BETHLEHEM, Pa. – For a remarkable fourth consecutive season, the American University field hockey team found themselves topping the Patriot League Preseason Poll and for a second year in a row, senior goalkeeper Bryn Underwood picked up the Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year tab, the league announced on Tuesday. Graduate student Charllene Boshoff and junior Federica Turina Dellamaggiore joined Underwood on the Preseason All-League Team.
 
This is the 15th time since 2004 that AU has topped the Preseason Poll. The Eagles received eleven first-place votes from the conference's head coaches and sports information directors and led the league with 72 points total.
 
Boston University, the 2022 conference runners up, followed in second place with 63 points and three first place votes. They were trailed by Bucknell with 49 points. Lafayette (39), Lehigh (32), Holy Cross (26), and Colgate (14) rounded out the preseason poll.
 
Underwood was a key force in AU's defensive efforts in 2022. The junior closed the season out as one of the top keepers in the country, ranking third in save percentage (.814), 18th in goals against average (1.276), and 19th in saves per game (5.53). In the Patriot League she led in goals against and save percentage, finishing second in shutouts per game. Underwood finished her junior campaign by being named the Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Year for the second season in a row after being named the league's Rookie of the Year her freshman season. Underwood's upward trajectory continued, as she was named to the First Team of the Mid-Atlantic Region in 2022 after having been named to the Second Team the year prior.
 
At the conclusion of the 2022 season, defender Charllene Boshoff was named First Team All-League. The defender from South Africa finished sixth in the league with eight goals to her line on the stat sheet, two of which were game winners. Boshoff accumulated a total of 16 points overall throughout the season, enough to finish sixth in the league in the category. The graduate student looks to continue her role as the team's defensive anchor when she embarks on her fifth season with the Eagles in 2023.
 
Turina Dellamaggiore earned her first Mid-Atlantic All-Region selection to the Second Team after a successful 2022 offensive. The Argentinian native had a breakout sophomore season and led the offensive charge for the Eagles, finishing tied second in the conference with 11 goals in all competitions, third in game winning goals (3), and third in points (25). The midfielder finished the season 20th in the country in goals per game (.69) and 29th in points per game (1.56).
 
The Eagles will kick off their 2023 campaign with a two-game home stand at Jacobs Complex, taking on Ohio University (August 25) and Penn State University (August 27) before heading out on the road for a six-game away stretch that will include two games played at the Terrapin Invitational hosted by Maryland.
 
For the latest on American University Field Hockey, stay tuned to AUEagles.com and follow the team on Twitter (@AU_FieldHockey) and Instagram (@aufieldhockey).
 
2023 Patriot League Field Hockey Preseason Poll
1. American, 72 points (11 first-place votes)
2. Boston University, 63 (3)
3. Bucknell, 49
4. Lafayette, 39
5. Lehigh, 32
6. Holy Cross, 26
7. Colgate, 14
 
2023 Patriot League Field Hockey Preseason Major Awards
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year – Lily Neilson, Bucknell, Jr., F
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year – Payton Anderson, Boston University, Jr., B
Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year – Bryn Underwood, American, Sr., GK
 
2023 Patriot League Field Hockey Preseason All-League Team*
Charllene Boshoff, American, Gr., D
Federica Turina Dellamaggiore, American, Jr., F
Bryn Underwood, American, Sr., GK
Payton Anderson, Boston University, Jr., B
Rachel Borzymowski, Boston University, 5th, B
Martu Coulo, Boston University, So., F/M
Thalia Steenssens, Boston University, Sr., M
Kira Leclercq, Bucknell, So., D
Lily Neilson, Bucknell, Jr., F
Ella Murphy, Colgate, Sr., M
Meggan Fourie, Holy Cross, Jr., M
Lineke Spaans, Lafayette, Jr., M
India Ralph, Lafayette, Jr., D
Julia Gatelein, Lehigh, Sr., M/B
Abbie Brown, Lehigh, Sr., F
 
*Denotes additional members of the team due to ties in the voting