Aug. 14, 2008

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - The Providence College field hockey team has been picked to finish fourth in the 2008 BIG EAST Preseason Coaches' Poll, released on August 14, 2008. Connecticut, the 2007 BIG EAST Champion and NCAA Final Four participant, was selected to win the regular-season crown in the league's preseason poll with six first-place votes and a total of 36 points.

The 2008 season should prove to be a highly competitive one, as the second, third and fourth place teams are separated by just two points. Syracuse earned one first-place vote and 27 points to garner the No. 2 spot in the poll. Louisville registered 26 points for third place, while the Friars earned 25 points. Villanova (16 points), Rutgers (11 points) and Georgetown (six points) round out the preseason poll.

Providence and Connecticut have advanced to the championship game of the BIG EAST Tournament during each of the last two seasons. In 2008, the Friars are looking forward to the return of 17 letterwinners, including eight members of last year's starting line-up. Among the starters are three players who earned All-BIG EAST honors at the completion of the 2007 season, and have been selected to the All-BIG EAST Preseason Team in 2008. Senior midfielder/defender Jessica Lane (South Windsor, Conn.) was one of five unanimous selections to the Preseason Team. She is joined by junior goalkeeper Rachel Chamberlain (Branford, Conn.) and junior forward Nellie Poulin (Oakland, Maine) on the 11-player preseason squad. Providence earned the second most All-BIG EAST Preseason selections (three). Connecticut led the way with four preseason honorees. Louisville had two players listed on the team, followed by Rutgers and Syracuse with one player each.

Lane led the Friars in scoring last season during BIG EAST Conference regular-season play with 11 points on one goal and nine assists. For the season, Lane recorded one goal and 18 assists (20 points). Her 18 assists were one shy of Providence's single-season record (19) set by Paula Wagoner in 1997. Lane was an All-BIG EAST Second-Team selection in 2007 and a First-Team NFHCA Division I All-Northeast Region honoree.

Chamberlain has earned BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year honors in each of her two seasons with the Friars, in addition to All-BIG EAST First-Team honors (2006, 2007). She completed the 2007 campaign with a 14-8 overall record (4-2 BIG EAST) and posted a 1.25 goals against average and a 0.794 save percentage. She has led the Friars to the BIG EAST Championship game during each of her two seasons at Providence, and has a career record of 30-12 (9-3 BIG EAST). Chamberlain was named a NFHCA Division I Third-Team All-American in 2006.

Poulin is one of the league's most dangerous forwards. She was an All-BIG EAST and NFHCA Division I All-Northeast Region First-Team selection in 2007. She has finished second on the team in scoring in each of her first two seasons with the Friars. In 2007, Poulin posted 22 points on nine goals and four assists. She owns 47 career points on 19 goals and nine assists.

The Friars open the 2008 season with two games in Charlottesville, Va. On August 30, Providence will face William & Mary at 2:00 p.m. On August 31, the Friars will take on Virginia. Providence begins its quest for a BIG EAST title against Connecticut on September 19 in Storrs, Conn.