Northwestern University Athletics
Wildcats Highly Touted in Preseason Honors
8/22/2018 10:21:00β―AM | Field Hockey
EVANSTON, Ill βΒ Northwestern landed at No. 12 in the Penn Monto/NFHCA Preseason National Coaches poll, which was released earlier this week.Β
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Three Wildcats, seniors Puck Pentenga, Eva van Agt and Charlotte Vaziri also all landed on the Big Ten Preseason Honors List, released earlier this week as well.
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The 'Cats are coming off a strong 2017, where they won 15 games and advanced past the first round of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1994. NU defeated eight ranked opponents last season, the most since at least 1996, and also went a perfect 9-0 at home.
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The Wildcats return 18 players from last year's team including four of their top five goalscorers and all three goalkeepers.Β
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The No. 12 spot for the Wildcats is the highest preseason ranking in this poll since 2015, when they were No. 10. The 'Cats started last season at No. 14 and 2016 at No. 16.Β
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Northwestern reached as high as No. 8 in the Penn Monto/NFHCA poll last year for the week of Oct. 17, 2017, after capping off a six-game win streak with a overtime defeat of No. 24 UMass.Β
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Pentenga is one of only three returning first-team All-Big Ten selections from last year on the Preseason Honors List, after she scored 11 goals and assisted 17 more in 2017. Pentenga was also a third-team NFHCA All-American and an Academic All-Big Ten honoree.Β
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Van Agt earned honors of Academic All-Big Ten, NFHCA National Academic Squad and Big Ten Distinguished Scholar last season, while scoring six goals and adding three assists.Β
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Vaziri also earned Academic All-Big Ten, NFHCA National Academic Squad and Big Ten Distinguished Scholar honors, as well as making the 2017 Big Ten All-Tournament Team.Vaziri and van Agt were two of the five Big Ten Distinguished Scholars on the Preseason Honors List.Β
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Chicago's Big Ten Team opens its season this weekend with the Wildcat Classic, when it welcomes No. 1 UConn and No. 15 Stanford to Lakeside Field for matches on Friday and Sunday, respectively. The match against the Huskies will be televised nationally on BTN.Β
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Three Wildcats, seniors Puck Pentenga, Eva van Agt and Charlotte Vaziri also all landed on the Big Ten Preseason Honors List, released earlier this week as well.
Β
The 'Cats are coming off a strong 2017, where they won 15 games and advanced past the first round of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1994. NU defeated eight ranked opponents last season, the most since at least 1996, and also went a perfect 9-0 at home.
Β
The Wildcats return 18 players from last year's team including four of their top five goalscorers and all three goalkeepers.Β
Β
The No. 12 spot for the Wildcats is the highest preseason ranking in this poll since 2015, when they were No. 10. The 'Cats started last season at No. 14 and 2016 at No. 16.Β
Β
Northwestern reached as high as No. 8 in the Penn Monto/NFHCA poll last year for the week of Oct. 17, 2017, after capping off a six-game win streak with a overtime defeat of No. 24 UMass.Β
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Pentenga is one of only three returning first-team All-Big Ten selections from last year on the Preseason Honors List, after she scored 11 goals and assisted 17 more in 2017. Pentenga was also a third-team NFHCA All-American and an Academic All-Big Ten honoree.Β
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Van Agt earned honors of Academic All-Big Ten, NFHCA National Academic Squad and Big Ten Distinguished Scholar last season, while scoring six goals and adding three assists.Β
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Vaziri also earned Academic All-Big Ten, NFHCA National Academic Squad and Big Ten Distinguished Scholar honors, as well as making the 2017 Big Ten All-Tournament Team.Vaziri and van Agt were two of the five Big Ten Distinguished Scholars on the Preseason Honors List.Β
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Chicago's Big Ten Team opens its season this weekend with the Wildcat Classic, when it welcomes No. 1 UConn and No. 15 Stanford to Lakeside Field for matches on Friday and Sunday, respectively. The match against the Huskies will be televised nationally on BTN.Β
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