No. 6 Cardinals Set for NCAA Tournament

Friday, November 12

Ann Arbor, MI

University of Louisville

Harvard

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Camryn Pichea dribbles down the field in the game against Syracuse

Photo by: Taris Smith | Louisville Athletics

November 11, 2021 | Field Hockey

By: Lori Harmon

WEEKEND INFORMATION
NCAA First/Second Rounds
Louisville vs. No. 12 Harvard (Friday)
Dates: November 12 and 14, 2021
Location: Ann Arbor, Mich.
Venue: Phyllis Ocker Field
Friday, Nov. 12
Game 1: #2 Michigan vs. Miami (OH), 12 p.m.
Game 2: Louisville vs. Harvard, 2:30 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 14
Game 4: Game 1 vs. Game 2 Winners, 1 p.m.
Television: NCAA.com
Tickets: Click Here
Game Links:
Tournament Central
Louisville Game Notes
NCAA Digital Program | NCAA Bracket

The sixth-ranked University of Louisville field hockey team will travel to Ann Arbor to face No. 12 Harvard in the first round of the NCAA tournament at Michigan's Phyllis Ocker Field on Friday at 2:30 p.m.

Host Michigan, the overall No. 3 seed in the tournament, will play Miami (Ohio) on Friday at 12 p.m. The winners of the first round matches will meet Sunday at 1 p.m.

Sunday's quarterfinals winner will advance to the NCAA Semifinals which will take place November 19 with the national championship game slated for November 21 at Phyllis Ocker Field.

Head Coach Justine Sowry and junior forward Mattie Tabor met with the media to discuss the upcoming weekend on Tuesday. Watch Sowry's press conference here and visit here for Tabor's.

NOTE CARDS
•This marks UofL's 10th NCAA tournament appearance and its seventh at-large bid in the last eight years. Last season, the Cardinals advanced to the NCAA semifinals for the first time in program history. In 2019, UofL reached the quarterfinals for the first time ever.
• Louisville (16-3) is the 2021 ACC regular season champion after compiling a program-best 6-0 record in ACC play.
• The Cardinals are coming off of a 2-1 sudden-victory shootout loss to No. 14 Virginia in the semifinals of the ACC Championship. Alli Bitting and Julie Kouijzer were named to the ACC All-Tournament Team following their performances in the semifinals.
•Bitting was named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year, while goalkeeper Mila de Kuijer was selected as the conference's Freshman of the Year and Justine Sowry was tabbed as ACC Coach of the Year in a vote by the league's head coaches.
• In addition to earning the league's major awards, Bitting and de Kuijer joined teammates Julie Kouijzer and Aimee Plumb on the All-ACC first team while Katie Schneider was selected to the second team. The Cardinals led all schools with four first-team selections.
• With a 6-0 mark the Cardinals clinched the 2021 ACC regular season championship outright (co champions with UNC in 2020-21 - but Louisville earned the ACC tournament top seed. This marks the second straight regular season title for the Cardinals, but the first time they have gone undefeated in league play.
• At 16-3 on the season, Louisville tied a program record for victories. The record was set with a 16-5 mark in 2001 and matched in 2019 when the Cards finished the season at 16-6.
• UofL is 10-3 against top-25 teams with its only losses coming at the hands of then-No. 2 Iowa on Sept. 19, No. 2 Michigan on Oct. 10 and No. 14 Virginia in a shootout on November 5.
• Katie Schneider leads the team with a career-best nine goals and 21 points on the season. She is also second in the ACC in goals and stands third in points.
• Louisville has outscored opponents 47-17 with 11 different players contributing goals.
• The Cardinals started the season with a 7-0 record for the second straight year, matching a school record start before falling 2-0 to the Hawkeyes.
• The Iowa loss also marked the first time the Cardinals were shut out since March 27, 2021 when Louisville fell 1-0 at then-No. 16 Boston College.
• The Cardinals are 6-1 in overtime games this season – including a 2-0 mark in double OT contests.
• Mattie Tabor has six goals on the season, five of her scores have been game-winners - she stands second in the ACC in that category.
• Freshman Mila de Kuijer carries a 0.84 goals against average, leading the ACC and standing in third in the nation in that category.
• de Kuijer also leads the league with seven shutouts and ranks seventh on Louisville's all-time single season list for shutouts.
• Head coach Justine Sowry achieved her 200th career victory on Sept. 10 when the Cardinals defeated Indiana 1-0 at Trager Stadium.

