COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The Maryland field hockey team won its seventh Atlantic Coast Conference championship on Sunday, and was rewarded Tuesday with the top overall seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Terrapins will face Albany in the first round on Saturday at 11:30 a.m., and will host the first weekend of play at the Field Hockey and Lacrosse Complex in College Park.

Maryland (18-2) will be joined by several familiar faces in the tournament. Five of the six ACC teams made the field, including the Duke Blue Devils, who will face Connecticut in the other first round matchup to be held in College Park.

"We are really pleased to play at home," head coach Missy Meharg said shortly after the brackets were revealed. "It is exciting to have such a variety of new and out-of-region teams."

Maryland's first round opponent will be Albany, the champions of the America East Conference. Albany defeated New Hampshire 2-1 on Sunday for the first conference crown in program history.

"It is a tough bracket, a very competitive bracket," Meharg noted. "These are all historically well-coached teams. We are looking forward to the competition."

Wake Forest, which Maryland defeated 4-3 in a thrilling ACC Championship Game on Sunday, is the tournament's No. 2 overall seed and will also play host to the first two rounds of competition.

Also hosting first round games will be Michigan State and Syracuse.

-TERPS-

 

Printer-friendly format	Email this article