Orange Tabbed as Preseason BIG EAST Favorite; Rowan Voted Preseason Offensive Player of the Year

Syracuse has been picked as the unanimous favorite for the conference crown in the BIG EAST women’s lacrosse preseason poll. The Orange received all five first-place votes, as coaches were not permitted to vote for their own teams, and placed three players on the preseason All-BIG EAST team. In addition, Syracuse junior Katie Rowan (Delmar, N.Y) was named the BIG EAST Preseason Offensive Player of the Year.

The Orange tied for the regular-season BIG EAST title last season and won the inaugural conference tournament. Notre Dame received one first-place vote and was picked second with 20 points. Georgetown was picked third, followed by Rutgers, Loyola (Md.) and Connecticut.

Rowan, an IWLCA first-team All-American in 2007, was a unanimous All-BIG EAST First Team selection last season after setting school records with 86 points and 59 goals. Rowan was joined on the preseason All-BIG EAST team by senior Bridget Looney (Silver Spring, Md.) and sophomore Halley Quillinan (Glenmont, N.Y.). Looney was voted to the all-conference second team last season recording 42 ground balls and a school-record 33 caused turnovers. She ranked second in the BIG EAST and 18^th nationally with 1.83 caused turnovers per game. Quillinan was a member of the All-BIG EAST First Team and the IWLCA All-America Third Team last season. She finished with 57 points, including a school freshman record 50 goals.

Syracuse opens the 2008 campaign on Wednesday, February 20 against Canisius at 7 p.m. in the Carrier Dome.

2008 BIG EAST Women’s Lacrosse Preseason Coaches Poll

Points

1. SYRACUSE (5) 25

2. Notre Dame (1) 20

3. Georgetown 18

4. Rutgers 13

5. Loyola (Md.) 8

6. Connecticut 6

First-place votes in parentheses

2008 BIG EAST Preseason Offensive Player of the Year

Katie Rowan, Syracuse