Head Coach Justine Sowry
2021 ACC Coach of the Year Justine Sowry is in her 11th season at the helm. During her time at Louisville, she has guided the Cardinals to 153 wins, six NCAA tournament appearances reaching the quarterfinals twice and advancing to the semifinals for the first time in program history in the 2020-21 season. Under Sowry's tutelage, Louisville has tallied three conference titles, including back-to-back ACC regular season crowns (2020, 2021) as well as a pair of runner-up finishes in the ACC Championships.
• With UofL's 1-0 win against Indiana on Sept. 10, Justine Sowry reached 200 career victories in her 15th season as a head coach.

Louisville Against the Field
Harvard
Series Record: First Meeting
Scouting the Crimson: The 12th-ranked Crimson (15-1) earned the Ivy League's automatic bid after winning the league title with a 7-0 mark in conference play. Harvard is making its seventh appearance in the NCAA tournament. The Crimson is on a 10-game win streak with its only loss of the season coming on Sept. 19 against then-No. 16 UConn.
• Harvard is coached by Tjerk van Herwaarden who is in his 10th season and recently celebrated his 100th win in the season finale victory against Brown.
• Hannah Pearce leads the team with 13 goals and 28 points.
• Ellie Shahbo leads the NCAA with a 0.41 goals against average and has recorded eight shutouts in 14 games. As a team, Harvard has only allowed seven goals this season with a 0.41 team goals against average.
• The teams have three opponents in common this season: both have wins against Northeastern (UL: 7-0, Harvard: 4-0); Penn (UL: 3-1, Harvard: 3-1) and Princeton (UL: 3-2/OT; Harvard: 2-1/Shootout).
• Louisville has a 2-0 record against Ivy League opponents this year (Princeton, Penn)

Miami (Ohio)
Series Record: No. 25 Miami (Ohio) leads 23-19. The bulk of the series dates back to when both teams were members of the Mid-American Conference (1994-2004).
Last Meeting: Oct. 6, 2021- Katie Schneider registered a pair of goals to help lead Louisville to a 4-1 win at Trager Stadium. Julie Kouijzer and Mackenzie Karl also scored for the Cardinals.
Scouting the RedHawks: Miami (Ohio) defeated No. 21 Maine 3-2 in overtime in an NCAA play-in game on Wednesday. The RedHawks (12-10, 6-1) won the Mid-American Conference tournament title on Sunday with a 2-1 win over Longwood.
• Claudia Negrete Garcia was named the Mid-American Conference Player of the Year. Morgan Sturm was named to the first team while Noor Breedijk, Lexie Nugent, Paula Pena and Luli Rosso earned all-conference second team honors.
• Negrete Garcia lead the team with 18 goals, eight assists and 44 points.
• Isabelle Perese carries a 1.74 goals against average with seven shutouts on the season.
• Miami is coached by Iñako Puzo who is in his ninth season at the helm.
• The teams have five opponents in common: Indiana (UL won 1-0, MU lost 1-0); Ohio State (UL won 2-1/2OT); MU lost 1-0); Virginia (UL won 1-0 and lost 2-1/shootout), (MU lost 2-0); North Carolina (UL won 3-2/OT), (MU lost 7-2); Wake Forest (UL won 2-1/2OT) (MU lost 2-1); Ohio (UL won 6-0), MU won 4-3/2OT and 1-0).
• Louisville has a 2-0 record against MAC teams this year (Ohio, Miami)

Michigan
Series Record: Michigan leads 12-4
Last Meeting: Oct. 10, 2021 - Michigan won 2-1 in Ann Arbor. Sofia Southam gave the Wolverines a 1-0 lead and Katie Schneider evened the score but Halle O'Neill secured the game-winner with under three minutes left to play.
Scouting the Wolverines: Second-ranked Michigan received the overall No. 3 seed and an at-large bid to the tournament after posting a 15-4 overall record and a 5-3 mark in Big Ten play. The Wolverines reached the finals of the Big Ten tournament where they fell 1-0 to Rutgers on Sunday – the Scarlet Knights went on to earn the top seed in the NCAA tournament. Michigan is making its seventh straight and 18th overall NCAA appearance.
• Sofia Southam was named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year. Halle O'Neill was a first team selection. Kathryn Peterson and Anouk Veen were named to the second team.
• Southam leads the team with 21 goals and 45 points, ranking second in the nation in goals per game.
• Anna Spieker carries a 1.22 goals against average.
• The Wolverines are coached by Marcia Pankratz who is in her 22nd season overall and 13th year in her current stint.
• The teams have five common opponents: North Carolina (UL won 3-2/OT), UM won 3-2); Wake Forest (UL won 2-1/2OT), (UM won 1-0); Indiana (UL won 1-0), (UM won 5-3); Ohio State (UL won 2-1/2OT), (UM won 1-0); Iowa (UL lost 2-0), (UM lost 2-1/shootout, and won 3-2);
• UofL is 2-2 against Big Ten teams (Beat Indiana and Ohio State, lost to Iowa and Michigan)

