Darien Opens Season at No. 1 in Connecticut Field Hockey Coaches Poll

OriginalMatchday Live deskSep 23, 2026 · 21:28 UTC

The short version

Darien, the defending Class L champion, earned seven first-place votes and 154 points to open at No. 1.
Ludlowe (No. 2) received the other first-place vote; Staples, the Class L runner-up, is No. 3 with both losses to out-of-state teams.
Class S champion Immaculate is No. 6 with a 5-0-0-0 record.
Hand and Wilton represent Class M at Nos. 4 and 5.
Eight coaches from across Connecticut voted in the poll.

The first Connecticut High School Field Hockey Coaches Poll of 2026 puts defending Class L champion Darien on top, with Ludlowe and Staples close behind.

The first Connecticut High School Field Hockey Coaches Poll of the season was released Sept. 23, and Darien sits at No. 1. The Blue Wave are the defending Class L champion and opened with a 2-0-0-0 record, earning seven of eight first-place votes for 154 points.

Ludlowe checks in at No. 2 with a 4-0-0-0 mark and the remaining first-place vote. Staples, last year's Class L runner-up, is third at 3-2-0-0, with both of its losses coming against out-of-state opponents. Ludlowe fell to Staples in a shootout in the CIAC semifinals last fall.

Class M programs Hand and Wilton fill the fourth and fifth spots. Hand is 4-0-0-0, while Wilton stands at 3-1-0-0. Immaculate, the reigning Class S champion and off to a 5-0-0-0 start, lands at No. 6.

Branford (3-0-0-1) and Simsbury (5-0-0-0), both Class M sides, hold the seventh and eighth positions. FCIAC rivals Greenwich and Ridgefield, each 3-1-0-0, complete the top ten.

The rankings extend to 17 teams, with North Branford (11), Guilford (12), East Lyme (13), Granby (14), Lauralton Hall (15), Barlow (16) and New Fairfield (17) also receiving recognition. Unbeaten teams in the poll include Darien, Ludlowe, Hand, Immaculate, Simsbury, North Branford, Granby and Lauralton Hall.

The poll was compiled from votes submitted by eight coaches: Matt Arinello of Immaculate, Margaret Bristol of Canton, Janet Dickey of the Westbrook/LOL/H-K co-op, Dawn Hough of New Milford, Kitty Palmer of Guilford, Kyle Seaburg of Norwalk, Jenna Tucchio of Stonington and Sara Witmer of Conard.