NEW YORK (Aug. 23, 2022)- Junior forward
Meghan Mitchell is coming off a standout season and is predicted to perform even better in the BIG EAST conference this year. Mitchell has been named to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team. Villanova was picked to finish sixth in the conference in a preseason poll of league head coaches. The Wildcats return 14 players from last season's roster including five leading scorers which should make for a very competitive season.
Last season Mitchell started and played in all 18 of the Wildcats games. She played a total of 1041 minutes, scored 10 goals, had eight assists, and a total of 28 points on the season. She had a 0.230 shooting percentage and had 32 shots on goal.
Throughout her two years as a Wildcat, she ranks among the all-time leaders in school history with career averages of 1.50 points per game (third) and 0.59 goals per game (sixth). Mitchell has also earned numerous accolades as a student-athlete as a NFHCA Division I Offensive Player of the Week, a two-time NFHCA Mid-Atlantic All-Region honoree, a two-time All-BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week, a five-time BIG EAST weekly honoree, including three Honor Roll selections, and a two-time member of the BIG EAST All-Academic Team.
Recently, Mitchell has made her way into the USA Field Hockey circuit by being spending her summer at a USA Field Hockey High Performance Center and trying out for the 2023 U-21 Development Squad Selection Camp. Based on her performance at these tryouts she was invited to the 2022 Senior Nexus Championship in Virginia Beach, Va. and had a noteworthy performance. The last steps to making the Women's U-21 National Field Hockey team is one more Development Squad Selection Camp which will be held sometime this winter. The training camps and tournaments are stepping stones on the Olympic Development Pathway Program which is extremely competitive and a huge honor.
Mitchell and Wildcats will take the field on Friday, August 26 at home vs LIU for their 2022 season opener. Conference play begins on Friday, September 16 at Providence College.
Preseason Co-BIG EAST Offensive Players of the Year
Daniella Rhodes, Liberty, Sr., F
Preseason BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year
Bethany Dykema, Liberty, Sr., B
Preseason All-Conference
Azul Iritxity Irigoyen, Liberty, Jr., GK
Claire Jandewerth, UConn, Sr., B
Bethany Dykema, Liberty, Sr., B ^
Nienke Oerlemans, Temple, Sr., B
Lizzie Hamlett, Liberty, Sr., M
Delphine Le Jeune, Old Dominion, Sr., M ^
Julianne Kopec, Temple, So., M
Sophia Ugo, UConn, So., F
Daniella Rhodes, Liberty, Sr., F ^
Marlon de Bruijne, Old Dominion, Jr., F
Megan Mitchell, Villanova, Jr., F
^ indicates a unanimous selection
BIG EAST Field Hockey Preseason Coaches' Poll
First-place votes in ()
| 1. Liberty (6) |
48 |
| 2. Connecticut (2) |
41 |
| 3. Old Dominion |
40 |
| 4. Temple |
30 |
| 5. Providence |
25 |
| 6. Villanova |
17 |
| 7. Georgetown |
12 |
| 8. Quinnipiac |
11 |