UP NEXT
Should the Cardinals win both games this weekend, they will advance to the NCAA final four which will be held November 17-19 at Phyllis Ocker Field in Ann Arbor, Mich.

CARDS SIXTH IN NFHCA COACHES POLL
UofL stands at No. 6 in the National Field Hockey Coaches Association Coaches poll released on Nov. 9. The Cardinals dropped two spots after falling 2-1 to Virginia in a shootout in the semifinals of the ACC Championship.
• Louisville spent 16 of the last 18 weeks ranked among the top five in the nation. Last season, the Cardinals spent all seven weeks in the top five after debuting at No. 2 – the highest ranking in program history – on March 16, 2021. After two weeks in that slot, UofL remained in the top five throughout the rest of the season, finishing the year at No. 5. The Cardinals also concluded the 2019 campaign at No. 5.
• The Cards have been ranked among the top 10 for the last 30 weeks spanning back to the 2019 season when they appeared at No. 8 on Sept. 10.
• Louisville has now spent 95 consecutive weeks in the top 20 in the nation dating back to the 2013 season.

ACC STRONG
Four ACC teams were selected to the 2021 NCAA tournament. In addition to Louisville's at-large bid, ACC tournament champion North Carolina earned the league's automatic berth while Virginia and Syracuse were also selected to the 18-team field.
• Six ACC teams appear in the top 25 with Louisville leading the way at No. 4. In addition to the Cardinals, the ACC holds three of the top 10 spots with North Carolina stepping in at No. 8 and Syracuse at at No. 10. Rounding out the other ACC schools are No. 13 Virginia, No. 14 Boston College and No. 22 Wake Forest.

UP LAST
#14 Virginia - #4 Louisville 1 - SV Shootout
The Cardinals lost 2-1 to No. 14 Virginia in a sudden-victory shootout in the semifinals of the ACC Field Hockey Championship Friday afternoon at Syracuse's J.S. Coyne Stadium.
• In the game, Virginia held a 9-5 advantage in shots on goal while each team earned four penalty corners. Freshman Mila de Kuijer collected seven saves and junior Julie Kouijzer posted a defensive save while Virginia's Tyler Kennedy had four stops for the Cavaliers.
• After Virginia took a 1-0 lead on a penalty stroke in the second quarter, Alli Bitting evened the score in the fourth quarter. The teams played to a sudden-victory shootout.

BITTING, KOUIJZER NAMED TO ALL-ACC TOURNAMENT TEAM
Alli Bitting and Julie Kouijzer were named to the ACC All-Tournament Team for their performances in the semifinal game against Virginia.
• Bitting registered Louisville's only goal, tying the game in the fourth quarter and Kouijzer recorded a defensive save. Both players were instrumental in the Cardinals' defense which held the Cavaliers to one goal - on a penalty stroke through 80:00 minutes which included regulation and two overtime periods.

BITTING, DE KUIJER, SOWRY EARN ACC MAJOR AWARDS
Alli Bitting was named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year, while goalkeeper Mila de Kuijer was selected as the conference's Freshman of the Year and Justine Sowry was tabbed as ACC Coach of the Year in a vote by the league's head coaches.
Alli Bitting (Hummelstown, Pa.) has been a defensive mainstay for a Louisville team that has allowed just 16 goals in 18 games (an ACC-leading .848 goals allowed per contest) while posting seven shutouts. The fifth-year defender has also registered two goals and dished out three assists. She was a 2021 Preseason All-ACC selection and earned conference Defensive Player of the Week honors in August.
• The team co-captain has established a solid resume, earning NFHCA All-America second team honors in 2019 and 2020. A three-time All-West Region selection, Bitting was also named to the 2020 NCAA All-Tournament Team following the Cardinals first-ever Final Four appearance.
• Bitting also takes home her third straight All-ACC nod, earning second team honors in 2019 and 2020.

