Middlebury, Vermont – The Middlebury field hockey team has been the NCAA Division III team to beat for the past five years. They started the 2022 season with a 30-game winning streak that dates to 2019 and captured a fifth-consecutive National Championship this season.
The Panthers become the first field hockey team across all divisions to capture five consecutive titles.
But that’s not all that’s happening this year for the Panthers. Middlebury College is installing a new AstroTurf® Poligras system for field hockey, giving the school’s field hockey and lacrosse athletes a leading-edge playing surface with an Olympic-sized history.
Panthers Athletics chose AstroTurf’s Poligras Platinum field hockey system for Kohn Field. Originally opened in the spring of 2000 and upgraded in 2011, Kohn Field has always been a state-of-the-art field hockey and lacrosse facility. Now, with this new revitalization project, it sports the same surface that was installed for the Summer Olympic Games in London, Rio, and Tokyo. The AstroTurf® Poligras Platinum system has also been the playing surface for every NCAA Division I Final Four tournament since field hockey made the transition from natural grass to synthetic turf.
“The new Poligras Platinum field at Middlebury College is a winning field for a record-breaking team. The Panthers are a phenomenal team, and they deserve to practice on a surface that lets them get fast ball speed and confident footing,” said Melissa Twist, AstroTurf’s National Manager of Field Hockey sales.
The AstroTurf® system at Kohn Field is a short-pile tufted field with polyethylene fibers, offering student-athletes a soft, non-abrasive surface. The fibers are also water-resistant — an essential feature for ensuring practices and games can go on in all weather conditions.
With long-time Head Coach and member of the 2022 National Field Hockey Association (NFHCA) Hall of Fame induction class Katharine DeLorenzo at the helm, the Panthers defeated John Hopkins in overtime to complete another memorable season.
The win not only ended John Hopkins’ 16-game unbeaten streak, but the Panthers became the first time to score against the Blue Jays during the NCAA Tournament.
For the sixth time in program history, the Panthers reached the 20-win plateau (21-1) and set a program record for goals scored with 107. The shutout was also a school record 12th for the Panthers.
The Panthers earn their sixth national title in the last seven seasons and their seventh championship in program history (1998, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022).
About AstroTurf®
For athletes and sports enthusiasts, AstroTurf® has redefined the way the game is played. The brand offers advanced, multi-sport, and specialized synthetic turf systems with proprietary engineered technologies. A growing number of high schools, colleges, professional sports teams, and municipalities continue to select AstroTurf-branded products for their premium quality, technical superiority, and safety. To learn more, visit AstroTurf’s website at www.astroturf.com.