ITHACA, N.Y. -- The Cornell field hockey team enters the 2023 season picked to finish fourth in the Ivy League Preseason poll it was announced today by the conference office. A finish of fourth or better would put the Big Red into the inaugural Ivy League Field Hockey Tournament in November.
Cornell's 81 points put it just behind Penn (88) for third place but was comfortably clear of fifth-place Yale (64). Princeton (123, 12 first-place) and Harvard (116 points, four first-place) were at the top of the ladder, while Brown (43), Columbia (40) and Dartmouth (21) were bunched at the bottom.
The Big Red, fresh off a 10-7 season (4-3 Ivy League) that saw it tie for third in the final standings, enter the season returning six starters, including U.S. national team member
Caroline Ramsey and Canadian women's indoor national team members Elizabeth and
Olivia Friedberg. Head coach Andy Smith's team was playing its best hockey of the season over the final weeks of 2022, as the Big Red won four of is final five contests with victories over No. 4 Louisville, Yale and its only defeat a 2-1 overtime decision at Ivy runner-up Harvard.
Cornell stares down a 2023 schedule that includes six games against top 20 opponents with three straight ranked foes to open beginning on Wednesday, Sept. 6 at No. 8 Syracuse. The Big Red opens the home season vs. No. 15 UConn on Friday, Sept. 8 at 4 p.m. at Marsha Dodson Field.
IVY LEAGUE FIELD HOCKEY PRESEASON POLL
Predicted Order of Finish (First Place Votes)
| 1. |
Princeton |
123 (12) |
| 2. |
Harvard |
116 (4) |
| 3. |
Penn |
88 |
| 4. |
Cornell |
81 |
| 5. |
Yale |
64 |
| 6. |
Brown |
43 |
| 7. |
Columbia |
40 |
| 8. |
Dartmouth |
21 |
