Indiana University Athletics
Big Ten Field Hockey Competition
9/19/2002 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
September 19, 2002
Bloomington, IN - To nobody's surprise, the Big Ten is one of the most nationally recognized conferences in the nation. However, not many people realize the competitiveness of the conference's field hockey teams, which include, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State, Ohio State and Northwestern. Five of whom are currently ranked in the nation's top 20.
Every Tuesday, the National Field Hockey Coaches Association releases a national poll of the top 20 teams. The most recent poll featured four teams among the nation's top 10, five in the top 20, and another receiving votes. Michigan (3), Michigan (6), Penn State (7), Iowa (8) are presently in the top 10.
The Big Ten conference is tied with the Colonial Athletic Association as the conference with the most teams ranked nationally at five each.
"The Big Ten conference is arguably the most competitive and toughest conference in the country alongside the ACC," Indiana head coach Amy Robertson said. "There are seven teams that compete in the Big Ten making it one of the most powerful of all the field hockey conferences. In any given year there could be five to six of those teams ranked in the top 20."
Last year, Michigan, Michigan State, and Ohio State represented the Big Ten in the NCAA Tournament, with Michigan winning the national title. Eight Big Ten players capped the 2001 campaign by being recognized as All-America selections.
In only its third year of existence, the field hockey program faces some of the toughest competition in the nation. Not only do the Hoosiers face Big Ten teams, they have already competed against nationally ranked UC Berkeley, University of Maine (receiving votes), and Villanova (receiving votes).
IU field hockey has made incredible strides in a short period of time with limited scholarships. Within three years, Amy Robertson and her staff have exceeded expectations every season.
"We have come a long way in two and a half years," Robertson said. "Our first season we jumped right into Big Ten Conference play and the only recruiting that we were able to do occurred from May until June. The second year of the program was the first year that we had a recruiting cycle and we brought in 12 fresh faces. All of those freshman, and those that decided to return from our first season, gained a lot of game experience and made enormous strides from game to game. Still, it was really a learning process and we were very inexperienced relative to our opponents. Every single Big Ten game was very difficult due to the great speed, skill and experience that those teams possess."
Coach Robertson is grateful for her coaching staff and their dedication and hard work that they have contributed to the program.
"In the first year it was just me and our volunteer assistant coach, Sandy Willmott," said Robertson. "Last year we gained a full-time assistant coach, Gina Lucido, and a graduate assistant, Reita Holmes. This is the first season that our staff is really working well together as a team. There is a sense that we know each other so well and we know how to maximize our knowledge and abilities to get the most out of the team. I am the most spoiled head coach in the country. I could not have found a better combination of people to work with or better people in general."
Although the Indiana field hockey team is young and inexperienced, Robertson and staff have the knowledge and dedication to build a tradition at IU. Entering their third year, they have already begun to step up to this challenge and have put their expertise to work.
"After being here at IU for two years we knew exactly what type of prospects we would need in our third season to get us to the next level and we were able to go after some of the best recruits in the country," Robertson said.
Division I National Coaches Poll
Records through September 15, 2002 and total points
Institution (record) Conference
1. University of Maryland (6-0) ACC
2. Old Dominion University (5-1) CAA
3. University of Michigan (5-1) Big Ten
4. James Madison University (4-0) CAA
5. Wake Forest University (3-2) ACC
6. Michigan State University (6-1) Big Ten
7. Penn State University (4-0) Big Ten
8. University of Iowa (4-2) Big Ten
9. University of Louisville (2-2)Conference USA
10. University of North Carolina (3-3) ACC
11. University of Virginia (4-1) ACC
12. Northeastern University (4-0) America East
13. Boston College (5-1)Big East
14. University of Delaware (5-2) CAA
15. Kent State University (3-1) MAC
16. Duke University (3-2) ACC
17. Princeton University (1-1)Ivy League
18. University of California, Berkeley (4-1) PAC-10
19. Ohio State University (3-3) Big Ten
20. Syracuse University (3-2) Big East
Also Receiving Votes: Hofstra University, Boston University, Harvard University, Ohio University,College of William & Mary, American University, University of Maine, University of New Hampshire, Northwestern University, Virginia Commonwealth University, Temple University, Dartmouth College.
