Aug. 4, 2011

AMHERST, Mass. - The Atlantic 10 Conference announced on Thursday that Massachusetts has been selected to win the 2011 A-10 Championship in voting conducted by the league's head coaches. Under first year head coach Carla Tagliente, the Minutewomen will be looking to repeat as conference champs and win the program's fourth A-10 title in the last five years.

Richmond, the 2009 A-10 champion who combines with UMass for the last 13 A-10 Championships, was picked second. The Minutewomen and Spiders will meet in the final conference game of the season on Oct. 28 at Garber Field.

Temple was picked third in the poll, while Lock Haven, who made it to the conference finals in its first year in the A-10 in 2010, rounds out the top four.

Fans can get their first look at the 2011 Minutewomen in a pair of home exhibition games, on Aug. 20 against New Hampshire at 1 p.m. and Aug. 21 against Colgate at 2 p.m. UMass opens the season in Burlington, Vt. on Aug. 27 at 3 p.m. vs. Boston College.

UMass defeated Temple, 1-0 in overtime, and Lock Haven, 2-0, at Temple's Geasey Field to win the 2010 A-10 Championship. Freshman Alexa Sikalis was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player while two-time All-American and three-time All-Conference goalkeeper Alesha Widdall, who returns for her senior season in 2011, earned both shutouts.

The 2011 Atlantic 10 Championship will be played in Philadelphia on Nov. 4-5 at Saint Joseph's.

2011 A-10 Field Hockey Preseason Poll
1. Massachusetts
2. Richmond
3. Temple
4. Lock Haven
5. La Salle
6. Saint Joseph's
7. Saint Louis