MANAHAWKIN, N.J. – The Haverford College field hockey team has climbed to No. 19 in the latest National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Division III National Coaches Poll, released Tuesday morning by the organization.
The Fords (11-1, 5-0 Centennial Conference) continued their remarkable start to the season with back-to-back conference victories last week. On Wednesday night at Swan Field, Haverford earned a historic 2-0 win over Ursinus, marking the program's first-ever triumph over the Bears. The victory not only ended a long-standing hurdle for the Fords but also reinforced the team's best start in school history.
Haverford carried that momentum into the weekend, edging Gettysburg in a thrilling 2-1 penalty shootout victory on Saturday afternoon at Shirk Field at Musselman Stadium. The result extended the Fords' unbeaten run to an 11-1 record and matched their longest winning streak in program history at eight straight games. Sophomore goalkeeper Steph Ionescu was named CC Defensive Player of the Week after stopping five of six shootout attempts.
At the top of this week's Penn Monto/NFHCA Division III Coaches Poll, Christopher Newport, Johns Hopkins, and Salisbury maintained their hold on the top three positions, while Babson and Tufts climbed into the No. 4 and No. 5 spots, respectively. Further down the rankings, Haverford made one of the week's biggest moves, rising four places to No. 19. Stevenson University also surged five spots to No. 20, while Washington and Lee entered the top 25 for the first time this season at No. 25.
The NFHCA Division III National Coaches Poll is voted on by member coaches and reflects national performance throughout the season. The poll does not determine NCAA postseason selection.
In addition to its NFHCA ranking, Field Hockey currently stands at No. 15 in the latest NCAA Power Index (NPI), which plays a key role in shaping the at-large selections for the 2025 NCAA Division III Field Hockey Championship. This year's championship will feature 28 teams, including 18 automatic qualifiers and 10 at-large selections based on the final NPI standings following the conclusion of all regular-season games on Sunday, November 9.
Haverford returns to action on Wednesday, October 15, traveling to Washington College for a 7 p.m. Centennial Conference matchup in Chestertown, Maryland, where the Fords will look to set a new program record for consecutive victories. A ranked-versus-ranked Centennial showdown then awaits on Saturday, as No. 13 Dickinson visits Swan Field for a noon start with major implications to the CC postseason race.
