Skyhawks earn North Region's top seed and first round bye
National semifinals set for Friday, November 13, with National Championship set for Sunday, November 15, at W.B. Mason Stadium
The team reacts to the news that Stonehill will serve as host institution for the NCAA II Field Hockey Championships on November 13 and 15. |
EASTON, Mass. (November 2, 2009) - Stonehill College has been named host institution for the 2009 NCAA Division II Field Hockey Championships which will be played at W.B. Mason Stadium with semifinal round action on Friday, November 13 and the national championship game slated for Sunday, November 15.
"On behalf of Stonehill College, we are truly honored to host the 2009 NCAA Division II Field Hockey Championship," said Brendan Sullivan, Director of Athletics at Stonehill. "This honor is a testament to the ability, motivation and positive attitude that our student-athletes and coaching staff displayed throughout the season. I extend my congratulations to our student-athletes, particularly our seniors who will have a special opportunity to close their Stonehill careers at home competing in an NCAA Championship. Also, a special congratulations to head coach Shelly Morris and assistant coach Liz Centofanti for all of their diligent work in preparing the team for the opportunity that now stands before them."
Stonehill (17-4, 9-1 NE-10), regular season champions of the Northeast-10 Conference, is the top seed from the North Region and received a bye into the national semifinals on November 13. The Skyhawks have won 17 of their last 19 games and are ranked third in the most recent Kookaburra/National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Division II poll.
Stonehill will play the winner of this weekend's first round matchup between third-seeded University of Massachusetts Lowell (16-5, 7-3 NE-10) and second-seeded Bentley University (16-4, 8-2 NE-10) being played this Saturday in Waltham, Mass., at 1 p.m.
"We are very happy to be the one seed coming out of a very competitive north region," said Stonehill second-year head coach Shelly Morris, the 2009 NE-10 Coach of the Year. "We are thrilled to be the host institution. This team has worked hard all year and is excited to have the chance at championship. It's an honor to host the teams from the south and I think we have the perfect facility and staff to make this a great event."
Three-time defending NCAA Division II Champions Bloomsburg (Pa.) University (20-1, 7-1 PSAC), tournament champions from the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC), have been named the top seed in the South Region. The Huskies are ranked first in the most recent Kookaburra/NFHCA Division II poll and will enter the Final Four winners of 17-straight.
Bloomsburg will face the winner of this weekend's first round matchup between third-seeded East Stroudsburg University (14-6, 5-3 PSAC) and second-seeded Shippensburg University (19-2, 7-0 PSAC) being played this Saturday in Shippensburg, Pa., at 1 p.m.
The semifinal round will commence at Stonehill's W.B. Mason Stadium with the first semifinal to start and 2 p.m., and the second semifinal scheduled for 5 p.m. Sunday's national championship will begin at 1 p.m. All three games will be broadcast live via www.ncaa.com.
Admission for the games at W.B. Mason Stadium will be $7.00 for adults, $4.00 for students and senior citizens and $1.00 for children ages 2-12. All-session passes will also be available for $12.00 for adults, $6.00 for students and senior citizens and $1.00 for children 2-12. All calls regarding tickets should be made to (508) 565-1384.
Stonehill, making its third NCAA Tournament appearance, is the region's top seed for the first time. The Skyhawks also earned NCAA bids in 2005 and 2006, reaching the semifinals in 2005 before being defeated by eventual champions UMass Lowell, 2-1, in Shippensburg, Pa.
The College is hosting the field hockey championships for the first time, but it will mark the fifth time it will host an NCAA Championship event. The 2001 and 2003 women's lacrosse championships were also held on campus at Skyhawk Field, while Stonehill hosted the 2006 and 2007 Division II Indoor Track Championships at the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston. W.B. Mason Stadium, opened in 2005, will be hosting its first NCAA Championship event.
