ROCK HILL, S.C. — The Belmont Abbey field hockey team was picked to finish third in the South Atlantic Conference preseason poll released Friday by the league office.
Five Crusaders —
Sarah Schumacher,
Isabella Hite,
Lily Willard,
Isabel Stankiewicz and
Sophia Coleman — were all named players to watch by the league.
Newberry was selected as the preseason favorite with five first-place votes followed by Lander, who received the other first-place vote. Wingate was behind the Abbey in fourth as Converse, Coker and Barton rounded out the poll.
The Crusaders are coming off a 9-8 overall season and a 7-3 record in conference play to finish in a tie for second place.
Belmont Abbey opens the 2026 season with a pair of contests against Pennsylvania against Shippensburg and IUP on September 4 and 5 in Wingate, N.C.
The first home game at Alumni Field for the Abbey will be September 26 against Coker.
2026 SAC Field Hockey Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Newberry (6) 60
2. Lander (1) 55
3. Belmont Abbey 53
4. Wingate 46
5. Converse 40
6. Coker 33
7. Barton 32
Preseason Players to Watch
Belmont Abbey
- Sarah Schumacher, D, Sr., Cologne, Germany
- Lily Willard, GK, R-Sr., Coatesville, Pa.
- Isabella Hite, F, Sr., Pittsburgh, Pa.
- Isabel Stankiewicz, M, Jr., Ashburn, Va.
- Sophia Coleman, F, So., Annapolis, Md.
