Liberty Ranked 17th in Country in NFHCA Preseason Poll
8/26/2025 10:20:00 AM | Field Hockey
LYNCHBURG, Va. – The Liberty field hockey team is ranked 17th in the country entering the 2025 season. The National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) revealed its Penn Monto/NFHCA Division I Preseason National Coaches Poll on Tuesday morning, featuring the top 20 teams in the country.
Liberty is one of two BIG EAST teams to make the preseason national rankings. Connecticut, the defending conference champion, is the No. 11-ranked team in the nation in the preseason poll.
The Lady Flames ended the 2024 campaign as the No. 18-ranked team in the country. Liberty has started the year as a nationally-ranked squad for a ninth straight season in which there was a national poll. There was no preseason poll during the spring 2021 campaign.
Northwestern, the 2024 national champion, earned the No. 1 spot in this year's preseason poll, followed by No. 2 North Carolina, No. 3 Virginia, No. 4 Maryland and No. 5 Duke. This fall, Liberty will square off with six teams who appear in the 2025 preseason rankings, including: No. 2 North Carolina (Sept. 14, away), No. 3 Virginia (Oct. 14, home), No. 5 Duke (Friday, season opener, away), No. 9 Saint Joseph's (Oct. 19, home), No. 11 UConn (Sept. 26, home) and No. 18 UAlbany (Sept. 12, home). Liberty will also host the 2025 BIG EAST Field Hockey Championship, Nov. 7-9.
The No. 17-ranked Lady Flames will begin the season at No. 5 Duke on Friday at 4 p.m. Liberty's home opener is on Sept. 3 against in-state foe James Madison.
Liberty is one of two BIG EAST teams to make the preseason national rankings. Connecticut, the defending conference champion, is the No. 11-ranked team in the nation in the preseason poll.
The Lady Flames ended the 2024 campaign as the No. 18-ranked team in the country. Liberty has started the year as a nationally-ranked squad for a ninth straight season in which there was a national poll. There was no preseason poll during the spring 2021 campaign.
Northwestern, the 2024 national champion, earned the No. 1 spot in this year's preseason poll, followed by No. 2 North Carolina, No. 3 Virginia, No. 4 Maryland and No. 5 Duke. This fall, Liberty will square off with six teams who appear in the 2025 preseason rankings, including: No. 2 North Carolina (Sept. 14, away), No. 3 Virginia (Oct. 14, home), No. 5 Duke (Friday, season opener, away), No. 9 Saint Joseph's (Oct. 19, home), No. 11 UConn (Sept. 26, home) and No. 18 UAlbany (Sept. 12, home). Liberty will also host the 2025 BIG EAST Field Hockey Championship, Nov. 7-9.
The No. 17-ranked Lady Flames will begin the season at No. 5 Duke on Friday at 4 p.m. Liberty's home opener is on Sept. 3 against in-state foe James Madison.
In the No. 1??7?? slot to open the season!??
— Liberty Field Hockey (@LibertyFH) August 26, 2025
??: https://t.co/bIwT4kMDvj#EyesFixed #RiseWithUs pic.twitter.com/G1AVdrYqA5
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