ANNVILLE, Pa. - Returning eight starters from 2009, Lebanon Valley College has been picked second in the Commonwealth Conference field hockey preseason coaches' poll.

The Dutchmen (19-4 in 2009) made a run to the NCAA quarterfinals last year, and return virtually their entire offense from a unit that ranked third in the nation in scoring. LVC received 44 points and two first-place votes in the poll, four points behind defending CC champ Messiah (48 pts, 6 first). Widener was third, followed by a fourth-place tie between Alvernia and Elizabethtown. Albright, Arcadia, and Shenandoah round out the poll.

LVC debuts Sept. 4 with an early-season test at #13 Lynchburg.

2010 Commonwealth Conference Field Hockey Preseason Poll

1. Messiah	48 pts. (6)
2. Lebanon Valley	44 pts. (2)
3. Widener	34 pts.
4t. Alvernia	29 pts.
4t. Elizabethtown	29 pts.
6. Albright	20 pts.
7. Arcadia	11 pts.
8. Shenandoah	9 pts.

Lebanon Valley has been one of the nation's elite programs under 10th-year head coach Laurel Martin, going 79-13 over the past four seasons with four NCAA appearances (including one quarterfinal and two semifinal berths) in that span. The Dutchmen have made 59 consecutive NFHCA Top-20 appearances under Martin, as well, including a preseason ranking of #6 in 2010. Now, Martin thinks her team could be poised to challenge for a national title behind an explosive offense that includes last year's national scoring leader, Jocelyn Novak, and LVC all-time assists leader Shelly Lobach.

FORWARDS
2009 Starters: Shelly Lobach, Jocelyn Novak, Caitlin Vasey, Allison Bicher
2010 Preseason: Shelly Lobach, Jocelyn Novak, Caitlin Vasey, Allison Bicher

Running its diamond-four formation, LVC racked up a 4.74 goals-per-game average in 2009, which ranked third in the nation. Novak provided the bulk of the scoring as a sophomore, re-setting her own program season record with 35 goals, including six in three NCAA tournament games. Her 35 goals led the nation - in all divisions - and with 67 career goals in just two years, she is the NCAA's active leader in goal scoring as a junior.

Driving the offense was Lobach, a first-team all-American who proved to be the team's offensive catalyst with 14 goals and 15 assists. As the team's corner injector, she led an offense that averaged more than 13 corners per game.

Caitlin Vasey and Allison Bicher both return after breakout seasons at forward in 2009. Vasey, the 2009 Commonwealth Conference Rookie of the Year, showed a knack for scoring and got the starting call midway through the season, racking up 15 goals and 14 assists, including a record-tying four helpers against Widener. She finished the season on fire, averaging 3.3 points per game over the final third of the year. Meanwhile, Bicher provided more goal-scoring punch from the right wing, scoring 13 times with nine assists as she started all 23 games. Her .325 shooting percentage was the best among every-day players.

Plenty of goal-scoring talent is available for Martin off the bench, as well. Marisa Maxwell was a first-call option in 2009 at forwards and midfield, scoring once in 21 games and six starts. Kirsten Martzall, a former high-school teammate of Bicher's, showed promise with two goals in 12 games as a freshman, and Cate Cusack is a natural scorer who tallied once as a freshman. Five freshmen forwards will also look for time up front.

MIDFIELD
2009 Starters: Jenni Walker, Avery Carter
2010 Preseason: Cait Eckenrode, Sam Shober

Jenni Walker and Avery Carter'10 both earned all-Commonwealth honors in the midfield last year, but both move on, with Carter graduating and Walker playing in a defensive up-back position. Cait Eckenrode returns after an injury-shortened 2009 in which she scored seven goals with three assists in 15 starters before suffering an ACL tear. Sam Shober was a first-call option off the bench, playing 18 games and making two starts last year.

Kristin Clift added a goal and an assist off the bench last year, and Jess Cox scored once as well. Sophomores Mandi Albright and Gretchen Hafner will add depth in midfield, along with freshmen Icely Guzman and Lindsay Johnson.

DEFENSE
2009 Starters: Kelsey Miller, Nikki Bomberger, Danielle Blase, Rachel Pantalone
2010 Preseason: Kelsey Miller, Jenni Walker, Rachel Pantalone, Lauren Seidenstricker/Bridget Monighan

For the second straight year, Martin will have to replace a significant portion of her defense with the graduation of all-Commonwealth backs Nikki Bomberger '10 and Danielle Blase '10. The good news is, she has a bevy of experienced options and two returning starters to work with. Walker will move into an up-back position after earning second-team all-Commonwealth honors in the midfield as a sophomore in 2009. Meanwhile, Kelsey Miller, who started 22 games as a freshman at left back, returns after a one-goal, three-assist debut. Rachel Pantalone was a huge plus for the Dutchmen in 2009 as a sweeper, making three defensive saves and shutting down opposing forwards. She also contributed a goal and two assists in 23 starts.

Filling the defensive holes will be made easier by the return of senior Lauren Seidenstricker, who missed all of 2009 with an ACL injury. She started 14 games in 2008 and has 44 games played in her career, scoring three times. Sophomore Bridget Monighan will also fight for a starting spot after starting three times as a freshman; she made a defensive save in 10 appearances.
Off the bench, coach Martin has five returners at back, including senior Martita Bowersox and sophomores Meghan Clark, Corinn Shute, Jenna McNamee, and Kelsey Wallen. Four freshmen defenders will also compete for time.

GOALKEEPER
2009 Starter: Caitlin Baro
2010 Preseason: Christine Poletti

Caitlin Baro '10 started every game in 2009 to earn all-Commonwealth honors, but the torch will be passed to junior Christine Poletti for 2010. Poletti impressed as a back-up over the past two seasons, sporting a career 0.86 GAA and .880 save percentage. The only other 'keeper on the roster will be a familiar name - freshman Chloe Baro, younger sister of Caitlin, joins the team.


2010 QUICK HITS...

• Martin brings in a 12-member freshman class that she feels could have some players who will make an immediate impact. It includes five forwards, two midfielders, and four backs, and one goalkeeper.

• LVC will be going for a sixth consecutive NCAA appearance in 2010 after their 2009 quarterfinal run. That would tie the program record, with LVC also making six straight postseason appearances from 1995-2000.

• The Dutchmen never dropped out of the top 10 in last year's NFHCA coaches' poll, and were ranked as high as #7 in the final poll. In addition to 58 consecutive weeks in the top 20, LVC has made 35 straight top-10 poll appearances, dating back to Oct. 17, 2006.

• Lebanon Valley returns 86 percent of its point-scoring from 2009, including the top five goal scorers and the top four in assists.

• There will be several records and milestones to watch for in 2010. Jocelyn Novak, with 67 career goals, is within striking distance of the LVC record of 88 set by Barbara Hall '72. In fact, with 33 to go, Novak could even become just the sixth player in NCAA history to reach 100 goals. Also worth watching is Shelly Lobach's assist total; with 37 helpers, the senior already owns the LVC record and could break into the NCAA's all-time top 25. LVC is one of three NCAA teams to return two 100-point scorers in Novak (142) and Lobach (112) for 2010; Ursinus and Wittenberg are the others.