NO. ATTLEBORO, Mass. – The Southern New Hampshire University field hockey team was selected fifth in the Northeast 10 Preseason Coaches' Poll, which was announced Monday.

Saint Anselm College, the defending NCAA Division II National Champion, earned seven first-place votes and is the preseason favorite. Defending Northeast 10 champion Assumption University followed closely in second with five first-place votes. Pace University (111 points) and Bentley University (109) were also picked ahead of the Penmen (104), who edged Adelphi University (100) for fifth. Rounding out the top 10 are Franklin Pierce University (62), Southern Connecticut State University (60), American International College (53), and St. Thomas Aquinas College (47). Mercy University (39), Saint Michael's College (37), and Molloy University (21) complete the poll.

Under the direction of 11th-year head coach Julie Munson, the Penmen advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the second time in program history last fall, finishing 16-4 overall. SNHU earned an NCAA At-Large berth as the No. 5 seed but suffered a heartbreaking 2-1 quarterfinal loss at No. 4 Kutztown University. Annemartine Christis capped her career as the program's all-time leading scorer and was named NCAA Division II East Region Player of the Year. Christis, along with Emma Peeters and Anne Wiersma, garnered Division II All-America honors, and have all graduated.

Key returners for the Penmen in 2025 include juniors Minke van de Poll (Oosterbeek, Netherlands), Jade Hendriks (Huissen, Netherlands), Amelia Crocombe (Somerset, England), Zoe Demers (Manchester, N.H.), and sophomore Natalie Paradzick (Hooksett, N.H.). Van de Poll, the team's top returning scorer (8 goals, 4 assists), earned Northeast 10 Second-Team All-Conference honors last season. Hendriks, a top defender, was a Third-Team selection, while Paradzick landed on the All-Rookie Team. Returner Rylee Constant (Bow, N.H.) is the lone senior on the roster. Munson has also added nine freshmen to round out the 19-member squad.

SNHU opens its 2025 campaign Thursday, Sept. 4 at Kutztown. The non-conference slate also features road matchups with Saint Anselm and Southern Connecticut, before the Penmen return home to Larkin Field for their opener on Saturday, Sept. 13 against Lincoln Memorial at noon. It will mark the first-ever meeting between the two programs, with the Railsplitters hailing from Harrogate, Tenn. The 12-game Northeast 10 schedule begins with a home contest against Assumption on Sept. 24.

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2025 Northeast 10 Preseason Field Hockey Coaches' Poll

1. Saint Anselm – 139 (7)

2. Assumption – 132 (5)

3. Pace – 111

4. Bentley – 109 (1)

5. Southern New Hampshire – 104

6. Adelphi – 100

7. Franklin Pierce – 62

8. Southern Connecticut – 60

9. American Int'l – 53

10. St. Thomas Aquinas – 47

11. Mercy – 39

12. Saint Michael's – 37

13. Molloy – 21