Story Links

Aug. 22, 2017

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia field hockey senior midfielder Tara Vittese (Cherry Hill, N.J.) was named to the 2017 Preseason All-ACC team, according to a vote of the Atlantic Coast Conference’s seven head coaches that was announced on Tuesday (Aug. 22). It is her fourth time earning the honor.

Vittese, a two-time NFHCA National Player of the Year and the 2016 ACC Field Hockey Offensive Player of the Year, is the first Virginia player to be a four-time preseason All-ACC team member. The three-time first-team All-American will enter her senior season ranked ninth in program history in points (131), 10th in goals (47) and tied for sixth in assists (37).

Virginia, the 2016 ACC champion, was selected to finish fifth in the poll of the league’s head coaches, including garnering one first-place vote. The Cavaliers have advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals in three of the last five years and will begin the 2017 campaign this Friday, August 25 when they host Fairfield at 4 p.m. at Turf Field. Admission is free for all regular-season UVA field hockey home games.

ACC teams have won 18 of the 36 NCAA field hockey titles, including 11 of the last 15, and at least one ACC squad has advanced to the national championship game for 18 straight years. Six ACC programs, including Virginia, earned bids to the 2016 NCAA Championship and all seven finished the 2016 season ranked nationally.

2017 ACC Field Hockey Predicted Order of Finish
1. North Carolina (1) – 31
2. Duke (2) – 27
2. Syracuse (2) – 27
4. Louisville (1) – 22
5. Virginia (1) – 21
6. Wake Forest – 12
7. Boston College – 7

2017 Preseason All-ACC Field Hockey Team
Frederique Haverhals, Jr., B/M, Boston College
Alyssa Chillano, Sr., B, Duke
Ayeisha McFerran, Jr., GK, Louisville
Minout Mink, So., F, Louisville
Nicole Woods, Sr., F/M, Louisville
Ashley Hoffman, Jr., M/B, North Carolina
Eva van’t Hoog, Jr., M, North Carolina
Laura Hurff, Sr., M/F, Syracuse
Roos Weers, Jr., B, Syracuse
Tara Vittese, Sr., M, Virginia
Nicola Pluta, So., F, Wake Forest

Print Friendly Version