Field Hockey | 10/20/2017 9:41:00 AM

SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. -- The Shippensburg University field hockey team is ranked No. 1 in the first edition of the NCAA Atlantic Region rankings released Wednesday. The NCAA regional rankings are annually used to determine the teams that qualify for the NCAA Division II Field Hockey Championships. 

Rankings will be released every Wednesday afternoon until the announcement of the tournament field, which is set for Monday, November 6. 

Shippensburg currently tops the Atlantic Region with an 11-1 record (record entering this week). The NCAA only counts matches against Division II opponents in its criteria, therefore, SU's match with NCAA Division III Messiah does not count toward its overall record.

East Stroudsburg (11-3) ranks second -- the Warriors and Raiders have split the season series thus far. Millersville (11-3) ranks third -- SU defeated the Marauders earlier this season but the two teams will match up at Millersville in a key showdown next week. Lindenwood (9-2 region record), an independent, ranks fourth, while West Chester (8-5) ranks fifth. 

2017 NCAA Division II Field Hockey Championships Facts:
• Three teams from each of the two regions (Atlantic, East) will advance to the 2017 NCAA Division II Field Hockey Championships following the completion of the regular season and respective conference championships.
• The announcement of the tournament field is set for Monday, November 6, tentatively at 3 p.m. via webcast on ncaa.com.
• The top seed from each region earns a bye into the NCAA Semifinals, while the No. 2 seed will host the No. 3 seed in an NCAA Quarterfinal on November 11.
• Conference champions (PSAC, NE-10) do not receive automatic berths into the NCAA Tournament.
• The NCAA Semifinals will be held at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 17 at Bellarmine University.
• The NCAA Division II Championship game will be held at 11 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 19 at the University of Louisville.