Mila de Kuijer (Leiden, The Netherlands) has been impressive in her rookie season, leading the ACC with seven shutouts, an 0.85 goals against average, a save percentage of .805 and as well as 0.39 shutouts per game. She opened the season with back-to-back shutouts against Ohio and New Hampshire and went to hold five more teams scoreless including ACC opponents Virginia and Duke along with No. 25 James Madison. She currently stands seventh on Louisville's all-time list for shutouts in a season
• The goalkeeper has played every minute in the cage in her rookie campaign and posted a career-high eight saves in the 2-1 double overtime win against No. 15 Wake Forest. She has not allowed more than two goals in a game this season.

Justine Sowry earns her first ACC Coach of the Year honor after leading the Cardinals to the ACC regular season title with a perfect 6-0 record against league opponents. Louisville finished the regular season with a 16-2 overall mark, tying a school record that was originally established in 2001 and matched by the 2016 squad.
• The Cardinals, who were picked to finished tied for fifth in the ACC preseason coaches poll, have spent the entire season ranked among the National Field Hockey Coaches' Association (NFHCA) Top 10, reaching as high as No. 3.

CARDS PLACE FIVE ON ALL-ACC TEAMS
In addition to earning two of the league's major awards, Bitting and deKuijer joined teammates Julie Kouijzer and Aimee Plumb on the All-ACC first team while Katie Schneider was named to the second team. Louisville led all schools with four first-team selections.
Julie Kouijzer the midst of a career-best season with five goals and leads the team with eight assists while standing tied for second on the team with 18 points.
• The three-time ACC Defensive Player of the Week this season (Sept. 7, Sept. 28, Nov. 2) has helped lead Louisville's defense to seven shutouts and a 0.85 team goals against average.
• The three-year starter from Amsterdam, The Netherlands, is a 2020-21 NFHCA All-West Region second team honoree and two-time ACC Tournament selection (2019, 2020).

Aimee Plumb finished the regular season on a strong note, scoring six goals and delivering two assists over the last five games. The sophomore forward has tallied a career-high seven goals including the game-winners at No. 25 James Madison and at No. 10 North Carolina – registering a pair of scores in the 3-2 overtime victory against the Tar Heels.
• The two-time ACC Offensive Player of the Week (Oct. 19, Oct. 26) also earned NFHCA Division I National Offensive Player of the Week honors on Oct. 27.
• Plumb (Canterbury, Kent, England) was a 2020 NFHCA All-West Region second team selection and was named to NCAA All-Tournament Team follow Louisville's first-even Final Four appearance.

Katie Schneider has produced career-best offensive numbers this season, leading the team with nine goals and 21 points while delivering three assists. She tied a school record with three assists in the season-opening win against Ohio and added a goal for a career-high five points in the game.
• The San Diego native stands tied for second in the ACC with nine goals and ranks third with 21 points.

LOUISVILLE NO. 6 IN NCAA RPI
Louisville stands at No. 6 in the latest edition of the NCAA RPI, leading all seven ACC teams. The Cardinals dropped two spots after their ACC semifinal loss to Virginia.
• The Cardinals have a 4-2 record against teams ranked in the top 10 of the NCAA RPI:
No. 2 Michigan, L, 1-2
No. 4 Iowa, L, 0-2
No. 8 North Carolina, W, 3-2/OT
No. 9 Liberty, W, 3-1

SENIOR SALUTE
Prior to their regular season finale against Syracuse, the Cardinals honored seniors: Alli Bitting, Erica Cooper, Mackenzie Karl, Sam Minrath, Camryn Pichea and Katie Schneider. The class helped the program reach numerous milestones including four NCAA tournament appearances. The last two seasons, they played an integral role in earning back-to-back national seeds in the NCAA tournament.
• Last year, they helped the Cardinals to the program's first-ever Final Four appearance which came on the heels of a monumental 2019 campaign in which they helped Louisville reach the quarterfinals for the first time in program history while producing a 16-6 overall record, tying a program mark for wins. They have matched that win total again this season.
• They have helped the Cardinals to a pair of ACC regular season championships in back-to-back years.
• Their teams have been a mainstay in the national top 20 rankings throughout their careers, while spending 17 weeks among the top 10, finishing last year with the program's highest final ranking at No. 5 and then appearing at No. 2 this spring of 2021.
• The senior class has also excelled academically, earning the NFHCA Academic team award in each of their seasons here.

