The NCAA News - News and Features

The NCAA News -- October 11, 1999

Division I Field Hockey

Field: The championship field has been expanded to 16 teams for the first time. At least one team from each of five regions, including the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Mideast, South and West will be selected. The single-elimination tournament features automatic qualifiers from the Big Ten, Big East, America East and Mid-American Conferences; and the Ivy Group and the Colonial Athletic Association.

Dates and sites: The first and second rounds will be played at on-campus sites November 13-14. The semifinals will be November 19 at Northeastern, and the championship game will be there November 21.

Information/results: The fax-on-demand telephone number is 770/563-1133 (pin code 1915); request numbers are 1321 for bracket/schedule and 1322 for ticket information. Championship results will appear in the December 6 issue of The NCAA News.

Championship notes: Defending champion Old Dominion lost three straight games early this season, including a rematch of the 1998 championship game against North Carolina. The Monarchs lost three all-tournament team selections but return Marina DiGiacomo, the team's leading scorer in 1998. Connecticut was one of four final contenders for last year's national title and won the Big East Conference crown. Returning all but two players from 1998, the Huskies opened the season with six straight wins.