WASHINGTON – The American University field hockey team will kick off the 2019 slate on home turf this weekend with a pair of games against New Hampshire (3 p.m. Friday) and Richmond (1 p.m. Sunday). These the first of nine home games scheduled during the regular season.

SERIES HISTORY

• This is only the third game in the series against New Hampshire. The Eagles lead, 2-0, after tabbing wins over the Wildcats in 2010, 5-2, and 2008, 4-0.
• Richmond, on the other hand, has a long history against AU and leads the series, 18-16.
• The Eagles come into the game on a 3-0 run against the Spiders, though, after earning wins in 2016, 2017, and most recently 2018 with a 4-1 victory during the home opener.
• AU's last loss to Richmond was in 2015, 2-1 (OT). 

NOTES

• Although the Eagles lost two of the top players in the Patriot League last season with two-time PL Offensive Player of the Year Rafaela Rubas and PL Goalkeeper of the Year Maura Jacobs, AU is set to make yet another Patriot League run with a key group of returners and an exciting incoming class.
• Head Coach Steve Jennings, entering his 21st season at American, brings back five starters from the 2018 squad, including PL Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, junior Noor Coenen.
• Coenen picked up her second consecutive NFHCA (National Field Hockey Coaches Association) All-Mid-Atlantic Region and All-Patriot League First Team selections last season and leads the returners with 57 career points, 24 career goals, and nine career assists.
• The Eagles also return PL Preseason All-League Team selections, senior Jette Dieckmann and sophomore Georgia Davies, both of whom contributed goals during last season's win over Richmond.
• Dieckmann was a key element in AU's midfield during the 2018 season, contributing 12 points (4g, 4a) in her 18 starts.
• Davies made an immediate impact on the team during her freshman campaign and ranks second among the returners with her 13 points (4g, 5a) from 2018.
• Sophomores Maura Phelan and Hannah Moser round out the returning starters that helped lead the team to its 13th Patriot League Championship appearance.
• Among the highlights for this new group of Eagles are sophomore transfer Atina Pagani and junior transfer Gaby de Kock. Pagani was an A10 All-Rookie Team selection during her time at Saint Francis and ranked fourth on the squad with 11 points (4g, 3a). de Kock joins AU from the University of the Pacific where she was a consistent starter throughout her two years and ranked third on the squad as a sophomore with 12 points (2g, 8a).
• AU also welcomes nine freshmen with forwards Hailee Arrington (Salisbury, Md.), Megan Hoffman (Freeburg, Pa.) and Julia Kraft (Perry Hall, Md.), midfielders Ashlyn Campagna (Lancaster, Pa.), Merel Dupont (Boxtel, Netherlands), Bella Hite (Annandale, Va.), defenders Charllene Boshoff (Pietermaritzburg, South Africa) and Abby Kreider (Allamuchy, N.J.), and goalkeeper Fiona Minter (Yorktown, Va.).
• The Eagles were predicted to finish second in the Patriot League behind defending champion Boston University by the league's head coaches and sports information directors. AU is seeking redemption this season after falling to BU in the PL final last year. The two teams have battled for the league title four times since BU joined the league in 2013.

SCOUTING THE WILDCATS

• New Hampshire went 6-12 overall (3-5 America East) last season, including wins over nationally-ranked Maine (No. 18) and Albany (No. 17).
• The Wildcats return its top two scorers from 2018, starting with 2018 America East All-Rookie Team selection Finn Caron.
• Caron closed the season with 17 points (8g, 1a) followed by junior Bloem van den Brekel's 16 points (7g, 2a). Brekel also earned postseason awards as an NFHCA Northeast Region Second Team and America East All-Conference East Division Team selection.
• New Hampshire graduated last year's starting goalkeeper, Kelsey Rudert, but return sophomore Rachel Simkevich who will look to lead the young keeper quad which also features a pair of freshmen.

SCOUTING THE SPIDERS

• Richmond was predicted to finish fourth in the Atlantic 10 preseason poll after finishing fourth last season.
• The Spiders return their top three scorers from 2018 with Elise Zwicklbauer (6g, 5a), Addie Nash (7g, 1a), and Steffie Bongers (7g, 1a).
• Bongers was also Richmond's sole A-10 All-Preseason Team selection after earning All-Rookie Team honors last year.
• The Spiders will also see some new blood in goal with freshman Erika Latta and junior Frankie-Lynne Conklin. 

For the latest on American University Field Hockey, stay tuned to AUEagles.com and follow the team on Twitter (@AU_FieldHockey) and Instagram (@aufieldhockey).