Bucknell University Athletics
Field Hockey Opens Preseason Practice
8/11/2016 10:10:00 PM | Field Hockey
LEWISBURG, Pa. – The Bucknell field hockey team faces two tough challenges before the regular season even starts, as it will host returning national champions in Syracuse and East Stroudsburg in exhibition games. The Bison began preparation for those contests, as well as a tough regular season schedule with the start of preseason practice this week.
“We really need to figure out where we are before we can move forward,” said ninth-year head coach Jeremy Cook. “These first few days are always kind of experimental as we try to find out how fit everyone is coming back and what kind of foundation we have to build off of. “
While Cook may not be certain of exactly where the team stacks up in the conference at this point in the year, history points to Bucknell being at least a postseason team. The Bison have qualified for the Patriot League Tournament in each of his eight seasons with the program.
Bucknell is coming off a semifinal exit in last year's conference tournament, but they certainly went down swinging. The Bison fell to top-seeded and 17th-ranked Boston University in double overtime. The Bison are also just two seasons removed from their first outright regular season title in school history and a spot in the league's championship game.
The Bison will host returning Division I national champion Syracuse on Tuesday and returning Division II national champion East Stroudsburg on Sunday, Aug. 21. The Orange will actually be making the trip to Lewisburg twice this season, including a regular season matchup on Oct. 2.
“We're excited to have Syracuse here on Tuesday,” Cook said. “It's going to be a really big test for us and should help us gauge where we are at and what we need to do to get to where we want to be.”
