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Duke Ranked Fifth in NFHCA Preseason Poll
8/26/2025 9:36:00 AM | Field Hockey
DURHAM, N.C.—The Duke field hockey team will start the 2025 season this weekend as the nation's preseason No. 5 squad in the Penn Monto/NFHCA Division I Coaches poll. The Blue Devils open the season Aug. 29 against No. 17 Liberty in Durham.
Ranked fifth in last year's preseason poll as well, Duke will open the year as a top-five team for the ninth time during head coach Pam Bustin's 15-year tenure.
Reigning NCAA Champion Northwestern tops the poll with 200 points and all 10 first-place votes. North Carolina is second with 188 points and Virginia third, collecting 173 points. Maryland (155) and Duke (149) round out the top five.
Duke is set to face nine of the preseason top 20, including each of the top four and seven of the top 11.
The Blue Devils return three starters in Alaina McVeigh, Macy Szukics and Paige Bitting, losing eight to graduation from last year's NCAA quarterfinal squad. Duke also will be looking at an entire new backfield, filling the holes left by Bronwyn Bird, Megan Maransky, Josephine Veen and Frederique Wollaert. Duke is not without experience, however, with the 16 returning players having seen action in nearly 500 combined games.
Duke welcomed eight freshmen to the team, hailing from two countries and four different states. The group will have an immediate impact all over the field, while the addition of graduate student transfers Ava Cickavage (B) and Brooke Borzymowski (G) provide leadership and experience to the newcomer group.
The Blue Devils open the campaign with a split weekend, hosting No. 17 Liberty Aug. 29 at 4 p.m., before traveling to the nation's capital Aug. 31 for a 1 p.m., match at American University. Duke hosts the annual ACC/B1G Challenge Sept. 5 and 7, welcoming Northwestern, Boston College and Maryland to Durham for a weekend series between the powerhouse conferences.
To stay up to date with Blue Devils field hockey, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeFH".
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#GoDuke
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Ranked fifth in last year's preseason poll as well, Duke will open the year as a top-five team for the ninth time during head coach Pam Bustin's 15-year tenure.
Reigning NCAA Champion Northwestern tops the poll with 200 points and all 10 first-place votes. North Carolina is second with 188 points and Virginia third, collecting 173 points. Maryland (155) and Duke (149) round out the top five.
Duke is set to face nine of the preseason top 20, including each of the top four and seven of the top 11.
The Blue Devils return three starters in Alaina McVeigh, Macy Szukics and Paige Bitting, losing eight to graduation from last year's NCAA quarterfinal squad. Duke also will be looking at an entire new backfield, filling the holes left by Bronwyn Bird, Megan Maransky, Josephine Veen and Frederique Wollaert. Duke is not without experience, however, with the 16 returning players having seen action in nearly 500 combined games.
Duke welcomed eight freshmen to the team, hailing from two countries and four different states. The group will have an immediate impact all over the field, while the addition of graduate student transfers Ava Cickavage (B) and Brooke Borzymowski (G) provide leadership and experience to the newcomer group.
The Blue Devils open the campaign with a split weekend, hosting No. 17 Liberty Aug. 29 at 4 p.m., before traveling to the nation's capital Aug. 31 for a 1 p.m., match at American University. Duke hosts the annual ACC/B1G Challenge Sept. 5 and 7, welcoming Northwestern, Boston College and Maryland to Durham for a weekend series between the powerhouse conferences.
To stay up to date with Blue Devils field hockey, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeFH".
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#GoDuke
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Players Mentioned
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