BALANCED OFFENSE
The Cardinals have outscored their opponents 47-17 this season.
• Eleven different players have contributed to the Cardinals' goal tally with Katie Schneider's nine goals leading the way. Aimee Plumb follows with seven goals while Mattie Tabor and Erica Cooper have six goals apiece.

STINGY DEFENSE
Louisville has posted seven shutouts in 19 games, standing second in the ACC and eighth in the nation with 0.37 shutouts per game.
• The Cardinals have produced a 0.84 goals against average which leads the conference and ranks third in the national standings.
• ACC Freshman of the Year Mila de Kuijer is in the midst of an impressive rookie campaign which started with back-to-back shutouts in the first two games of the season. She leads the ACC ranks third in the nation with a 0.84 goals against average.
• Additionally, she leads the ACC and is sixth nationally with an .805 save percentage.

TABOR COMING THROUGH IN THE CLUTCH
After her sophomore campaign was cut short in the second game of the season due to injury, Mattie Tabor is back in the Cardinals' lineup and is tied for second on the team with six goals. Five of her goals have been game-winners to lead the conference in that category.
Tabor's game winning goals:
Aug. 27 vs. Ohio (6-0
Sept. 5 at Princeton (3-2/OT)
Sept. 12 vs. Liberty (3-1)
Sept. 17 vs. Virginia (1-0)
Oct. 1 vs. Wake Forest (2OT)

SCHNEIDER SHINES IN 2021
Katie Schneider in the midst of a career-best season. The forward from San Diego leads the team with 21 points (9G, 3A). She tallied three assists in the 6-0 win against Ohio, tying a school record.
• Schneider recently tallied a pair of goals in the 4-1 win against Miami (Ohio) to establish a new career single-season high, surpassing her previous mark of six in the 2020-21 campaign.
• She stands tied for second in the ACC in goals and third in points.

RETURNING PLAYER NOTES
• Alli Bitting (team captain) - ACC Defensive Player of the Year ACC All-Tournament... 2021 First Team All-ACC selection... Earned ACC Defensive Player of the Week honors on Aug. 31… Returning for fifth season... 2021 Preseason All-ACC selection... Two-time NFHCA All-American and All-ACC selection... Last year led the team with a career-high eight assists and scored the game-winner in the Cardinals' 1-0 NCAA quarterfinal victory against UConn... Earned 2020-21 NFHCA All-West Region and All-ACC honors, helping the Cardinals' defense to eight shutouts on the season and registering one goal and four assists... Named to NCAA All-Tournament Team.
• Erica Cooper - Scored the game-winner in OT at No. 12 Boston College... Tallied two goals in the Cardinals' season opener... Stands tied for third on the team with six goals... 2019 NFHCA All-West Region selection and is a two-year starter.
• Emilia Kaczmarczyk - Two-year starter... finished fifth on the team with 11 points (4G, 3A) in 2020-21.
• Mackenzie Karl- Scored her first career goal in the 3-1 win against No. 11 Liberty (Sept. 12)... Added another goal in the 4-1 win against Miami (Ohio) on Oct. 4.
• Julie Kouijzer - First Team All-ACC, ACC All-Tournament - In the midst of a career-best season with five goals, leads team with seven asissts... Stands second on the team with 16 points... Two-time ACC Defensive Player of the Week this season (Sept. 7, Sept. 28)... Scored the game-winning goals at No. 18 Duke and in overtime at No. 19 Ohio State... Tied for second on the team with 12 points (4G, 4A)... 2020-21 NFHCA All-West Region second team honoree... Two-time ACC Tournament selection (2019, 2020)... Three-year starter
• Aimee Plumb - First Team All-ACC - Two-time ACC Offensive Player of the Week (Oct. 19, Oct. 26)... Stands second on the team with seven goals... Registered the game-winning goal in the 1-0 victory at No. 25 James Madison... Scored two goals - including the gamewinner in overtime in the Cardinals' 3-2 win at No. 10 North Carolina... NFHCA All-West Region second team selection... Named to NCAA All-Tournament Team.
• India Reed – Has started every game in the backfield... Played in every game in the backfield in 2020-21. redshirted in 2019...
• Katie Schneider - Second Team All-ACC – Leads team with a career-best nine goals and 21 points… Tied a school record with three assists in the season-opening win against Ohio… Stood second on the team with six goals in the 2020-21 season.
• Mattie Tabor – Five of her six goals have been game-winners... Dished out an assist in the 1-0 win against Indiana... Scored the game-winner in the 3-1 victory over No. 11 Liberty.
• Charlie van Oirschot - 2021 Preseason All-ACC selection... NFHCA All-West Region and All-ACC second team selection... Stood fourth on the team with four goals, including one in the ACC Semifinal win against Virginia.

