Nov. 10, 2006

The Virginia field hockey team will face Iowa in the first round of the NCAA Championships in Winston Salem, NC on Saturday, Nov. 11 in a contest slated to start at 2:00 pm. The Cavaliers, who have been invited to the national tournament 14 previous times, are making their first appearance in the NCAA Championships since 2001. That year, the `Hoos traveled to Winston Salem where they defeated fifth-ranked Ohio State 2-1 in extra time.

The Cavaliers take a 13-7 record into the game, a record forged against the nation's fourth-toughest schedule. In those victories, the Hoos hold triumphs over three conference champions--James Madison (CAA), Ohio (MAC), and Richmond (A10). Iowa recently won the Big Ten Championships with wins over three higher-ranked opponents (Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State). Virginia and Iowa have played each other twice in school history, with both teams earning a victory at home. This is the first contest played between the two schools in the NCAA Championships and on a neutral pitch.

Virginia is led offensively by first-year Traci Ragukas, who not only ranks in the top-25 nationally in goals per game, but also is the second-ranking rookie in the nation in goals and goals per game. The Cavaliers have also received an incredible amount of production from another rookie, Inge Kaars Sijpesteijn, who scored three of Virginia's four goals in the ACC tournament. Kaars Sijpesteijn is one of the nation's top two-way players and has helped Virginia rank in the top-30 nationally in scoring defense.

The other game in the Wake Forest regional pits host Wake Forest against the Patriot League Champion American Eagles. That game takes place at 11:00 on Saturday. The winners of the two games will meet on Sunday, Nov. 12.