Lancaster, Pa. – (8/28/2024) – The most recent in a series of announcements from the conference office, interim league commissioner Rebecca Mullen has officially released the results of the 2024 Atlantic East Conference (AEC) Field Hockey Preseason Poll. With St. Mary's University of Maryland leaving the conference to join the United East, 2023 AEC Runner-Up Marywood University was billed as the top team with four first-place votes and 16 total points from the league's five head coaches. Gwynedd Mercy University ranked third in the forecasted standings with nine total points.
 
In between the Marywood University and Gwynedd Mercy University, Immaculata University ranked second in the preseason poll with the remaining first-place vote and 13 total points. Following the Pacers, Mighty Macs, and Griffins, were Neumann University (8 Total Points) and Manhattanville College (4).
 
Marywood University finished 2023 at 15-5 overall and 5-1 in the AEC. They return five of their eight all-conference performers including All-AEC First Teamers; senior midfielder/defender Cassie Slusser (Bloomsburg, Pa.) and graduate forward/midfielder Cydney Lahr (Herndon, Pa.). The former ranked among the AEC Top-10 in assists (T3^rd, 9), points (10^th, 17), shots (6^th, 49), and shots-on-goal (8^th, 27), while the latter finished Top-3 in assists (T5^th, 8), goals (2^nd, 20), game-winning goals (1^st, 8 GWG), points (2^nd, 48), shots (2^nd, 89), and shots-on-goal (2^nd, 67).
 
Immaculata University returns all three of their 2023 All-AEC performers – senior defender Madalyn Bonner (Prospect Park, Pa.), sophomore Jillian Vandenbraak (Wilmington, Del.) (1^st Team), and senior goalkeeper Julia Levase (Claymont, Del.) - to a roster that finished last season at 8-10 overall and 4-2 in conference play.
 
For Gwynedd Mercy University, the 2023 season was one of growth and development as first-year Head Coach Alexa Ostoich guided a young roster to a 2-15 overall record and a 1-5 AEC standing. The sixth-seeded Griffins visited #3 Immaculata University (Oct. 28) for an AEC First Round contest looking to upset the Mighty Macs and get revenge for a 3-2 overtime loss on October 11. Unfortunately, the Red and Gold came up just short as Immaculata University escaped another overtime finish by a narrow 1-0 final. Senior captain, Laura Filchner (Bath, Pa.) serves as the Red and Gold's only returning All-AEC performer as she garnered Second Team status with 11 points (5 goals, 1 assist) and 14 shots (.357 SH%)
 
The complete results of the 2024 AEC Field Hockey Preseason Poll are listed below and are available using the provided links.
 
2024 Atlantic East Conference (AEC) Field Hockey Preseason Poll
 

Rank.School	Total Points	1st Place Votes
1. Marywood University	16	4
2. Immaculata University	13	1
3. Gwynedd Mercy University	9
4. Neumann University	8
5. Manhattanville College	4