Cards FH Eighth in ACC Preseason Poll -- SATURDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

 Plenty of room for UofL to surprise in ACC Pre-Season Field Hockey Poll

Field Hockey season kicks off in two weeks for the nine ACC school participants In a league that is probably the best in NCAA DI Field Hockey...chock full of traditional powerhouses like North Carolina, Duke, Virginia and Wake Forest....the Cards have been selected to finish 8th in the league, with 19 points. Only California, with 17 points was selected lower than the Cards. 

So, Louisville could play the role of spoiler in a lot of ACC contests.  The Cards will have two exhibitions before the regular season begins...facing Bellarmine on the 19th of August at Trager and at Ball St. (in Muncie) on the 22nd before starting regular season action against Miami (OH) on the 28th at Trager. 

What are the standings? To explain, first, points are awarded depending on how high the voter thinks the particular school will finish. For the 2026 ACC Poll the voting was: 

1. North Carolina 73 (with four first place votes)                                                                              

2. Virginia 68  (with two first place votes) 

                                                                                     

T-3. Duke 64 (with one first place vote)                                                                                          

T-3. Wake Forest 64 (with two first place vote)                                                                                

5. Syracuse 42                                                                                                                                

6. Boston College 31                                                                                                                      

7. Stanford 27                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

8. Louisville 19                                                                                                                                

9. California 17                                                                                                                                

No surprise that the three newest teams to the ACC are the bottom three ranked.  Each team plays eight conference games and there is a ACC Field Hockey Tournament at the end omthe season. 

Louisville certainly has one of the best facilities around for field hockey out at Trager and the overall success of women's sports on campus would indicate Louisville can be successful in the highly competitive ACC. Since joining the league, though, Louisville field Hockey is 30-43 against other ACC schools.  

Here's hoping the Cards can turn things over .500 in conference play this season. The 2-6 conference mark last season needs a shot of adrenalin.   

paulie