NEWCOMER NOTES
• All ACC Freshman of the Year and All-ACC First Team Selection Mila de Kuijer has played every minute in the cage this season and posted a career-high eight saves in the 2-1 double overtime win against No. 15 Wake Forest. She leads the ACC in shutouts, save percentage and goals against average.
• Fellow freshman Filippa Niebuhr has appeared in all of Louisville's games and has recorded four goals and three assists on the season - including the game-winners against Indiana and No. 9 Syracuse.

TOUGH SLATE
Ten of the Cardinals' 18 opponents were among the top 25 in the final NFHCA released on November 2. In addition to its six ACC opponents, UofL has also faced, No. 1 Iowa, No. 2 Michigan, No. 8 Liberty, No. 16 Princeton, and No. 24 James Madison.
• Louisville is 10-3 against ranked opponents this season with its only regular season losses coming at the hands of No. 1 Iowa and No. 2 Michigan. The Cardinals fell 2-1 in a sudden-victory shootout to No. 14 Syracuse in the semifinals of the ACC Field Hockey Championships.

HOW THE CARDS STACK UP
• As a team, Louisville leads the ACC and stands third in the NCAA with an 0.84 goals against average.
• Louisville leads the ACC and stands fifth in the NCAA with an 0.842 winning percentage.
• UofL stands second in the ACC and 10th nationally with 0.37 shutouts per game.
• The Cardinals' scoring margin of 1.48 is third in the conference and ranks 10th nationally.
• Individually, freshman Mila de Kuijer leads the ACC and stands sixth nationally with an .811 save percentage.
• de Kuijer leads the ACC and ranks third nationally with a 0.84 goals against average.
• Katie Schneider is tied for second in the ACC in goals (9) and stands third in the conference in points (21).
• Julie Kouijzer has delivered a career-high eight assists which place her tied for third in ACC standings.
• Mattie Tabor stands second in the ACC with five game-winning goals.

INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE
The Cardinals' roster is bolstered by several players who have gained valuable experience within their countries' national programs. The following is a list of players and their national or developmental squads.
Alli Bitting - USWNT U21 Team (2019), Development Team (2020)
Erica Cooper- USWNT U21 Team (2019)
Mackenzie Karl - USWNT U17 Team (2015-16)
Filippa Niebuhr - German U16 Team
Sofia Pendolino - USWNT RISE Team
Aimee Plumb - England U19 Team (2018-19)
Katie Schneider - USWNT U19 Team (2019)
Minna Tremonti - USWNT U19 Team (2019)

HOMEGROWN TALENT
The UofL field hockey team features six players who chose to play for their hometown school: seniors Erica Cooper (Assumption), Sam Minrath (Christian Academy) juniors Camryn Pichea (Assumption) and Mattie Tabor (Sacred Heart), redshirt sophomore India Reed (duPont Manual) and sophomore Embry Jane (EJ) Imorde (Sacred Heart).

BITTING, VAN OIRSCHOT EARN PRESEASON ALL-ACC HONORS
Alli Bitting and Charlie van Oirschot have been named to the 2021 Preseason All-ACC Field Hockey Team and the Cardinals were picked in a three-way tie to finish fifth in the regular season standings in a vote by the league's seven head coaches.
•Bitting, a midfielder/defender from Hummelstown, Pa., enters her fifth season with the Cardinals. The two-time NFHCA All-America selection turned in a career-best season in 2020-21 with eight assists and two goals, including one in the 1-0 NCAA quarterfinal win against No. 6 UConn. Bitting is also a three-time all-region honoree and a two-time All-ACC selection. Additionally, she was named to the 2020-21 NCAA All-Tournament team after Louisville's first-ever NCAA semifinal appearance.
• Van Oirschot, (Haarlem, the Netherlands) is coming off of an impressive rookie campaign in 2020. She earned NFHCA All-West Region second team honors and was an All-ACC selection. The midfielder tallied four goals and dished out two assists while starting all 20 games.
2021 ACC Field Hockey Predicted Order of Finish
1. North Carolina (6) - 48
2. Boston College - 30
3. Virginia (1) - 25
4. Wake Forest - 24
t-5. Duke - 23
t-5. Louisville - 23
t-5. Syracuse - 23
(First-place votes)