Hyams, Vittese Named to 2016 Preseason All-ACC Field Hockey Team
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Aug. 23, 2016
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia senior Lucy Hyams (Whitstable, England) and junior Tara Vittese (Cherry Hill, N.J.) were named to the 2016 Preseason All-ACC Field Hockey Team, as announced by the Atlantic Coast Conference on Tuesday (Aug. 23).
Hyams, a 2015 Longstreth/NFHCA Division I First Team All-American and All-ACC First Team selection, ranked second in the ACC in assists per game (0.50) and led the conference in shots per game (4.55). Hyams led UVA with 10 assists last season and is just two assists shy of entering the program’s top-10 in career assists.
Vittese was the first-ever Cavalier to be named the Longstreth/NFHCA National Player of the Year after leading the team with 39 points and a team-high 15 goals. Vittese ranked third in the ACC in points per game (1.86) and goals per game (0.71). The two-time All-American scored a goal in each of the first five games.
The ACC also announced the 2016 preseason poll with the Cavaliers predicted to finish second with 28 votes and one first place vote. North Carolina, who has reached the semifinals of the NCAA Championship the past seven years, was picked first with 34 votes and four first place votes.
Defending national champion Syracuse was picked third with 27 points and received two first place votes. Duke was picked to finish in fourth with 22 points, ahead of Wake Forest (14 points), Louisville (12), and Boston College (10).
Louisville, North Carolina, Syracuse, and Virginia all had two players recognized on the preseason team. ACC teams have won 18 of the 35 NCAA field hockey titles, including 11 of the last 14, and at least one ACC squad has advanced to the national championship for 17 straight years. All seven ACC programs earned bids to the 2015 NCAA Championship and all seven finished the 2015 season ranked nationally.
Virginia was also voted No. 5 in the Penn Monto/NFHCA Preseason Poll where the ACC holds four of the top-five spots. The Cavaliers received 746 votes with two first place votes.
UVA opens the 2016 season on Friday, August 26, when the Cavaliers host Miami (Ohio) at 4 p.m. at Turf Field. Admission is free for all UVA home field hockey games during the regular-season.
2016 ACC Field Hockey Predicted Order of Finish
- North Carolina (4) – 34
- Virginia (1) – 28
- Syracuse (2) – 27
- Duke – 22
- Wake Forest – 14
- Louisville – 12
- Boston College – 10
2016 Preseason All-ACC Field Hockey Team
Emily McCoy, Sr., M, Boston College
Ashley Kristen, Jr., F, Duke
Nicole Woods, Jr., F/M, Louisville
Ayeisha McFerran , So., GK, Louisville
Julia Young, Sr., B, North Carolina
Emma Bozek, Sr., M/F, North Carolina
Lies Lagerweij, Jr., B, Syracuse
Laura Hurff, Jr., M/F, Syracuse
Tara Vittese, Jr., M, Virginia
Lucy Hyams, Sr., M, Virginia
Jule Grashoff, So., F, Wake Forest