Out of the top 10 Pennsylvania high school field hockey programs in the 2024 preseason ranking by MAX Field Hockey, three of them claimed their respective classification’s 2023 state championship title.

 

Academy of Notre Dame de Namur (NDA), Villa Maria Academy, and Emmaus return to the top 10 in the regional ranking. NDA beat The Hill School 1-0 last fall to capture the Pa. Independent Schools Athletic Association championship; Villa Maria Academy defeated Palmyra 3-1 in the PIAA Class 2A championship; and, Emmaus topped Manheim Township 1-0 in the PIAA Class 3A championship.

 

Lower Dauphin, which was edged out of the state Class 3A championship by Emmaus is in fourth, while Manheim Township, is in eighth. Sandwiched between Palmyra at No. 6 and township is Conestoga at No. 7. LD, township, and Palmyra are in District 3 and Conestoga is in District 1.

 

Oley Valley won the 2023 PIAA Class 1A championship and starts the preseason ranked No. 14, while last year’s championship game competitor, Lackawanna Trail ranks in the Others Considered category.

 

 

The truth about this list is that any team in it could go all the way. And, while this is the preseason ranking, there are minimally a dozen more schools that could find themselves on a ranked list at any point throughout the season, as Pennsylvania is loaded with field hockey talent.

 

Here is the first preseason ranking by MAX Field Hockey.

 

Others Considered

Wyoming Area High School, Exeter

Wilson High School, West Lawn

Radnor High School, Wayne

The Episcopal Academy, Newtown Square

Parkland High School, Allentown

Northern York High School, Dillsburg

Lackawanna Trail High School, Factoryville

Gwynedd Mercy Academy High School, Lower Gwynedd Township

Easton Area High School, Easton

 

20. Hershey High School, Hershey

19. Mount Saint Joseph Academy, Flourtown

18. Crestwood High School, Mountain Top

17. The Agnes Irwin School, Bryn Mawr

16. Central Bucks West High School, Doylestown

15. Methacton High School, Eagleville

14. Oley Valley High School, Oley

13. Boyertown Area High School, Boyertown

12. Penn Manor High School, Millersville

11. Downingtown West High School, Downingtown

10. Warwick High School, Lititz

9. West Perry High School, Elliottsburg

8. Manheim Township High School, Lancaster

7. Conestoga High School, Berwyn

6. Palmyra Area High School, Palmyra

5. Emmaus High School, Emmaus

4. Lower Dauphin High School, Hummelstown

3. Villa Maria Academy, Malvern

2. Academy of Notre Dame de Namur, Villanova

1. The Hill School, Pottstown

Photo: The Hill School vs NDA at Ursinus College, November 2023, Bob Benscoter



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