USA Field Hockey News

USA Field Hockey Women Move up to 10th Spot in World Rankings

Colorado Springs (10/10/06) –  Following a sixth place finish at the World Cup, the USA Field Hockey women's national team moved into the top 10 in the International Hockey Federation's (FIH) world rankings.

Kelly Doton celebrates a USA goal at the World Cup. The USA placed sixth at the World Cup to enter the top 10 in the world rankings.

The USA jumped two places in the rankings from the 12th position to No. 10. The team has 1,180 ranking points after victories over higher-ranked opponents Korea (No. 7) and Germany (No. 3) at the World Cup. The new rankings leave the USA just 75 points behind No. 9 Korea and 91 ranking points behind No. 8 New Zealand.

Through the FIH world ranking system, teams earn points based on their finishes at world level events such as the World Cup, Olympic Games, Champions Trophy and Champions Challenge as well as continental federation championships. Initiated in 2003, the rankings take into account a team's performance in the tournaments over a four year period.

The USA's next opportunities for a rankings boost will be in 2007 at the Champions Challenge in Baku, Azerbaijan and the Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The USA placed sixth at the World Cup for its best showing at the event since a third place finish in 1994. The finish marked the country's third top-six finish since the team made its World Cup debut in 1983.

FIH World Rankings to 15 (points):
1. Netherlands (2556), 2. Australia (2180), 3. Argentina (2158), 4. Germany (2015), 5. China (1716), 6. Japan (1410), 7. Spain (1355), 8. New Zealand (1271), 9. Korea (1255), 10. USA (1180), 11. England (1172), 12. South Africa (1013), 13. India (850), 14. Ireland (625), 15. Ukraine (500)

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