RICHMOND, Va. -- The University of Delaware field hockey team, which returns two of its top three scorers from last season’s 10-9 campaign, have been picked No. 6 in the Colonial Athletic Association Pre-Season Coaches Field Hockey Poll announced Tuesday.

Two-time defending champion James Madison was the pre-season No. 1 pick as the Dukes earned five first place votes and 61 total points, edging perennial power Old Dominion, which gained four first place votes and 59 points. JMU returns all but one starter from a team that went 19-4 a year ago while ODU returns seven starters from a team that went 12-10 and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the 27th straight time.

Northeastern was picked No. 3 followed by Drexel, Hofstra, Delaware, William & Mary, Virginia Commonwealth, and Towson.

The CAA has annually been one of the top field hockey conferences in the nation, sending multiple schools to the NCAA tournament in six of the past nine years.

Delaware head coach Carol Miller, who will enter her 16th season at the helm of the Blue Hens, welcomes back 16 letterwinners from a team that posted a 3-5 record in league play and tied for fifth in the standings, just missing a post-season berth. Delaware last won the CAA title during the 2004 campaign.

The Blue Hens are led by senior and two-time all-region forward Casey Howard, who led the team in scoring each of the last two seasons, including netting 13 goals and three assists a year ago.

Also back are sophomores Michelle Drummonds (seven goals) and Missie Woodie, who each earned CAA All-Rookie honors, veteran defender Rae Everson, sophomore Florence Sijbrandij, and goalkeeper Nikki Rhoades (1.92 goals against average; .652 save pct.).

Delaware, which will open pre-season practice this Friday, Aug. 15, opens the regular season Aug. 30-31 at the Louisville University Classic against Duke, Michigan State, and Louisville. The home schedule will begin Sept. 6-7 when the Hens host Ohio State, Boston University, and Temple in the annual Blue Hen Classic.

- DDD -