SELINSGROVE, PA – The Susquehanna University field hockey team has been picked to finish fifth in the Commonwealth Conference during the upcoming season, according to the league’s eight head coaches.

The Crusaders are coming off the most successful season in the program’s 43-year history as Susquehanna finished 17-4 overall and seventh in the final STX/National Field Hockey Coaches Association Division III Coaches Poll, losing 1-0 to College of New Jersey in the second round of the NCAA tournament.

Former Crusader standout goalie Amy Zimmerman begins her first season as Susquehanna head coach, taking over for longtime mentor Connie Harnum who tallied 195 victories during 27 years on the Crusader sidelines. However, Susquehanna returns just four starters from last year’s team which finished 6-1 in the Commonwealth Conference and lost to eventual national runner-up Messiah in the league finals.

Messiah received all eight first-place votes to earn the top spot in the poll, followed by Lebanon Valley, Juniata, Elizabethtown, Susquehanna, Widener, Moravian and Albright. The top four teams in the standings will compete in the conference playoffs for the league title and an automatic berth in the NCAA Division III Field Hockey tournament.

The Crusaders open the 2003 season on Wednesday, September 3 at home against Wilkes and play their Commonwealth Conference opener against Elizabethtown on Thursday, September 25.