a game against sixth-ranked Connecticut on October 27 in Storrs, Conn. at 1:00 p.m. The winner of the PC vs. UConn match-up will share the BIG EAST Conference Regular-Season title with Louisville, who finished the league slate with a 5-1 record.

- GO FRIARS! -