Owls Perch Atop Little East Field Hockey Preseason Poll

NORTH DARTMOUTH, Mass. 8/27/09 - For the fifth consecutive campaign, Keene State College earned at least a share of the top position in the annual Little East field hockey preseason poll after each of the 12 head coaches casted a vote. The Owls received nine first-place tallies and 139 total points to stand alone in the coaches' survey for the sixth time in the past 11 seasons.

"It's an honor that our conference looks at us this way," said head coach Amy Watson. "It's both a blessing and a curse, we just have to make sure we take care of business on the field."

Last year Keene State College continued its dominance of the conference circuit, raising the program's fifth consecutive and seventh overall conference championship trophy last season.

Over the past seven seasons, the Owls have not lost more than two Little East games to boast a record of 67-7 (.905), including sweeping the conference schedule twice (2006, 2003). The 2008 edition was no different as Keene State clinched the top seed in the Little East Championship Tournament for the third consecutive campaign with a 10-1 mark. The Owls held their home field advantage throughout the eight-team tournament, culminating with a 4-0 victory over Plymouth State in the finals.

Watson led Keene State into its fifth straight NCAA Division III Tournament appearance, where they fell in the opening round at Springfield College, 1-0.

Keene State returns an experienced group of 22 student-athletes, including a pair of 30-plus scorers. First team all-league forward, Carly Benning (Brewster, Mass.) will lead the Owl offense after her 33-point 2008 campaign.

Keene State will begin its season with a non-conference game against Rensselaer on Sept. 1. (7 p.m. ).